by Bibek Debroy
Chapter 1551(223)
‘Yudhisthira asked, “On this earth, who is the man who is loved by all the worlds, is unblemished and possesses all the spirits and also has every kind of quality?”
‘Bhishma replied, “O bull among the Bharata lineage! You have asked me a question. In this connection, there was a conversation between Ugrasena and Keshava about Narada.233
‘“Ugrasena said, ‘Behold. All the worlds have resolved to praise Narada. I think that he possesses all the qualities. I am asking you. Tell me.’
‘“Vasudeva replied, ‘O lord of the Kukkuras! Listen to me and I will tell you what you have asked me. O lord of men! I will briefly tell you about Narada’s virtuous qualities. His character and conduct are such that he does not suffer from arrogance, destructive of the body. There is no gap in his learning and his character. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. The ascetic Narada is restrained in his speech and there is no exception to this. There is no desire and avarice in him. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He knows the truth about adhyatma. He is tranquil, capable and in control of his senses. He is upright and truthful. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He is energetic and illustrious. He possesses intelligence, policy and humility. Because of his birth, austerities and age, he is worshipped everywhere. He is cheerful in his conduct. He is excellent in his pleasures and food. He is considerate and pure. He speaks excellent words, devoid of malice. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He firmly acts so as to ensure welfare. There is no sin in him. He is not pleased at the hardships of others. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He desires to hear the objectives of the Vedas, the sacred texts and the accounts, and tolerates those who are ignorant. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He behaves equally. There is no one he loves and no one he hates. He speaks what is pleasant to the mind. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He is extremely learned and is colourful in his tales. He possesses knowledge. He is without laziness and without deceit. He is not distressed. He is without anger and without greed. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He has never engaged in any quarrels for the sake of artha, dharma or kama. He has severed all taints. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He is firm in his devotion. His soul has no blemish. He is learned and is devoid of cruelty. He is free from all sins of delusion. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. Though he is seen to be attached, he is actually detached from all the things that cause attachment. His doubts do not last for a long time. He is eloquent. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. For the sake of accomplishing any object or obtaining respect, he never praises himself. He is not envious and is mild in his speech. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. There are many kinds of ordinary conduct in this world. He is accomplished and knows about these. He associates with these people, but does not censure them. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He does not hate any kind of knowledge and subsists on austerities. He does not allow himself to spend time fruitlessly. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He has conquered exhaustion. He is accomplished in his wisdom. He is not content with meditation. He resorts to the rituals, without any distraction. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. Because his policies are good, he is never shamed. He is engaged in the supreme objective. He does not reveal the secrets of others. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He is not delighted at obtaining wealth. Nor is he distressed when nothing is obtained. He is firm in his intelligence and his soul is not attached. That is the reason he is worshipped everywhere. He is vested with all the qualities. He is skilful and ceaseless in the pursuit of the auspicious. He knows about time. He knows about policy. He knows about the people to whom good things should not be done.’”’
Chapter 1552(224)
‘Yudhishthira said, “O Kourava! I wish to hear about the origin and end of all beings. From one yuga to another yuga, what is the nature of meditation, deeds and time? What is the truth about all the worlds and beings, their coming and going? How do creation and destruction come about? O supreme among virtuous ones! I am asking you. If your intelligence is so disposed as to favour me, you should tell me. Earlier, I heard you recount the supreme words that Bhrigu spoke to the brahmana rishi Bharadvaja, supreme in his intelligence. Therefore, I have become supremely devoted to dharma and wish to find refuge in that celestial spot. Therefore, I am asking you again and you should tell me.”
‘Bhishma replied, “In this connection, an ancient history is recounted, about the illustrious Vyasa being asked by his son. Vyasa’s son, Shuka, studied all the Vedas, Vedangas and Upanishads and having become accomplished about the knowledge of dharma, wished to find out about virtuous deeds. Vyasa’s son thus asked Krishna Dvaipayana, so that his doubt and uncertainty about the purport of dharma might be dispelled. ‘Who is the creator of all the categories of beings? How is the classification of time determined? What are the tasks that brahmanas should perform? You should tell me.’ Having been thus asked by the son, the father told him about everything. He knew about everything and about all forms of dharma. He knew about the past and the future.
‘“‘Brahma is without a beginning and without an end.234 He is without origin and divine. He is without decay. He is permanent and without transformation. He cannot be thought of. He cannot be known. Before everything else, Brahma was there. Fifteen nimeshas235 make a kashtha. Thirty kashthas are reckoned as a kala. Thirty kalas and an additional one tenth of a kala make a muhurta. Thirty muhurtas make up one day and one night. This is the enumeration given by the sages. Thirty days and nights are said to be one month. Twelve months are said to constitute one year. Those who know about numbers say that there are two ayanas in a year, uttara and dakshina.236 In the world of men, the sun separates day from night. Beings make efforts to undertake tasks during the day and sleep during the night. One such month237 is again one day and one night for the ancestors. Krishnapaksha is their day and they undertake action then, while shuklapaksha is their night and they sleep then.238 One year239 is again one day and one night for the gods. Uttarayana is their day and dakshinayana is their night. I have already recounted day and night in the world of the gods. I will now tell you about the number of years for Brahma. In due order, I will tell you about the number of years in krita, treta, dvapara and kali yuga. Four thousand years240 is said to be the duration of krita yuga. There are another four hundred years as morning and four hundred as evening.241 For the other three, the main is reduced by one fourth, or thousand, and the sandhya by hundred.242 These measurements continuously hold up the eternal worlds. O son!243 Those who know about Brahma also know the eternal brahman. In krita yuga, all the four parts of dharma and truth exist. This is supreme and nothing is followed that is against dharma. In each of the others, dharma is seen to progressively reduce by one-fourth. Theft, falsehood, deceit and adharma flourish. In krita, there is no disease. There is success in all pursuits and the life span is four hundred years. In treta, the life span is reduced by a quarter. We have heard that the following of the Vedas, life spans, benedictions and the fruits of the Vedas also progressively decrease. There are different kinds of dharma for krita yuga, treta and dvapara. Dharma is also different for kali yuga, when one acts according to one’s capacity. Austerities are supreme in krita yuga and knowledge is supreme in treta. Sacrifices are spoken of in dvapara and donations in kali yuga. Wise and learned ones say that twelve thousand years constitute a yuga.244 A thousand of these245 is said to be one of Brahma’s days. Brahma’s night is also like that. When it is day for the lord, the universe is created. When it is destroyed, he immerses himself in adhyatma.246 At the end of the sleep, he awakes. People who know about night and day say that Brahma’s day is for one thousand yugas and his night is also for one thousand yugas.
‘“‘When the night is over, the unmanifest Brahma awakes. Though he is not manifest, he creates the great being that is his manifest mind. Brahma is the ene
rgetic seed and everything in the universe springs from that. From that single being, both mobile and immobile objects are created. When it is dawn, he awakes and creates the universe with his knowledge. At first, there is Mahabhuta.247This quickly becomes Mana,248 the manifest form of the soul. Those overwhelming rays create those seven through mental powers.249 Mana is far-reaching and flows in many different ways. There are determination and resolution to create and is done by transforming itself. Akasha250 is generated and sound is held to be its quality. From Akasha is created the pure and powerful Vayu,251 the bearer of all scents. Touch is held to be its quality. From Vayu is generated Jyoti,252 the dispeller of darkness. Those rays are created and their qualities are held to be form. From Jyoti is created Apa,253 with taste as its attribute. From Apa results Bhumi,254 with scent as its quality. This is said to be the original creation. One after another, they receive the qualities of the preceding one. They are said to not only possess their own quality, but also of the one from which they were created.255 If one discerns scent in water and takes that to be its quality, the person is ignorant. Scent is known to belong to earth, though it may also find a refuge in water or wind. These seven different entities have different forms of energy and exist separately, so that beings may be destroyed. But for the sake of creation, they come together. Those great-souled ones assemble and unite with each other. When they resort to a body, it is then said to be Purusha. When they resort to the body, there are sixteen forms.256 With all the deeds,257 Mahat enters the body. For the sake of austerities, it resorts to all beings. This is Mahabhuta, the original creator, and is known as Prajapati. He creates beings and is the supreme Purusha. Brahma is without orgin and generates gods, rishis, ancestors, humans, worlds, rivers, oceans, directions, mountains, trees, men,258 kinnaras, rakshasas, birds, animals, wild animals,259 serpents, unmanifest and manifest objects, both mobile and immobile. Each of those created obtains the legacy of its earlier deeds. Having obtained these, each is created again and again. Violence, non-violence, mildness, cruelty, dharma, adharma, truth, falsehood—the creator thinks of the qualities that had pleased the being earlier. Mahabhuta affixes the different senses to the bodies of beings and determines the constituent parts. Some learned ones speak of enterprise, others of earlier deeds. Some brahmanas think of destiny, others think of the natural traits of beings. Enterprise, deeds and destiny lead to fruits and this is helped by nature. Some say that thinking of these three as separate is not correct. Some say this is true. Others say that is true. Others speak of the uneven consequences of deeds. However, there are insightful ones who know about the being who created the universe and regard all these equally. Austerities bring the greatest benefit to beings and its foundations are self-control and tranquility. Through these, one obtains everything, all that one desires and wishes for. Through austerities, one obtains the being who created the universe. He is in all beings and is the lord who created beings. It is because of austerities that the rishis can study the Vedas, day and night. Svayambhu created those eternal words, which are without origin and are passed down. Though they go by the names of the rishis, he created the Vedas.260 When it was the end of the night, he gave it to them. Nama, Bheda, Tapas, Karma, Yajna, Akhya, Loka-siddhi, Atma-siddhi and the ten kinds of techniques have been spoken of in the Vedas.261 He262 is mysterious and has been spoken about in the words of the Vedas. Those who have insight into the Vedas know this. He has also been spoken about at the end263 and can be realized by practising the rites. A person who is devoid of yoga has a sense of separateness and duality and is born because of his deeds. However, a person who knows about Atma-siddhi can generally drive that sense forcefully away. There are two Brahmas who should be known, Shabda-Brahma and Para-Brahma.264 Having understood Shabda-Brahma, one can go to Para-Brahma.
‘“‘Slaughter represents sacrifice for kshatriyas. Offerings265 represent sacrifice for vaishyas. Servitude represents sacrifice for shudras. Austerities represent sacrifice for brahmanas. There was no need for sacrifices in krita yuga, but they were recommended in treta yuga. There was an uprooting of sacrifices in dvapara yuga and this is also true of kali yuga. Mortals have come to regard Rig, Sama and Yajur as standing for different kinds of dharma. They desire their own prosperity and look upon austerities and the object of austerities as distinct. In treta, they were regarded as the same and there were extremely powerful ones, who controlled all mobile and immobile objects. In treta, sacrifices and the varnas co-existed together. However, because lifespans were reduced, these went into a decline in dvapara yuga. Even if one looks, in kali yuga, all the Vedas cannot be seen. With sacrifices, which are the bridges of dharma, they have been destroyed. The dharma of krita yuga can only be seen to be vested in some brahmanas who have cleansed their souls and are learned and are also devoted to austerities. Depending on the dharma of one yuga and another yuga, people are associated with rites of adharma. Though they know what the Vedas have described as being appropriate for a certain yuga, they sell their own dharma. When it rains repeatedly during the monsoon, a large number of beings and immobile objects are generated. From one yuga to another, dharma266 is created in that fashion. As the seasons progress, many different kinds of forms are seen. In that fashion, different signs can be seen in Brahma, Hara and the third.267 This has been ordained by time and it has neither a beginning, nor an end. It has been spoken about earlier and it creates and devours subjects. It is the controller who uses its powers to establish and restrain them. Because of their nature, they are repeatedly seen to be addicted to opposite sentiments. O son! I have told you everything that you have asked about—creation, time, rituals, the Vedas, doers, tasks, action and fruits. I will now tell you about how he268 withdraws himself, when it is night and day is over. The subtle lord of the universe then immerses himself in adhyatma. In the firmament, the sun burns everything, with its seven crests of flames. Everything is pervaded by those rays and the entire universe starts to blaze.’”’
Chapter 1553(225)
‘“Vyasa said, ‘All beings on earth, mobile and immobile, are first destroyed and then merge into the earth. Everything, mobile and immobile, thus disappears. The ground is then seen to be without wood and without grass, like the back of a tortoise. Water then accepts the quality of the earth, that is, scent. Having been bereft of scent, the earth can then be thought of as having been destroyed. Water is then established, in the form of mighty waves that make giant roars. It pervades everything, staying still and moving around. O son! Light then accepts the quality of water. Having lost its own quality, water seeks refuge in light. The sun is stationed in the middle of the firmament. But crests of flames hide it. Everything is covered by those rays and the entire sky seems to be blazing. However, the wind then accepts the quality of light. Though light is pacified, a gigantic wind is whirled around. The wind creates itself, using its own foundation.269 It moves upwards, downwards and diagonally, agitating the ten directions. Space then devours the wind’s quality of touch. The wind is pacified. But basing itself in the sky, it continues to roar. The quality of space, sound, is then accepted by Mana, the soul of everything that is manifest. Whatever is made manifest by Mana, is withdrawn by the unmanifest Brahma. With its qualities, Mana is then submerged into Chandrama.270 Mana is immersed in adhyatma and bases itself in Chandrama. After a long period of time, Sankalpa271 is brought under subjugation. Chitta272 devours Sankalpa and this is the supreme knowledge. Time devours knowledge and the sacred texts say that time is devoured by Bala.273 But Bala is devoured by Time and is in turn brought under subjugation by Vidya.274 The unmanifest and supreme Brahma then roars in the sky and brings Vidya into his soul. He is eternal and the greatest. In this fashion, all the beings are drawn into Brahma. This has certainly been spoken about properly. This is what should be known. This is knowledge. This has been seen by yogis who are supreme in their souls. Thus, the unmanifest Brahma repeatedly extends and withdraws. Thus do Brahma’s night and day last for 1,000 yugas.’”’
Chapter
1554(226)
‘“Vyasa said, ‘I have recounted everything that you asked about, about how different categories of beings are appointed. I will now tell you about the tasks to be undertaken by brahmanas. There are jatakarma and other rituals, ending with samavartana.275 These involve the payment of dakshina and require a preceptor who is knowledgable about the Vedas. One must be engaged in serving the preceptor and study all the Vedas. Having repaid the preceptor’s debt,276 one obtains knowledge about all the sacrifices, and graduates. Having taken the preceptor’s permission, one must then adopt one of the four ashramas and follow its prescribed ordinances, until one is freed from one’s body. One can accept a wife for generating offspring. Or one can adhere to brahmacharya. Or, with the preceptor, one can dwell in the forest. Or one can follow the dharma of a mendicant. The state of the householder is said to be the foundation for all four. Such a person, who is self-controlled and matures while he scrapes away,277 is successful everywhere. Through offspring, studying and performing sacrifices, he is freed from the three divine debts.278 Having purified himself through these deeds, he can then proceed to the other ashramas.279 He must dwell in a place of learning that is the most sacred spot on earth. That will be the yardstick for his obtaining supreme fame. The fame of brahmanas increases through extremely great austerities, accomplishment in learning, performing sacrifices and donating. As long as his deeds and fame remain in this world, a man obtains eternal and sacred worlds in the hereafter. He must study and teach. He must officiate at a sacrifice and perform his own sacrifices. He must not receive or give without reason. Great riches can be obtained by officiating at sacrifices, through pupils and through maidens.280 Whatever has been obtained must not be enjoyed alone. For a person who is in the state of a householder, there is no option but to receive for the sake of gods, rishis, ancestors, preceptors, the aged, the diseased and the hungry.281 For those who are afflicted and in disguise, one must give, including cooked food, to the best of one’s capacity. One must indeed give in excess of one’s capacity. To those who deserve to be given, there is nothing that cannot be given.