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Uśanas said.
Salutations to that divine, the god, the all-powerful, whose reach encompasses the surface of the earth, O dear one, all within the span of his arms.
O best of Dānavas, whose head and place are endless, I shall declare to you the supreme greatness of Viṣṇu.
Bhīṣma said.
As those two were conversing in this manner, the great sage Sanatkumāra, who was righteous-souled, arrived there to resolve their doubts.
O king, the foremost among sages, having been honored by the lord of the asuras and by the sage Uśanas, also sat down on the very precious seat.
Uśanā, the greatly wise, addressed him as he sat there: "Tell this lord of the Dānavas about the supreme greatness of Viṣṇu."
Sanatkumāra, having listened, then spoke meaningful words about the greatness of Viṣṇu to the wise king of the Dānavas.
O Daitya, listen to the supreme greatness of Viṣṇu. Know, O scorcher of foes, that the entire world abides in Viṣṇu.
O mighty-armed one, this being creates the multitude of living and non-living entities. He also withdraws them periodically and again sends them forth. Into him they dissolve, and from him they indeed arise.
This cannot be attained by giving gifts, nor by austerity, nor by sacrifice; it can be attained only by restraint of the senses.
He who, established in both the external and internal through action in the mind, purifies himself by intellect, attains the eternal in the hereafter.
Just as a goldsmith purifies silver in fire, again and again, with great effort and by a great act, so too...
Just as, over hundreds of births, a living being is gradually purified by small actions, so too, with great effort, one can become completely purified even in a single birth.
Just as one can easily wipe a little dust from the body, so too, the removal of great faults requires much effort.
Just as a sesame or mustard seed, even when perfumed with a small garland, does not give up its own scent, so too is the perception of the subtle.
That (object), though repeatedly perfumed by many garlands, continually emits its own fragrance and persists with the scent of the garlands.
Thus, even when one is endowed with hundreds of births and qualities in attachments, the fault is removed by intellect and by effort born of practice.
O Dānava, beings become attached or detached by their own actions. Just as they attain particular results according to their actions, so listen.
O mighty one, I shall explain to you in sequence how things proceed and in which they stand; therefore, listen here with one-pointed mind.
The illustrious Lord Nārāyaṇa, Hari, who is without beginning or end, is the one who indeed creates all beings, both immovable and movable.
This principle, present in all beings, is both perishable and imperishable; possessing the nature of eleven modifications, it pervades the world through its rays.
O Daitya, know his feet to be the earth, his head to be heaven, his arms as the directions, and his ears as the sky.
His sun is full of light, his mind is established in the moon, his intellect is always engaged in knowledge, and his essence flows in the waters.
O best of Dānavas, the planets are just beyond his eyebrows; the circle of constellations is represented by his two eyes; the earth by his two feet, O Dānava.
Know that passion, darkness, and goodness are of the nature of Nārāyaṇa. He is regarded as the chief among the āśramas, O dear one, and they know that as the fruit of action.
He who is without action is himself the supreme imperishable; the Vedic metres are his hairs, the syllable and Sarasvati are also his.
Dharma, which is supported by many, has many aspects, and is firmly established in the heart, is the supreme Brahman; that dharma is also austerity, and it is both truth and non-truth.
He, endowed with the knowledge of Veda and scripture, possessing sixteen priests and sacrifices, is the grandfather, Viṣṇu, the Aśvins, and Indra.
Mitra, Varuṇa, Yama, and Dhanada—though appearing as distinct, all perceive unity in him. Know that all this world is under the control of the one god.
O lord of the Daityas, this being who has become manifold, his oneness is spoken of. The creature perceives by knowledge; then the true essence becomes manifest.
O Daitya, there are thousands of crores of dissolutions and dispersions; some living beings stand, others move about. Regarding the creation of offspring and their measure, there are also many thousands of ponds.
The reservoirs, again, were each extended by a yojana; they were a krosha deep, five hundred in length, and all were expanded by a yojana each.
Water from the reservoir is thrown with a tuft of hair; by the sun, it happens only once and not a second time. When these are destroyed, know that emission has occurred; likewise, there is a single dissolution of beings.
There are six colors of living beings considered the highest standard; among these, black, smoky, and blue are of medium quality. Red is again more endurable and pleasant; yellow is very pleasant, and white is the most pleasant.
But, O lord of the Dānavas, the supreme, white, pure, sorrowless, and fatigue-free state is attained. O Daitya, having entered thousands of womb-born existences, the living being attains perfection.
The god described the motion as sight; after going, he also called the auspicious sight. Motion for beings is determined by caste, and caste, O lord of asuras, is likewise determined by time.
O Daitya, here are fourteen hundred thousand (cycles); know that the supreme state of the quality of the soul is ascent, and likewise, their state and emergence.
The condition of one of black color is considered inferior; he sinks into hell, being tormented. Likewise, his place is said to be among many evil destinies; they say he has numerous generations of offspring.
After wandering for hundreds and thousands of years, he then attains a green color. Thereafter, he dwells there, powerless, at the end of the age, his self enveloped in darkness.
When he is endowed with the quality of sattva and removes tamas, he acts by his own intellect. The blue one then attains a red color and transforms in the world of men.
There, he undergoes only dissolution and emission, suffering from bonds created by his own actions. After hundreds of cycles of dissolution and dispersion have passed, he attains a yellow color.
But of turmeric color, from the emission of beings, the demon remains moving by thousands. Not released in hell, then for another ten thousand (years).
Know that he has thousands and five paths; and four that cause dissolution. Know this one as liberated from hell, and in all other births.
He constantly resides in the world of the gods; then, when he falls, he is born as a human. Amidst hundreds of destructions and distractions, and eight (kinds), while living among mortals, he attains immortality.
He falls from this state due to the influence of time; in darkness and at the lowest point, he remains in all suffering. Just as the world of living beings is sustained by you, I will explain that to you, O chief of the Asuras.
He arranges seven hundreds of divine arrays; red, yellow, and likewise white. Resorting to this white, he runs; he worships eight other most revered worlds.
O greatly illustrious one, there are eight, sixty, and hundreds which are opposed to the mind of the greatly radiant; of the pure color, only three are restrained in the supreme state.
Destruction, distraction, and the undesirable are one; four other states exist but are powerless. The supreme attainment of the sixth letter is accomplished by the distinguished one whose fatigue has departed.
He, powerless, dwells among the seven and more; after a hundred destructions and dispersions with remainder. Therefore, having withdrawn in the world of men, then the great one attains the state of humanity.
Therefore, having withdrawn, then in due order, he stands before the creation of beings. He passes through the worlds seven times, being in exile caused by dissolution and dispersion.
There are seven dissolutions, the calamities; having considered these, one remains in the world of the perfected beings. Then, one attains the imperishable and endless abode of Viṣṇu and Brahmā, as well as of Śeṣa, Nara, and the supreme Viṣṇu.
At the time of cosmic dissolution, all beings whose bodies are consumed, as well as all the gods whose nature is activity, and even those who were once the immortals from Brahmaloka, all of them come to Brahmā.
The creation of beings continues for a certain remaining time; living beings move to their own places. At the end, those who are without remainder attain that state; all beings who are similar to humans do so.
But those who have fallen from the world of perfected beings, in due order, follow their path accordingly. The living beings, in the next world, assuming forms according to that power, proceed to their own destined state by reversal.
As long as there is remaining enjoyment, offspring, and the two goddesses likewise in the bright fortnight, then in them there is a pure state, having restrained this form of the five senses.
He who always seeks with a pure mind attains that supreme pure state; then he reaches the imperishable abode, Brahman, the eternal and difficult-to-attain. Thus, O one of undiminished strength, I have declared to you here the power of Nārāyaṇa.
Vṛtra said.
Thus, now I have no despondency at all; I clearly understand your words. Hearing your speech, O one of undepressed spirit, I am today free from sin and evil.
O venerable great sage, this has been set in motion; it is the wheel of the greatly radiant Viṣṇu, of infinite power, the eternal one; that is the place where all creations have arisen.
He is truly the great-souled, the supreme person; in him the entire universe is established.
Bhīṣma said.
Having thus spoken, Vṛtra, O son of Kunti, released his life-breaths; having united his self in this way, he attained the supreme state.
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
This is the illustrious god, the grandfather Janārdana. Sanatkumāra formerly declared that (teaching) for Vṛtra.
Bhīṣma said.
He, the Lord, abiding at the root, by his own infinite brilliance, being established there, the great ascetic creates those entities of various forms.
Know this Keśava, Acyuta, as the one who, by a fourth part, sustains the three worlds with wisdom.
He who is established here, though permanent, undergoes change at the end of the kalpa. That exceedingly powerful Lord, the master, rests in the waters. The gracious-minded creator moves among those eternal worlds.
The infinite makes everything full; Sanatkumara moves through the worlds. That great soul Aniruddha creates, and all this wondrous world abides in him.
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O grandsire, I think that by Vṛtra, who knows the highest truth, the path of the self has been seen. Therefore, being auspicious, he is happy and does not grieve.
O grandsire, one who is pure, of pure birth, and accomplished does not return, O sinless one; being liberated from lower births and from hell.
O king, if one is present in yellow or red color, or otherwise, he should be seen as enveloped by actions of darkness, perceiving things sideways.
But we, exceedingly afflicted and attached, being in a difficult and unhappy situation, what state shall we attain, then, the dark and lowest among the dark?
Bhīṣma said.
O Pāṇḍavas, endowed with purity and noble birth, firm in vows, after enjoying in the divine worlds, you will again attain human birth.
May you all, pure ones, create offspring with happiness in due time; having attained and enjoyed pleasures among the gods, you will depart happily to the state of the perfected. Let there be no fear for you all.
