12.221
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O king, please tell me, O grandsire, the former signs of the man who will prosper and of the one who will be ruined.
Bhīṣma said.
The mind itself reveals a person's previous signs. Likewise, for the future, good will not come to you.
Here too, an ancient story is told: the conversation between Śrī (Lakṣmī) and Śakra (Indra). Listen to that, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
At the end of the great austerity, at dawn, seeing both the higher and lower worlds, having gone together with the sages, by the dwellers of Brahma-loka.
Nārada, who was himself Brahman, possessed of immeasurable blazing energy, free from sin and endowed with great austerity, wandered as he pleased throughout the three worlds.
Once, rising early in the morning with the desire to purify himself, he went to the pure waters of the Gaṅgā that originates at Dhruvadvāra and entered them.
Indra, the thousand-eyed, wielder of the thunderbolt and destroyer of Śambara and Pāka, indeed approached the riverbank of the one favored by the divine sage.
The two, after bathing and performing their recitations with self-control, sat together on the sandbank of the river, which was covered with fine golden sand.
They recounted stories narrated by meritorious deeds and told by divine sages. The two, fond of stories, with pure and delighted minds, narrated tales free from earlier events, both being fully attentive.
Then, seeing the Sun rise, radiant with a network of rays and in its full orb, the two of them rose and approached.
On all sides, that rising sun appeared like another sun; in the sky, a light with rising flames and equal brilliance was seen.
O Bhārata, as it approached those two, that abode of Viṣṇu, taking the path of the divine bird and the sun, became visible. With its incomparable radiance, it shone and illuminated the three worlds.
She, preceded by apsarases of divine beauty and splendour, appeared vast and radiant, like the flame of the great sun.
They saw Śrī (Lakṣmī), adorned like constellations and garlanded with devotion to the stars, directly present at the base of the lotus.
He, along with the best of women, descended from the top of the aerial chariot and approached the lord of the three worlds, Śakra (Indra), and the sage Nārada.
Indra, having followed Narada, directly approached the goddess. With joined palms, he offered himself to her in reverence.
He, the all-knowing, performed incomparable worship of her; then, O king, the king of the gods spoke these words of prosperity.
Who are you, for what purpose and by whom have you come here, O lovely-smiling one? From where have you come, O beautiful-browed one, and where do you intend to go, O auspicious lady?
Śrī said.
In all the three meritorious worlds, all beings, both immobile and mobile, strive by the supreme self, desiring to attain my true nature.
I am indeed she who was born in the lotus, awakened by the sun's rays, for the prosperity of all beings—Padmā, Śrī, the one adorned with a garland of lotuses.
I am Lakṣmī, I am prosperity, I am splendor, O destroyer of strength; I am faith, intelligence, humility, victory, and stability.
I am steadfastness, success, splendour, and prosperity; I am also Svāhā, Svadhā, praise, order, and action.
Among victorious kings, at the forefront of armies and on banners; in the dwellings of the virtuous, in the territories and cities.
O destroyer of force, I always dwell in the king of men who has conquered desires, is brave, and never turns back in battle.
I always reside in one who is ever steadfast in dharma, possesses great intellect, is devoted to Brahman, speaks the truth, is humble, and is naturally charitable.
I once lived among the asuras, bound by truth and righteousness; but realizing their opposition, I chose to dwell with you.
Indra said.
O beautiful-faced one, how did you live among the Daityas? Having seen them, why have you come here, leaving the Daiteya Dānavas?
Śrī said.
I am indeed engaged among those who perform their own duty, who are unshaken in courage, and who are devoted to the beings delighting in the path to heaven.
Giving, study, sacrifice, worship, and honoring of teachers, deities, Brāhmaṇas, and guests were always practiced by them.
They had well-cleaned houses, no unchaste women, maintained sacrificial fires, served their elders, were self-restrained, devoted to sacred knowledge, and spoke the truth.
Those who have faith, have conquered anger, are generous, are free from envy, maintain their sons, ministers, and wives, and are indeed free from jealousy.
Those who are not envious never covet what others have, and the steadfast are never troubled by the prosperity of others.
They are givers, gatherers, noble, compassionate, greatly gracious, straightforward, steadfastly devoted, and have mastered their senses.
They are content with their servants and ministers, grateful, speak pleasantly, are truthful, bestow honor and benefit, are modest, restrained, and disciplined in their vows.
They were always, on festival days, well-bathed, anointed with their own unguents, well-adorned, devoted to fasting and austerity, faithful, and speakers of Brahman (Vedic scholars).
The sun would not rise upon these people, nor were there nights in the morning. At night, he always avoided curd and parched grain.
In the morning, the purified celibate students examined ghee, observed auspicious objects, and honoured the Brāhmaṇas.
Righteousness always belongs to those who give, and always to those who do not accept gifts. Likewise, half of the night belongs to those who sleep, and by day to those who do not sleep.
Let them always approve the share and distribution for the miserable, destitute, aged, weak, and afflicted women.
They always console those who are dejected, frightened, disturbed, afflicted by fear, tormented by disease, have lost their wealth, or are suffering from misfortune.
They strictly adhered to dharma, never harming one another; they were cooperative in their duties and served elders and seniors.
They always properly honored fathers, gods, and guests, and, devoted to truth and austerity, they consumed only the remnants.
Some do not eat well-acquired food, nor do they approach another's wife. They conducted themselves towards all beings with the same compassion as towards themselves.
They never approved the emission of the sense (organ) in the sky, among animals, in unnatural births, or even on sacred days.
Always practice giving, dexterity, straightforwardness, enthusiasm, absence of ego, supreme friendliness, and forgiveness.
O lord, in them were found truth, charity, austerity, purity, compassion, gentle speech, friendliness, and harmlessness.
Sleep, drowsiness, displeasure, envy, heedlessness, discontent, despondency, and desire do not enter them.
Thus, I, he, formerly dwelt only among the Dānavas in their qualities; having undertaken the creation of beings, not just one change of ages.
Then, as time reversed and their qualities changed, I saw that righteousness had departed from those who were ruled by desire and anger.
The stories told by the truthful elders in your assembly were laughed at with envy by all the elders who were inferior in virtues.
He did not honor the young, those seated with him, the elders, or those who approached, as he used to before, by rising or by greeting them.
Sons, by their own power, continue the lineage of their father; but having come to serve enemies, they shamelessly make this known.
Thus, when people attain great objects by actions that have departed from dharma and are blameworthy, desire for those arose among these people.
They spoke aloud at night, and in low tones; there, the fire did not burn. Sons addressed their fathers, and wives addressed their husbands.
They did not welcome or protect boys as they would a mother, father, elder, teacher, guest, or preceptor.
One who, without giving alms and offerings, eats food himself; and without worshipping, then having distributed, (ignores) ancestors, gods, guests, and teachers.
The cooks among them did not observe purity; their devotion was unrestricted in mind, action, and speech.
There were scattered grains, food for crows and mice, uncovered milk left standing, and the leftovers did not touch the ghee.
The housewife did not inspect the spade, wooden board, basket, scattered bronze vessel, and all the objects and implements.
They pay no heed to the destruction of ramparts and houses. Nor do they care for the animals, even after tying them up with barley and water.
While the children watched, the Dānavas themselves ate the food. Likewise, they consumed all the servant people as well.
They cooked milk-rice, porridge, meat, cakes, and pastries for themselves, but ate the meat in vain.
All were those who slept after sunrise, and even at dawn it was night; here, quarrels occurred day and night in every house.
The ignoble, having approached the noble one who was seated there, indeed. Those living in hermitages, engaged in improper acts, hated each other. Mixed castes also prevailed, and purity did not exist.
Those brāhmaṇas who are knowers of the Veda, even if they do not recite the ṛc hymns clearly, and who remain without distinction, are the same in both respect and disrespect.
The wives indeed did not follow the mannerisms, ornaments, attire, movements, or postures characteristic of wicked people.
Women dressed as men and men dressed as women were attaining supreme joy in play, pleasure, and amusements.
Formerly, the progenitors established rules for those worthy of inheritance; even in possible situations, those who act did not transgress them out of non-belief.
At some time, when there was doubt regarding the purpose, the friend who was requested by another friend, for his own interest, struck that wealth with the tip of a hair.
Śūdras, who were not inclined to take others' property and were engaged in trade, were not seen among the noble castes, nor were ascetics.
Some study without observing vows, others perform vows in vain; some disciples do not serve their teacher, and some teachers are merely friends of their disciples.
The father and mother, both exhausted and having fulfilled their duties, like those helpless, in old age, stand begging food from their sons.
There, the wise and learned, profound as the ocean in their knowledge, became engaged in agriculture and similar activities; while the ignorant consumed the funeral offerings.
In the morning and again, the teachers indeed arranged good questions and acts of sending, and the disciples were sent towards that.
In the presence of her mother-in-law and father-in-law, the bride ordered the servants and, after calling her husband, arrogantly spoke to him as well.
Even with effort, the father could not protect his son's mind; agitated, he separated and thus lived in sorrow.
When wealth is lost by fire, thieves, or kings, even those who are considered friends sometimes laugh out of spite.
Ungrateful people, atheists, sinners, violators of the teacher's wife, those who eat what should not be eaten, those without restraint, and those whose brilliance is lost.
When they practice such conduct in this way, in the opposite manner, my thought is: 'O Indra, I will not dwell among the Dānavas.'
O lord of Śacī, greet me who has personally arrived. O lord of the gods, the gods will install me, who has been worshipped by you, as their priest.
Wherever I am, there my beloveds, those distinguished by me, and my offerings; seven goddesses and, with me as the eighth, will desire to dwell in eight forms.
Hope, faith, steadfastness, splendor, conquest, humility, and forbearance—of these, the eighth quality is foremost, O Indra.
They and I, having left the asuras, have come to your realm; among the gods, we shall reside with those whose hearts are steadfast in dharma.
Bhīṣma said.
Having thus addressed the goddess with great devotion, the two rejoiced. Nārada, the sage of the three worlds, and Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, also rejoiced.
Then the wind, friend of fire, blew through the abodes of the gods, carrying a delightful fragrance and a pleasant touch, bringing happiness to all the senses.
In the pure, worshipped place, the gods mostly stood, wishing to behold Maghavan (Indra) seated with Lakṣmī.
Then Indra, the thousand-eyed, having reached heaven, endowed with splendor, honored by his friend, the sage of the gods, riding the chariot yoked with swift horses, the foremost among the gods, went to the assembly of the gods.
Then Nārada, reflecting on the gesture of Indra and the goddess Lakṣmī, informed Lakṣmī that Śiva, whose valor was witnessed by the gods, had arrived there in great splendor.
Then, shining nectar rained from the sky in the abode of the grandsire, the self-born. Unstruck drums resounded, and the directions became clear and bright.
Indra rained on the crops as per the season; no one deviated from the path of dharma. The earth was adorned with many jewel-mines and resounded with auspicious sounds in the victory of the world's inhabitants.
The glorious humans, delighting in activity, stood on the auspicious path of the meritorious. Men, gods, kinnaras, yakṣas, and rākṣasas were prosperous, happy, and renowned.
A flower never blooms out of season, so how can there be fruit? Even when moved by the wind, nothing falls from the tree before its time. Cows that give milk and fulfill wishes do not utter harsh words to anyone.
Those who recite this worship, together with all bestowers of desires, prosperity, and the deities headed by Indra, in the assemblies of Brāhmaṇas at gatherings, attain prosperity and fulfillment of their wishes.
O best of the Kurus, what you urged has been fully explained by me today as the supreme example of existence and non-existence here. Now, having examined the truth, you should understand it.
