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Yudhiṣṭhira said.
The grandfather, the supremely wise, the lotus-eyed, the infallible one, the creator, the uncreated Viṣṇu, is the origin and dissolution of all beings.
O best of the Bharatas, I wish to hear in reality about Nārāyaṇa, Hṛṣīkeśa, Govinda, the unconquered one, O Keśava.
Bhīṣma said.
This meaning has been heard from Rāma, from Jāmadagnya as he spoke, and from Nārada and the divine sage Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana.
Asita, Devala, Vālmīki, the great ascetic, and Mārkaṇḍeya narrated the great and wonderful story to Govinda, O dear.
O best of the Bharatas, Keśava, the glorious lord and master, is heard to be the supreme person, the all-pervading, in many ways.
But, O mighty-armed Yudhiṣṭhira, listen to those great glories of the wielder of the Śārṅga bow which the Brāhmaṇas know in the world.
O king of men, I shall recount to you, completely and indeed, those things about Govinda which the knowers of the Purāṇas have said.
The supreme person, the great-souled soul of beings, arranged the great elements—wind, light, water, ether, and earth—in their order.
Having seen the earth, the lord of all beings, the supreme person, made his resting place in the waters.
Lying on that auspicious bed, composed of all splendor, he thought of Saṅkarṣaṇa, the elder brother of all beings.
We have heard that the mind is the support of all beings. The soul of beings sustains both the past and the future.
Then, O mighty-armed one, when that great soul appeared, a divine lotus, radiant like the sun, sprang forth from his navel.
O dear one, there at Puṣkara, the illustrious god Brahmā, shining forth in all directions, arose as the grandsire of all beings.
O mighty-armed one, when that great soul appeared, then the elder brother of Tamas was born—Madhu by name, the great asura.
The best among men, firmly established in fierce intellect and performing the accumulation of Brahman, killed him of fierce deeds.
O father, after his killing, all the gods, demons, and humans called him Madhusūdana, the foremost among all the Sātvatas.
But Brahmā created mind-born sons: Dakṣa and the seven sages, namely Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratū.
Marīci, O dear one, created his son Kaśyapa, who was also his elder brother. He mentally gave birth to the radiant and supreme being among the Brahmās.
Brahmā created from his thumb the ancestor of Marīci. That ancestor, O best of the Bharatas, became known as Dakṣa, the progenitor.
O Bhārata, formerly, ten and three daughters were born to Prajāpati; among them, Diti was the eldest.
O dear one, Mārīca Kaśyapa, knower of all dharma distinctions, of meritorious fame and great renown, became the lord of all women.
But having produced them, the greatly fortunate Dakṣa, the lord of creatures, gave his ten younger daughters to Dharma, as he was a knower of dharma.
O Bhārata, the sons of Dharma, the Vasus, the Rudras of immeasurable energy, the Viśvedevas, the Sādhyas, and the Maruts (were present there).
But there were others, twenty-seven in number, younger than those. Soma, who was greatly fortunate, became the lord of all of them.
But others were born, such as Gandharvas, horses, twice-born beings, cows, Kimpurushas, fishes, plants, and trees.
Aditi gave birth to the Ādityas, the foremost and most powerful of the gods. Among them, Viṣṇu took the form of Vāmana, and Govinda became the supreme Lord.
From his stride, the prosperity of the gods increased, while the Dānavas and the Daiteyī and Asurī races were defeated.
Danu created the Dānavas, led by Vipracitti; but Diti gave birth to all the asuras, the mighty beings.
Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu) arranged day and night, time, and the seasons; he also established the forenoon and afternoon, arranging everything accordingly.
By his intelligence, he created the waters, the clouds, as well as all immovable and movable beings; he created the entire earth together with all of them, endowed with great brilliance.
Then Kṛṣṇa, the mighty-armed Lord, again created a hundred of the best Brāhmaṇas from his mouth, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
O Keśava, O best of the Bharatas, a hundred Kṣatriyas arose from the arms, a hundred Vaiśyas from the thighs, and a hundred Śūdras from the feet.
Thus, he, of great fame, having created the four classes, appointed the lord as the overseer and sustainer of all beings.
As long as men had faith to sustain their bodies, they lived; there was no fear of what was left undone.
O bull among the Bharatas, for these, sexual union was not the law. Indeed, from mere resolve, offspring arose for them.
O ruler of men, in the Tretā Yuga, progeny was born from resolve alone; sexual union was not the law for them.
O king, in the Dvāpara age, sexual union was the duty of the people. Likewise, in the Kali age, O king, people turned to pairing. "12-200-37"
This lord of beings, O dear one, is said to be self-supervised. But, O son of Kunti, I will also mention those who are without supervision.
All those born in the southern region—Talavaras, Andhrakas, Utsas, Pulindas, and Shabaras—remained silent together with their pavilions.
I will also mention those born in the northern region: the Yavanas, Kambojas, Gandharas, Kiratas, together with the Barbaras.
O king, these evil-doers roam this earth, sharing the same nature as dogs, crows, and vultures.
O best of the Bharatas, these people did not dwell on this earth in the Kṛta Yuga, O dear one. They have existed from the beginning of the Tretā Yuga.
Then, at that dreadful twilight at the end of the age, the kings gathered together, coming face to face with one another.
Thus, O best of the Kurus, Nārada, the sage among the gods and seer of all worlds, spoke of this manifestation of the great soul.
O king, Nārada also then recognized the supreme and eternal nature of Kṛṣṇa, O mighty-armed one, just as it truly is, O best of the Bharatas.
Thus, this mighty-armed Keśava, who is true in valor, inconceivable, and lotus-eyed, is not merely a human being.
