12.326
Bhishma said.
Thus, when praised by secret and true names, the Lord, assuming a universal form, revealed himself to the sage Nārada. (3-326-1)
He is somewhat pure like the moon in essence, somewhat distinct from the moon; having the color of fire, somewhat and somewhat having the form of an altar, the lord. (3-326-2)
He was of the color of a parrot's feather, at some places somewhat like crystal in luster, at others resembling a mass of blue collyrium, and in some places shining like gold. (3-326-3)
In some places, it shone with the color of a coral sprout and in others with a white hue; elsewhere, it had the luster of gold, and in some places, it resembled a cat's eye gem. (3-326-4)
In some places, it resembled blue beryl or sapphire; elsewhere, it had the color of a peacock's neck or the appearance of a pearl necklace. (3-326-5)
The eternal one, bearing these many kinds of colors and forms, with a thousand eyes, endowed with fortune, a hundred heads, and a thousand feet. (3-326-6)
Sometimes, he is described as having a thousand bellies and arms, and as the unmanifest. He utters the syllable "Om" from his mouth, as well as the Sāvitrī and its sequence. (3-326-7)
The god Hari Nārāyaṇa, the controller, sang the Āraṇyaka, the wealth arisen from the four Vedas, to the remaining ones and to the mouths. (3-326-8)
Then the lord of sacrifice, the lord of the gods, held with his hands the altar, water-pot, sacrificial grasses, gem-formed stones, stones, deerskin, staff-wood, and the kindled fire. (3-326-9)
Nārada, the best among the twice-born, with a clear mind and purified, restraining his speech, bowed to the gracious supreme lord. The imperishable first of the gods, seeing him bowed with his head, spoke to him. (3-326-10)
Great sages, desirous of seeing me, arrived at this place one by one, two by two, and three by three. (3-326-11)
No one has seen me, nor will anyone see me, except for the supremely devoted; you are indeed considered supremely devoted. (3-326-12)
These daughters of mine, excellent and born in the house of dharma, O Brahmin, you should always accept them and fulfill (your duties) as they have come. (3-326-13)
O brāhmaṇa, choose any boon from me that you desire here. I am pleased with you today, here, as the imperishable one of universal form. (3-326-14)
Nārada said.
O god, today by me, the fruit of austerity, restraint, and observance has indeed been immediately obtained, for I have seen the blessed one. (3-326-15)
This boon of mine, you who are completely seen and eternal; the Lord, the all-seeing lion, of all forms, the great lord. (3-326-16)
Bhishma said.
Having thus shown (it), he said again to Nārada, the son of Brahmā: "Go, O Nārada, without delay." (3-326-17)
These, indeed, my devotees who do not consume sense-objects, who are bright as the moon and single-minded, should meditate on me; for them, there would be no obstacle. (3-326-18)
These accomplished and greatly fortunate ones were formerly single-minded; being completely freed from darkness and passion, they will undoubtedly enter me. (3-326-19)
That one is not visible to the eye, not touchable by touch, not smellable by smell, and is devoid of taste as well. (3-326-20)
Existence, activity, and darkness are not qualities that affect him indeed; he who is the all-pervading witness, the self of the world, is thus called. (3-326-21)
Even when the aggregate of beings in bodies perishes, the unborn remains undestroyed. The unborn is eternal, perpetual, without qualities, and without parts. (3-326-22)
The puruṣa, who is known as the twenty-fifth principle after the twenty-four (twice twelve) tattvas, is described as inactive and as the witness of knowledge. (3-326-23)
O best of the twice-born, he whom, upon entering, one becomes liberated here, is to be known as Vāsudeva, the eternal supreme self. (3-326-24)
O Nārada, behold the greatness and majesty of the god, who is never affected by auspicious or inauspicious actions. (3-326-25)
They declare that existence (sattva), activity (rajas), and darkness (tamas) are qualities; these qualities abide and move in all bodies. (3-326-26)
The knower of the field enjoys these qualities, but is not enjoyed by them. He is without qualities, yet the enjoyer of qualities, the creator of qualities, and is superior to the qualities. (3-326-27)
O divine sage, the foundation of the world—the earth—is dissolved in water; the waters are dissolved in light; and light is dissolved in air. (3-326-28)
Wind dissolves in space; ether merges into the mind; the mind, which is indeed the supreme element, merges into the unmanifest. (3-326-29)
O Brahman, the unmanifested merges completely into the inactive Puruṣa. Indeed, there is nothing higher than that eternal Puruṣa. (3-326-30)
Truly, in this world, there is no being, whether stationary or moving, apart from that one eternal person, Vāsudeva. Vāsudeva, of great strength, is indeed the self of all beings. (3-326-31)
Earth, air, space, water, and light—the five great elements—when combined together, are called the body. (3-326-32)
Then, O Brahman, that unseen, swift-moving lord enters; as soon as he is born, he becomes the master, animating the body. (3-326-33)
Nowhere does a body arise without an aggregate of elements. Nor do the elements move without the spirit of life. (3-326-34)
He, the living being, is described as Śeṣa, Saṅkarṣaṇa, and lord. Therefore, whoever attains the state of Sanatkumāra by their own actions (3-326-35).
That in which all beings go to dissolution at the time of destruction, that mind of all beings is called Pradyumna. (3-326-36)
From that arises the one who is the doer, the effect, and indeed the cause; from whom everything, the world of the immobile and mobile, comes forth. He is Aniruddha, he is Īśāna, the manifestation, she who is present in all actions. (3-326-37)
He who is Vāsudeva, the Lord, the knower of the field, of the nature of being without qualities, is to be known; he indeed is the Lord, the living being, Saṅkarṣaṇa, the master. (3-326-38)
From Saṅkarṣaṇa arises Pradyumna, who is said to be of the nature of mind; from Pradyumna comes Aniruddha, who is regarded as the ego, the great lord. (3-326-39)
O Nārada, from me arises all: the world of the immovable and the movable, the imperishable and the perishable, and indeed both the existent and the non-existent. (3-326-40)
Here, my devotees who have entered me become liberated; I am indeed the person to be known, inactive, the twenty-fifth. (3-326-41)
I am without qualities, without parts, free from duality and without possessions; you should not know this as possessing form, though it appears so. If I wish, I can disappear in an instant; I am the lord, the teacher of the world. (3-326-42)
O Nārada, this is an illusion created by me, by which you see me endowed with all the qualities of beings; you are not able to know me thus. I have properly told you about my fourfold form. (3-326-43)
O sage, these perfected, greatly fortunate men, who became single-minded, freed from darkness and passion, will indeed enter me. (3-326-44)
O Nārada, I am the doer, the action, and the cause as well. I am indeed truly called the 'jīva'; the living being is established in me. Therefore, your understanding here should not be that the jīva is seen as separate from me. (3-326-45)
O Brahman, I am present everywhere and am the inner self of all beings; even when the bodies of beings perish, I do not perish. (3-326-46)
Brahmā, the golden-embryo, who is the origin of worlds, four-faced, described in the Nirukta, the eternal god, is my contemplator of many meanings. (3-326-47)
See my eleven Rudras standing on the right side, and likewise, twelve Ādityas standing together on the left side. (3-326-48)
See in front of me the eight Vasus, the best among the gods; and see Nāsatya and Dasra, the two physicians, behind. (3-326-49)
Behold all the progenitors, look at the seven sages as well; see the Vedas, hundreds of sacrifices, behold the nectar and the herbs. (3-326-50)
Behold, embodied in one form, the austerities, observances, and restraints of various kinds, as well as the eightfold sovereignty. (3-326-51)
Behold prosperity, Lakṣmī, fame, the earth with her summit; see the mother of the Vedas, the goddess Sarasvatī, who abides in me. (3-326-52)
O Nārada, behold the pole star, the foremost among the luminaries moving in the sky; also see the clouds, oceans, lakes, and rivers. (3-326-53)
O best one, see the four groups of ancestors who have form; and also see these three qualities, which are situated in me and are without form. (3-326-54)
O sage, the duty to the ancestors is considered superior even to the duty to the gods. Of both the gods and the ancestors, I alone am the original father from the beginning. (3-326-55)
Having assumed the form of a horse-headed being, I dwell in the north-west of the ocean and drink the well-offered oblations and ancestral offerings that are endowed with faith. (3-326-56)
Brahmā, whom I had created long ago, himself performed my sacrifice. Then, being pleased, I gave him unsurpassed boons. (3-326-57)
The status of being my son and the role of overseer of the worlds at the beginning of a kalpa, as well as the name created by ego, are all synonymous terms. (3-326-58)
No one will transgress the boundary made by you. And you, O Brahman, will indeed be the bestower of boons to those who desire boons. (3-326-59)
O greatly fortunate one, you, always firm in your vow, will become worthy of worship by the groups of gods and demons, sages rich in austerity, ancestors, and various beings. (3-326-60)
O Brahman, having come into manifestation, I am always present in the works of the gods; your son is to be instructed and employed by you as appropriate. (3-326-61)
Having given these and other splendid boons to Brahmā of immeasurable splendor, I became pleased and supremely withdrawn. (3-326-62)
The extinction of all dharmas is regarded as the highest cessation; therefore, having attained cessation, one should live with complete peace. (3-326-63)
The teachers whose resolve is firmly established in Sāṅkhya call me, Kapila, who is eternal, situated in the sun, and endowed with the aid of knowledge. (3-326-64)
This blessed golden-wombed one is well-praised in the Veda. O Brahman, I am that course of yoga who is spoken of in the treatises on yoga. (3-326-65)
I, having assumed this manifest form, dwell eternally in heaven; then, at the end of a thousand yugas, I will again withdraw the world, having placed all beings, both immobile and mobile, into my own abode. (3-326-66)
O best of the twice-born, I shall dwell alone together with knowledge; then, by knowledge, I shall again create all the world here. (3-326-67)
The fourth form of ours, which she created as the imperishable remainder, is indeed called Saṅkarṣaṇa; he also begot Pradyumna. (3-326-68)
From Pradyumna comes Aniruddha; I am the creation, again and again. From Aniruddha likewise comes Brahmā, there at the beginning, who originated from the lotus. (3-326-69)
Know that all moving and non-moving beings are the creation of Brahman; this creation occurs again and again at the beginning of each kalpa. (3-326-70)
Just as time, by force, brings back the sun of immeasurable radiance, whose rising and setting are lost here from the sky, so too, by force, I will bring back the earth for the welfare of all beings. (3-326-71)
Having assumed the form of a boar, I shall bring back to her own place the lost earth, whose every limb has been overpowered by strengths and is girdled by the ocean. (3-326-72)
I shall slay Hiraṇyākṣa, the son of Diti who is proud of his strength. Assuming the form of Narasiṃha, I shall again slay Hiraṇyakaśipu. For the sake of the gods, I shall slay the destroyer of sacrifice, the son of Diti. (3-326-73)
Bali, the strong son of Virocana and a great asura, will arise; he will also overthrow Indra from his own kingdom. (3-326-74)
When the three worlds have been taken away and Indra, the lord of Śacī, has turned away, I shall be born as the twelfth son in Aditi, from Kaśyapa. (3-326-75)
Then I will give the kingdom to Śakra, who possesses immeasurable brilliance. I will establish the gods in their respective places, O Nārada. And I will consign Bali to dwell in the netherworld. (3-326-76)
In the Tretā age, I will incarnate as Rāma, the illustrious one of the Bhṛgu lineage, and I will destroy the kṣatriya class, which possesses great strength and armies. (3-326-77)
But at the junction, when the Tretā and Dvāpara ages have fully arrived, I shall become Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, and the lord of the world. (3-326-78)
Because of the harm caused by Trita, you two, O sages who are sons of Prajapati, will become deformed on one side, and likewise from the second; thus, you both will attain the state of being monkeys. (3-326-79)
O twice-born, those who are born in the lineage of those two and live in the forest will become my helpers in the work of the gods. (3-326-80)
Then I shall slay Rāvaṇa, the terrible lord of the rākṣasas, the disgrace of the Pulastya lineage, the thorn of the worlds, together with his retinue, in battle. (3-326-81)
At the junction of Dvāpara and Kali, at the conclusion, there will be an appearance in Mathurā for the sake of Kaṁsa. (3-326-82)
There, having slain the demons, the many thorns of the gods, I will make Kuśasthalī, the city of Dvārakā, my abode. (3-326-83)
While residing there in the city, who caused displeasure to Aditi, I will slay Naraka, the son of Bhūmi, as well as Mura, Pīṭha, and the demon. (3-326-84)
I will lead (you) to the beautiful city of Prāgjyotiṣapura, endowed with many kinds of wealth, to Kuśasthalī, after having slain the foremost of the Dānavas. (3-326-85)
I shall defeat Śaṅkara and Mahāsena, who seek the welfare of Bāṇa's beloved, even though they are prepared and revered by the world of gods. (3-326-86)
Then, after defeating Bāṇa, the son of Bali who has a thousand arms, I will destroy all the inhabitants of Saubha. (3-326-87)
O best of the twice-born, Kālayavana, who is famous and surrounded by the energies of Garga, will be slain by me. (3-326-88)
Jarāsandha, the strong and the adversary of all kings, will become a powerful demon-like king in Girivraja. By the movement of my intellect, his slaying will occur. (3-326-89)
Among all the kings assembled for the tribute on earth, the son of Vāsava, with good allies, will indeed be my only one. (3-326-90)
Thus, people will say that the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa, being prepared, destroyed the kṣatriya class for the sake of the world's welfare, as the two lords. (3-326-91)
Having removed the burden of the earth as desired, for all the chief Sātvatas and for Dvārakā, O best among beings. (3-326-92)
I will bring about a terrible destruction that will annihilate myself and my relatives. (3-326-92)
I, the bearer of four forms, indeed perform immeasurable actions; having created the worlds, I shall go to my own, those honored by Brahman. (3-326-93)
O best of the twice-born, the manifestations as the Swan and the Horse-headed (forms) occurred; whenever the Vedic recitation was lost, I recovered it then. The Vedas along with their recitations were established by me in the former Kṛta Yuga. (3-326-94)
Those who have transcended are heard of in the ancient texts, whether here or elsewhere. Many excellent manifestations of mine have also transcended. Having performed worldly duties, they again return to their own nature. (3-326-95)
Indeed, even Brahmā has not obtained such a vision of me as you have attained today here, with your mind absorbed in solitude. (3-326-96)
O best Brahman, all this—ancient, future, and secret—has been declared to you, who are devoted, by me. (3-326-97)
Thus, the blessed god of imperishable and universal form, after speaking these words, disappeared right there. (3-326-98)
Nārada, the highly radiant sage, having received the favor he desired, hastened to Badarāśrama to see Nara and Nārāyaṇa. (3-326-99)
This great Upaniṣad, which is endowed with the four Vedas and composed through Sāṅkhya and Yoga, was explained by him in accordance with the Pañcarātra. (3-326-100)
O dear one, Nārada again recited in the abode of Brahmā what was sung from the mouth of Nārāyaṇa, just as it was seen and heard. (3-326-101)
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
Indeed, this greatness of the wise one is wonderful; what is there that Brahmā does not know, since he heard it from Nārada? (3-326-102)
Indeed, the venerable Grandfather, who comes immediately after that god—how could he not know the power of one of immeasurable energy? (3-326-103)
Bhishma said.
O king, thousands and hundreds of great aeons have completely passed; indeed, many creations and dissolutions have occurred. (3-326-104)
At the beginning of creation, Brahmā, the lord and creator of progeny, is remembered; he knows the foremost of the gods, and, O king, even more than this, the supreme self, the lord, and the origin of himself as well. (3-326-105)
But the other groups of Siddhas who had assembled in the assembly of Brahman, to them he caused that Purāṇa, which is equal to the Veda, to be heard. (3-326-106)
O Bhārata, having heard from them, the Sun indeed caused the Veda to be heard to those whose minds are purified and who follow the self. (3-326-107)
Indeed, sixty-six thousand sages whose selves were purified, the leaders among them, were created by the Sun performing austerity. To all those purified sages, the Sun spoke. (3-326-108)
O dear one, the gods assembled on Mount Meru by those sun-following sages of great soul, and were made to hear this excellent matter. (3-326-109)
O king, the best among sages, the twice-born Asita, having heard this from the presence of the gods, indeed caused it to be heard to the ancestors. (3-326-110)
My father also, O dear one, Śantanu, told (this); then, having heard this, I have declared it to you, O Bhārata. (3-326-111)
Whether by gods or by sages, whoever has heard this Purāṇa, all of them worship the Supreme Self again and again. (3-326-112)
O king, this narrative of the ṛṣis, received through tradition, should never be given by you to anyone who is not a devotee of Vāsudeva. (3-326-113)
O king, from me you have indeed heard hundreds of other righteous stories; of those, this is the essence that has been extracted. (3-326-114)
O king, just as the gods and demons once churned and extracted nectar, so too, in former times, the Brāhmaṇas have here extracted the nectar of stories. (3-326-115)
Whoever recites this always, and whoever, being a man, hears this, having attained the state of solitude, being well concentrated in solitude. (3-326-116)
Having reached the white great continent and having become radiant like the moon, the man enters the thousand-rayed deity; there is no doubt about this. (3-326-117)
An afflicted person may be freed, and likewise from disease, by hearing this story from the beginning; one who seeks knowledge attains his desires, and a devotee attains the state of devotion. (3-326-118)
O king, you too must always worship the Supreme Person, for he is truly the mother, father, and the teacher of the entire world. (3-326-119)
May the god devoted to Brahman, the eternal Lord, be pleased with you. O Yudhishthira, O mighty-armed one, Janardana, the mighty-armed.
Vaiśampāyana said.
After hearing this excellent story, King Janamejaya and all his brothers became devoted to Nārāyaṇa. (3-326-121)
O Bhārata, it is said, "That man has conquered by the blessed one;" always being devoted to recitation, uttering Sarasvatī. (3-326-122)
He who is indeed our best teacher, the sage Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, sang the supreme recitation, uttering 'Nārāyaṇa'. (3-326-123)
He always went from the sky to the milk-ocean, the abode of nectar; after worshipping the lord of the gods, he returned again to his own hermitage. (3-326-124)
