03.187
God said.
Indeed, O Brāhmaṇa, even the gods do not truly know me; but out of affection for you, I will explain how I create this. (03-187-1)
O brāhmaṇa sage, you are devoted to your father and have sought refuge in me; therefore, I have appeared directly before you, and your celibacy is truly great. (03-187-2)
The waters are called 'nārāḥ.' This has been stated as a designation made by me. Therefore, I am called Nārāyaṇa. That is ever my meditation. (03-187-3)
I am Nārāyaṇa by name, the original, eternal, and imperishable one, the creator and destroyer of all beings, O best of the twice-born. (03-187-4)
I am Viṣṇu, I am Brahmā, I am also Indra, the lord of the gods. I am Vaiśravaṇa, the king, and Yama, the lord of the departed as well. (03-187-5)
I am Śiva, Soma, Kaśyapa, and Prajāpati. I am the creator, the ordainer, the sacrifice, and I, O best of the twice-born. (3-187-6)
Fire is my mouth, earth my feet, the moon and sun my eyes, directions and the sky my body, and air abides in my mind. (03-187-7)
By me, hundreds of sacrifices, properly offered with many fees, are performed by the knowers of the Veda, who worship me as present in the sacrificial worship of the gods. (03-187-8)
On earth, kings among the kṣatriyas and rulers who desire heaven worship me; likewise, the Vaiśyas who wish to attain the world of heaven. (3-187-9)
Becoming Śeṣa, I indeed bear this earth, which extends to the four oceans and is adorned by the Meru and Mandara mountains. (03-187-10)
O brāhmaṇa, formerly, I assumed the form of a boar and by my power, this earth, which was sinking in the water, was lifted up. (03-187-11)
O best of the twice-born, having assumed the form of Agni with the mouth of Vaḍavā, I drink up the waters and, having filled them, I also discharge them. (03-187-12)
Brahmins are my mouth, Kṣatriyas are my arms, Vaiśyas have resorted to my thighs, Śūdras partake of my feet—by strength and by order. (03-187-13)
The Ṛgveda, Sāmaveda, Yajurveda and also the Atharva Veda—these arise from me and again enter into me. (03-187-14)
Ascetics who are devoted to peace, are self-controlled, seek liberation, are free from desire, anger, and hatred, are unattached, and are without sin. (03-187-15)
Brahmins abiding in sattva, free from ego, always knowing the self, constantly think of and worship only me. (03-187-16)
I am the light of destruction; I am Yama, who destroys everything. I am the destructive Sun; I am the destructive Wind. (03-187-17)
The forms that appear as stars in the sky—know these as my forms, O best of the twice-born. (03-187-18)
Know that the oceans, the seas, and indeed everything in all four directions—clothing, bed, and abode—belong to me. (03-187-19)
O best one, know all these—desire, anger, joy, fear, and delusion, likewise—are indeed my own forms. (3-187-20)
O Brāhmaṇa, men achieve that virtuous result by performing actions such as truthfulness, charity, austerity, and especially intense nonviolence toward living beings. (03-187-21)
By my arrangement, the beings dwelling in my body, whose awareness has been overpowered by me, do not act by their own desire. (03-187-22)
Twice-born ones who properly study the Veda, perform sacrifices with various rituals, have peaceful minds, and have conquered anger attain (this). (03-187-23)
That (object) cannot be obtained by wise men associated with wicked action, by those who are overcome with greed, by the wretched, by the ignoble, and by those lacking self-control. (03-187-24)
Know me to be that great-fruited goal of the virtuous, a path difficult to attain for the greatly deluded, followed by yogic disciplines. (03-187-25)
Whenever there is a decline of dharma, O best of beings, and a rise of adharma, then I manifest Myself. (03-187-26)
The Daityas, who are attached to violence, are invulnerable even to the foremost of the gods; and the Rākṣasas also, who will be born in this world, will be fierce. (03-187-27)
Then I, being born in the houses of the pious, possessing a human body, pacify all things. (03-187-28)
Having created gods, humans, gandharvas, serpents, demons, and immovable beings, I withdraw them all by my own māyā. (03-187-29)
At the time of action, having considered, I create again a body; entering a human body for the reason of limitation and binding. (03-187-30)
My color is white in the Kṛta Yuga, yellow in the Tretā Yuga, red upon entering the Dvāpara Yuga, and likewise black in the Kali Yuga. (03-187-31)
In that period, three parts of unrighteousness indeed arise. When the final time arrives and time becomes exceedingly dreadful, I alone destroy the entire three worlds, both immovable and movable. (03-187-32)
I am he of the three paths, the self of all, the bringer of happiness to all worlds, the overpowering one, the all-pervading, the infinite, Hṛṣīkeśa, the one of great strides. (03-187-33)
O Brahman, I alone move the wheel of time; I am truly formless, and the destruction of all beings, as well as the exertion made by all the worlds, comes from me. (03-187-34)
Even though my self is thus properly established by me in all beings, O best of sages, O chief of Brāhmaṇas, yet no one knows me. (03-187-35)
O twice-born, whatever hardship you have experienced on my behalf, all of it is for your future happiness and your ultimate good, O sinless one. (03-187-36)
O best of sages, whatever immobile or mobile thing you have seen in this world, all that, in every way, is indeed my own Self. (03-187-37)
Half of my body is the grandfather of all worlds. I am Nārāyaṇa by name, the wielder of the conch, discus, and mace. (03-187-38)
O brāhmaṇa sage, as long as a thousand cycles of ages pass, the soul of all and the grandfather of all worlds sleeps. (03-187-39)
O best of sages, in this way, I remain here all the while, assuming the form of a child though not truly a child, until Brahmā becomes aware. (03-187-40)
O Brāhmaṇa, this boon has been given to you by me, appearing in the form of Brahman, repeatedly gratified and honored by assemblies of Brāhmaṇa-sages. (03-187-41)
Seeing everything as one ocean and the destruction of all immobile and mobile beings, you became distressed; having understood this, I have therefore shown you the world. (03-187-42)
When you have entered inside my body and, having seen the entire world, are astonished, you do not realize it. (03-187-43)
Then, O best of Brāhmaṇas, you were quickly produced by me from my mouth; and I have also declared to you the self, which is difficult to know even by the gods and asuras. (03-187-44)
O sage among Brāhmaṇas, until the venerable Brahmā, the great ascetic, becomes aware, you may confidently move about here happily. (03-187-45)
Then, when he had awakened, O best of the twice-born, I, having become one, will indeed create (the worlds) from my body before the grandsire of all the worlds. (03-187-46)
The sky, earth, light, wind, water indeed and whatever else exists here in the world—whether immovable or movable—(all these are included). (03-187-47)
Mārkaṇḍeya said;
Having thus spoken, O dear one, that supremely wonderful god disappeared. And I see these creatures, variegated and of many forms. (03-187-48)
O king, I have seen this wonder at the end of the age, O best of Bharatas, best among all upholders of dharma. (03-187-49)
The divine being whom I formerly saw, whose eyes are like a lotus, that very Janārdana is your relative, O tiger among men. (03-187-50)
Because of this very boon, O Kaunteya, memory never leaves me; I also have a long life and the ability to die at my own will. (03-187-51)
This is Kṛṣṇa, the descendant of Vṛṣṇi, the eternal person and the all-pervading Lord. Hari, whose nature is inconceivable, sits here, with mighty arms, as if at play. (03-187-52)
He is the creator, ordainer, and destroyer, the lord of the Sātwatas, He whose chest bears the Śrīvatsa mark—Govinda, the master, the Lord of the lords of progeny. (03-187-53)
Having seen this tiger among the Vṛṣṇis, this memory has come to me—of the primordial god, the unborn Vishnu, the supreme person, clad in yellow garments. (03-187-54)
Mādhava is the father and mother of all beings; go to him for refuge, O bulls among the Kauravas, he is the protector. (03-187-55)
