12.322
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
sa evam-ukto dvipadāṃ variṣṭho; nārāyaṇenottamapūruṣeṇa. jagāda vākyaṃ dvipadāṃ variṣṭhaṃ; nārāyaṇaṃ lokahitādhivāsam ॥3-322-1॥
Thus addressed by Nārāyaṇa, the supreme person, the foremost among bipeds spoke these words to Nārāyaṇa, the foremost among bipeds and the abode of the world's welfare. (3-322-1)
yadartham ātmaprabhaveha janma; tavottamaṃ dharmagṛhe caturdhā. tatsādhyatāṃ lokahitārtham adya; gacchāmi draṣṭuṃ prakṛtiṃ tavādyām ॥3-322-2॥
For the purpose for which you have taken birth here for self-manifestation, your supreme fourfold form in the house of dharma—let that be accomplished today for the welfare of the world; I go now to see your primordial nature. (3-322-2)
vedāḥ svadhītā mama lokanātha; taptaṃ tapo nānṛtamuktapūrvam। pūjāṃ gurūṇāṃ satataṃ karomi; parasya guhyaṃ na ca bhinnapūrvam ॥3-322-3॥
O lord of the world, the Vedas have been well-studied by me; I have performed austerities, never having uttered falsehood before. I always worship my teachers; I have never revealed another's secret before. (3-322-3)
guptāni catvāri yathāgamaṃ me; śatrau ca mitre ca samo'smi nityam. taṃ cādidevaṃ satataṃ prapanna; ekāntabhāvena vṛṇomyajasram ॥ ebhirviśeṣaiḥ pariśuddhasattvaḥ; kasmānna paśyeyamanantamīśam ॥3-322-4॥
According to tradition, I have four hidden qualities; I am always equal towards both enemy and friend. I always take refuge in that primordial god, choosing him with single-minded devotion, unceasingly. With these distinctions, being one whose essence is purified, why should I not behold the infinite lord? (3-322-4)
tatpārameṣṭhyasya vaco niśamya; nārāyaṇaḥ sātvata-dharma-goptā। gaccheti taṃ nāradam uktavān sa; sampūjayitvātmavidhikriyābhiḥ ॥3-322-5॥
After hearing Brahmā's words, Nārāyaṇa, the protector of Sātvata-dharma, said to Nārada, "Go"; and, having honored him with his own prescribed rites. (3-322-5)
tato visṛṣṭaḥ parameṣṭhiputraḥ; so'bhyarcayitvā tam ṛṣiṃ purāṇam। kham utpapātottamavegayuktaḥ; tataḥ adhi-merau sahasā nililye ॥3-322-6॥
Then, the son of Parameṣṭhin, having been sent forth, worshipped that ancient sage and, endowed with great speed, ascended into the sky; from there, he suddenly descended upon Mount Meru. (3-322-6)
tatrāvatasthe ca munirmuhūrta; mekāntamāsādya gireḥ sa śṛṅge. ālokayannuttharapāścimena; dadarśa cātyadbhutarūpayuktam ॥3-322-7॥
There, the sage stood for a moment; having reached a solitary place on the mountain's peak, he looked towards the northwest and saw something endowed with a most wonderful form. (3-322-7)
kṣīrodadher uttarato hi dvīpaḥ; śvetaḥ sa nāmnā prathito viśālaḥ. meroḥ sahasraiḥ sa hi yojanānāṃ; dvātriṃśatordhvaṃ kavibhir niruktaḥ ॥3-322-8॥
To the north of the ocean of milk, there is indeed a vast island; it is well-known by the name 'Śveta' (White). It is described by sages as being thirty-two thousand yojanas above Mount Meru. (3-322-8)
atīndriyāś cānaśanāś ca tatra; niṣpandahīnāḥ susugandhinaś ca. śvetāḥ pumāṃso gatasarvapāpāḥ; ścakṣurmuṣaḥ pāpakṛtāṃ narāṇām ॥3-322-9॥
There, those who are beyond the senses and do not eat, who are motionless and very fragrant, white men who have shed all sins, are the stealers of sight from sinful men. (3-322-9)
vajrāsthikāyāḥ samamānonmānā; divyānvayarūpāḥ śubhasāropetāḥ. chatrākṛtiśīrṣā meghaughaninādāḥ; satpuṣkaracatuṣkā rājīvaśatapādāḥ ॥3-322-10॥
Their bones were as hard as diamond, their height and proportions equal; they possessed divine lineage and form, were endowed with auspicious essence, had umbrella-shaped heads, voices like the rumbling of clouds, four true lotuses, and a hundred lotus-like feet. (3-322-10)
ṣaṣṭyā dantairyuktāḥ śuklai; raṣṭābhirdaṃṣṭrābhirye. jihvābhirye viṣvagvaktraṃ; lelihyante sūryaprakhyam ॥3-322-11॥
Those who are endowed with sixty white teeth, with tusks and fangs; who, with tongues, are licking all around the sun-like mouth. (3-322-11)
bhaktyā devaṃ viśvotpannaṃ; yasmātsarve lokāḥ sūtāḥ। vedā dharmā munayaḥ śāntā; devāḥ sarve tasya visargāḥ ॥3-322-12॥
By devotion, the god who is the origin of the universe, from whom all worlds are born. The Vedas, dharmas, sages, the peaceful ones, and all the gods are his emanations. (3-322-12)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
atīndriyā nirāhārā aniṣpandāḥ sugandhinaḥ। kathaṁ te puruṣā jātāḥ kā teṣāṁ gatiruttamā ॥3-322-13॥
Those men who are beyond the senses, without food, motionless, and fragrant—how were they born, and what is their highest state? (3-322-13)
ye vimuktā bhavantīha narā bharatasattama। teṣāṃ lakṣaṇametaddhi yacchvetadvīpavāsinām ॥3-322-14॥
O best of the Bharatas, those men who are liberated here—their characteristic is indeed this, which belongs to the inhabitants of Śvetadvīpa. (3-322-14)
tasmān me saṁśayaṁ chindhi paraṁ kautūhalaṁ hi me। tvaṁ hi sarvakathārāmas tvāṁ caivopāśritā vayam ॥3-322-15॥
Therefore, dispel my doubt and my supreme curiosity. You are indeed the delighter in all stories; we have indeed taken refuge in you. (3-322-15)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said.
vistīrṇaiṣā kathā rājañśrutā me pitṛsaṃnidhau। saiṣā tava hi vaktavyā kathāsāro hi sa smṛtaḥ ॥3-322-16॥
O king, this elaborate story was heard by me in my father's presence; now, this very story must be told to you, for the essence of the story is what is remembered. (3-322-16)
rājoparicaro nāma babhūvā'dhipatir bhuvaḥ। ākhaṇḍalasakhaḥ khyāto bhakto nārāyaṇaṃ harim ॥3-322-17॥
There was a king named Uparicara, who became the lord of the earth. He was known as the friend of Ākhaṇḍala (Indra), and was famous as a devotee of Nārāyaṇa, Hari. (3-322-17)
dhārmiko nityabhaktaś ca pitṝn nityam atandritaḥ। sāmrājyaṃ tena samprāptaṃ nārāyaṇavarāt purā ॥3-322-18॥
He, being righteous, ever-devoted, and always untiring in his worship of the ancestors, formerly attained sovereignty by the boon of Nārāyaṇa. (3-322-18)
sātvataṃ vidhim āsthāya prāk sūrya-mukha-niḥsṛtam। pūjayām āsa deveśaṃ tac-cheṣeṇa pitāmahān ॥3-322-19॥
Having adopted the sātvata procedure, before it emerged from the mouth of the sun, he worshipped the lord of the gods; with the remainder, he worshipped the grandfathers. (3-322-19)
pitṛśeṣeṇa viprāṁś ca saṁvibhajya āśritāṁś ca saḥ। śeṣānna-bhuk satya-paraḥ sarva-bhūteṣu ahiṁsakaḥ॥ sarva-bhāvena bhaktaḥ sa devadevaṁ janārdanam॥3-322-20॥
After distributing the ancestral remnants to Brāhmaṇas and dependents, he eats the remaining food, is devoted to truth, and is non-violent towards all beings. With all his heart, he is devoted to the god of gods, Janārdana. (3-322-20)
tasya nārāyaṇe bhaktiṃ vahato'mitrakarśana। ekaśayyāsanaṃ śakro dattavān devarāṭ svayam ॥3-322-21॥
O tormentor of enemies, Śakra (Indra), the king of the gods, himself gave a single bed and seat to him who bore devotion to Nārāyaṇa. (3-322-21)
ātmā rājyaṃ dhanaṃ caiva kalatraṃ vāhanāni ca। etadbhagavate sarvamiti tatprekṣitaṃ sadā ॥3-322-22॥
One should always regard the self, kingdom, wealth, wife, and vehicles—all of this—as belonging to the Lord. (3-322-22)
kāmyanaimittikājasraṃ yajñiyāḥ paramakriyāḥ। sarvāḥ sātvatamāsthāya vidhiṃ cakre samāhitaḥ ॥3-322-23॥
He, being concentrated, performed all the supreme sacrificial acts—desired, occasional, and unceasing—having adopted the Sātvata procedure. (3-322-23)
pañcarātravido mukhyās tasya gehe mahātmanaḥ। prāyaṇaṃ bhagavatproktaṃ bhuñjate cāgrabhojanam ॥3-322-24॥
The chief Pañcarātra experts, in the house of that great soul, partake of the farewell meal prescribed by the Lord and also the first food. (3-322-24)
tasya praśāsato rājyaṃ dharmeṇāmitraghātinaḥ। nānṛtā vāksamabhavanmano duṣṭaṃ na cābhavat ॥ na ca kāyena kṛtvān sa pāpaṃ paramaṇvapi ॥3-322-25॥
While he, the destroyer of enemies, ruled the kingdom by righteousness, no false speech arose, nor did his mind become evil; nor did he commit even the smallest sin by his body. (3-322-25)
ye hi te munayaḥ khyātāḥ sapta citraśikhaṇḍinaḥ। tairekamatibhirbhūtvā yatproktaṃ śāstramuttamam ॥3-322-26॥
Those seven sages, who are indeed famous and have variegated crests, having become united in mind, declared the supreme treatise. (3-322-26)
marīcir atryaṅgirasau pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ। vasiṣṭhaś ca mahātejā ete citraśikhaṇḍinaḥ ॥3-322-27॥
Marīci, Atri and Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and the greatly powerful Vasiṣṭha—these are the ones with varied crests. (3-322-27)
sapta prakṛtayo hy etās tathā svāyambhuvo'ṣṭamaḥ। etābhir dhāryate lokas tābhyaḥ śāstraṃ viniḥsṛtam ॥3-322-28॥
These are the seven natures, and the eighth is the Svayambhu. By these, the world is supported, and from them, the treatise has issued forth. (3-322-28)
ekāgramanaso dāntā munayaḥ saṃyame ratāḥ। idaṃ śreya idaṃ brahma idaṃ hitamanuttamam ॥ lokānsañcintya manasā tataḥ śāstraṃ pracakrire ॥3-322-29॥
The sages, possessing single-pointed minds and self-restraint, devoted to self-control, declared: "This is the highest good, this is Brahman, this is the supreme benefit." After contemplating the worlds with their minds, they then composed the treatise. (3-322-29)
tatra dharmārthakāmā hi mokṣaḥ paścācca kīrtitaḥ। maryādā vividhāścaiva divi bhūmau ca saṃsthitāḥ ॥3-322-30॥
There, dharma, artha, and kāma are indeed (taught); liberation is declared afterwards; and various boundaries are established both in heaven and on earth. (3-322-30)
ārādhya tapasā devaṃ hariṃ nārāyaṇaṃ prabhum। divyaṃ varṣasahasraṃ vai sarve te ṛṣibhiḥ saha ॥3-322-31॥
All of them, together with the sages, worshipped the god Hari Nārāyaṇa, the lord, by austerity for a divine thousand years. (3-322-31)
nārāyaṇānuśāstā hi tadā devī sarasvatī। viveśa tān ṛṣīn sarvān lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā ॥3-322-32॥
Then, the goddess Sarasvatī, the instructor of Nārāyaṇa, indeed entered all those sages with the desire for the welfare of the worlds. (3-322-32)
tataḥ pravartitā samyaktapovidbhirdvijātibhiḥ। śabde cārthe ca hetau ca eṣā prathamasargajā ॥3-322-33॥
From that time, this (language) born of the first creation was properly set in motion by the twice-born knowers of austerity, in word, in meaning, and in cause. (3-322-33)
ādāveva hi tacchāstramoṅkārasvarabhūṣitam। ṛṣibhirbhāvitaṃ tatra yatra kāruṇiko hyasau ॥3-322-34॥
In the very beginning, that treatise, adorned with the sound of Om and contemplated by sages, is found there where the compassionate one resides. (3-322-34)
tataḥ prasanno bhagavān anirdiṣṭaśarīragaḥ। ṛṣīn uvāca tān sarvān adṛśyaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ॥3-322-35॥
Then, the pleased Lord, the Supreme Person of unmanifested form, unseen, spoke to all those sages. (3-322-35)
kṛtaṃ śatasahasraṃ hi ślokānām idam uttamam। lokatantrasya kṛtsnasya yasmād dharmaḥ pravartate ॥3-322-36॥
Indeed, one hundred thousand verses have been composed; this is the best, from which the dharma of the entire world-system arises. (3-322-36)
pravṛttau ca nivṛttau ca yonir etad bhaviṣyati। ṛg-yajuḥ-sāmabhir juṣṭam atharvāṅgirasaīs tathā ॥3-322-37॥
This will be the source both in activity and in cessation, endowed with the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, as well as with the Atharvāṅgiras. (3-322-37)
tathā pramāṇaṃ hi mayā kṛto brahmā prasādajaḥ। rudraś ca krodhajo viprā yūyaṃ prakṛtayas tathā ॥3-322-38॥
Thus, indeed, as authority, Brahmā was created by me, born of grace; Rudra, born of anger; and you Brāhmaṇas, you are also of such natures. (3-322-38)
sūryācandramasau vāyurbhūmirāpo'gnireva ca। sarve ca nakṣatragaṇā yac ca bhūtābhiśabditam ॥3-322-39॥
The sun, the two moons, wind, earth, waters, fire indeed, and all the groups of stars, and whatever is called by beings. (3-322-39)
adhikāreṣu vartante yathā-svaṃ brahmavādinaḥ। sarve pramāṇaṃ hi yathā tatha etac-chāstram uttamam ॥3-322-40॥
The expounders of Brahman occupy their respective positions of authority. For all, this scripture is indeed the highest authority. (3-322-40)
bhaviṣyati pramāṇaṃ vai etan mad-anuśāsanam। asmāt pravakṣyate dharmān manuḥ svāyambhuvaḥ svayam ॥3-322-41॥
This instruction of mine will indeed become the authority. From this, Manu, the descendant of Svayambhū, himself declares the dharmas. (3-322-41)
uśanā bṛhaspatiś caiva yad utpannau bhaviṣyataḥ। tadā pravakṣyataḥ śāstraṃ yuṣman-matibhir uddhṛtam ॥3-322-42॥
When Uśanā and Bṛhaspati are born in the future, then they will declare the treatise that has been brought forth by your intellects. (3-322-42)
svāyambhuveṣu dharmeṣu śāstre cośanasā kṛte। bṛhaspatimate caiva lokeṣu pravicārite ॥3-322-43॥
Having examined the codes of Manu, the dharmas, the śāstra, the treatise composed by Uśanas, and the doctrine of Bṛhaspati in the worlds, (3-322-43)
yuṣmatkṛtam idaṃ śāstraṃ prajāpālo vasus tataḥ। bṛhaspati-sakāśād vai prāpsyate dvijasattamāḥ ॥3-322-44॥
O best of the twice-born, this treatise made by you will be received by King Vasu, the protector of the people, from Bṛhaspati. (3-322-44)
sa hi madbhāvito rājā madbhaktaś ca bhaviṣyati। tena śāstreṇa lokeṣu kriyāḥ sarvāḥ kariṣyati ॥3-322-45॥
He, indeed, honored by me, will become a king devoted to me. By him, all actions in the worlds will be performed according to the śāstra. (3-322-45)
etaddhi sarvaśāstrāṇāṃ śāstramuttamasañjñitam। etadarthyaṃ ca dharmyaṃ ca yaśasyaṃ caitaduttamam ॥3-322-46॥
Indeed, among all treatises, this is regarded as the highest; it is purposeful, righteous, and glorious, and it is the best. (3-322-46)
asya pravartanāccaiva prajāvanto bhaviṣyatha। sa ca rājā śriyā yukto bhaviṣyati mahānvasuḥ ॥3-322-47॥
By this instigation, you will indeed become those possessing offspring. And that king, endowed with prosperity, will become greatly wealthy. (3-322-47)
saṃsthite tu nṛpe tasmiñ śāstram etat sanātanam। antardhāsyati tat satyam etad vaḥ kathitaṃ mayā ॥3-322-48॥
But when the king is established, this eternal treatise will disappear in that time; this is the truth, this has been told to you by me. (3-322-48)
etāvad uktvā vacanam adṛśyaḥ puruṣottamaḥ। visṛjya tān ṛṣīn sarvān kām api prasthito diśam ॥3-322-49॥
Having spoken thus, the supreme person became invisible; leaving all those sages, he departed in some direction. (3-322-49)
tataste lokapītaraḥ sarvalokārthacintakāḥ। prāvartayanta tacchāstraṃ dharmayoniṃ sanātanam ॥3-322-50॥
Then those progenitors of the worlds, who care for the welfare of all beings, established that treatise, the eternal source of dharma. (3-322-50)
utpanne''ṅgirase caiva yuge prathamakalpite। sāṅgopaniṣadaṃ śāstraṃ sthāpayitvā bṛhaspatau॥3-322-51॥
When the Aṅgiras age first arose, having established the treatise complete with its limbs and Upaniṣads in Bṛhaspati. (3-322-51)
jagmur yathepsitaṃ deśaṃ tapase kṛta-niścayāḥ। dhāraṇāt sarva-lokānāṃ sarva-dharma-pravartakāḥ ॥3-322-52॥
Having firmly resolved, they went to the place of their choice for austerities; sustaining all worlds, they were the promoters of all dharmas. (3-322-52)
