12.337

Janamejaya said.

O Brahmarṣi, these knowledges—the Sāṅkhya system, Yoga system, Pañcarātra doctrine, and Vedāraṇyaka—indeed circulate in the worlds. (12-337-1)

O sage, are these of single devotion or of separate devotion? Please declare, as I have asked, the activity and its order. (12-337-2)

Vaiśampāyana said.

To the great sage, the son of Parāśara and Gandhavatī, who was born in the midst of the island, possessed of self-control, supremely noble and all-knowing, to him, the dispeller of the darkness of ignorance, I offer obeisance. (12-337-3)

They declare the sixth, beginning with the grandfather, as the great sage Dvaipāyana, the only son born from a portion of Nārāyaṇa, endowed with the glory of the ṛṣis, and the great treasure of the Vedas. (12-337-4)

In the earliest times, the greatly powerful Nārāyaṇa, who is Brahman and the great repository, created Vyāsa, the noble and great-souled, for the sake of his son; he is the unborn and ancient one. (12-337-5)

Janamejaya said.

O best of the twice-born, you have already told me before about the origin: Śakti was the son of Vasiṣṭha, and Parāśara was the son of Śakti. (12-337-6)

Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, the sage and heir of Parāśara, you are again speaking of this son of Nārāyaṇa. (12-337-7)

What is the earlier birth of Vyāsa, who possesses immeasurable splendor? O best of intellect, please narrate the birth that originated from Nārāyaṇa. (12-337-8)

Vaiśampāyana said.

My teacher Himavatpada, who is established in knowledge, a treasure of austerity, most righteous, and desirous of knowing the meanings of the Vedas, was seated. (12-337-9)

O king, then we, devoted to service, having narrated the Mahābhārata for the wise one wearied by austerity, have accomplished this. (12-337-10)

Sumantu, Jaimini, and Paila, who was steadfast in his vows; I myself was the fourth disciple, and also Śuka, the son of Vyāsa. (12-337-11)

Surrounded by these five best disciples, Vyāsa shone at the foot of the Himavat, just as the lord of beings shines among beings. (12-337-12)

We, being engaged and self-restrained, worship with single-mindedness him who recites the Vedas with all their limbs and the meanings of the Mahābhārata in their entirety. (12-337-13)

Then, in another story, when we asked, the best of the twice-born explained to us the meanings of the Vedas, the meanings of the Mahābhārata, and also the birth from Nārāyaṇa. (12-337-14)

He, having previously explained the meanings of the Veda and the Bhārata, being a knower of truth, began to declare this birth from Nārāyaṇa. (12-337-15)

Hear, O Brāhmaṇas, this excellent and foremost narrative of the ṛṣis, which originated in the earliest times and has been attained by me through austerity. (12-337-16)

When the creation of beings had occurred for the seventh time, from the lotus was born Nārāyaṇa, the great yogi, who is beyond both good and evil. (12-337-17)

He created from his navel a son, Brahmā, of immeasurable radiance; then he appeared, and then spoke these words to him. (12-337-18)

You, born from my navel, O Brahman, are the lord and creator of beings; create various beings, both dull and wise. (12-337-19)

Thus addressed, he, his mind agitated by worry and turning away, bowed to the boon-giving god and spoke to Hari, the Lord. (12-337-20)

What power do I have, O lord of the gods, to create beings? Salutations to you. I am unwise, O god; please do what is to be done next. (12-337-21)

Thus addressed, the blessed one disappeared from there. Then the lord of the gods, the best among the wise, began to ponder the matter. (12-337-22)

Then, having assumed her own form, Intellect approached Hari, the Lord. At that time, by union, Niyoga himself appointed her. (12-337-23)

He, the imperishable lord, addressed a word to her—the powerful, virtuous intellect established in the union with sovereignty. (12-337-24)

For the accomplishment of the purpose of world-creation, the Lord instructed, "Enter Brahmā." Then, that intellect quickly entered him. (12-337-25)

Then Hari, seeing him again endowed with intellect, spoke these words once more: "Let us create various kinds of beings." (12-337-26)

Having thus spoken, the venerable one disappeared right there; and within a moment, he reached his own abode known as the divine. (12-337-27)

Having attained her very nature and become united with it, he became one. Then, indeed, at that time, his intellect again became different. (12-337-28)

All these creatures were created by Brahmā, the supreme lord, and the world became filled with Daityas, Dānavas, Gandharvas, and Rākṣasas. This earth, thus born, became burdened and devoted to austerity. (12-337-29)

Many powerful daityas, dānavas, and rākṣasas will arise on earth, endowed with austerity; they will obtain excellent boons. (12-337-30)

Certainly, by all those who have become arrogant due to receiving boons, the gods, sages, and ascetics must be oppressed. Therefore, it is just for me to perform this act of removing the burden. (12-337-31)

Then, by various means arising on the earth in due order, by restraining the wicked and supporting the virtuous. (12-337-32)

I will uphold this ascetic and true earth. Indeed, it is supported by me, by the serpent dwelling in Pātāla. (12-337-33)

The world, with all that moves and does not move, is indeed supported by me; therefore, I have gone to take birth for the protection of the earth. (12-337-34)

Thus, after contemplating, the Lord Madhusūdana created many forms for the purpose of manifesting appearances. (12-337-35)

The boar, the man-lion, the dwarf, and also the human form—by these, the ill-behaved enemies of the gods are to be slain by me. (12-337-36)

Then, once again, the creator of the world resounded the sound 'bhoḥ' and uttered Sarasvatī there; thus, Sārasvata came into being. (12-337-37)

There was a sage named Apāntaratamā, the son born from the speech of the Lord, who knew the past, future, and what is to come, who spoke the truth and was firm in his vows. (12-337-38)

The imperishable origin of the gods, having bowed his head, said to him: In the exposition of the Veda, the Veda should be followed by you, O best of the wise. Therefore, O sage, do as I have instructed in this speech. (12-337-39)

At that time, during the interval of Svāyambhuva Manu, the Vedas were divided by him; then Lord Hari was pleased with him for this act, as well as for his austerity, well-performed penance, self-restraint, and observances. (12-337-40)

The blessed Lord said.

O son, in the manvantaras, you will thus be the initiator of the world; you will become unmoving, O Brahman, unassailable and eternal. (12-337-41)

Again, when the Tiṣya (Pushya) constellation arrives, the Kurus called Bharatas will become great and renowned kings on earth. (12-337-42)

Among those born from you, there will be division of families. Except for you, O best of the twice-born, it will be for the purpose of mutual destruction. (12-337-43)

There, too, you will divide the Vedas in many ways, being endowed with austerity; and when the Kṛṣṇa (dark) age arrives, you will become dark-complexioned. (12-337-44)

You will become the doer of various dharmas and a giver of knowledge likewise; endowed with austerity, you will not be freed from attachment. (12-337-45)

Your son, who is free from passion, will become the supreme self; by the grace of Maheśvara, this statement will not be otherwise. (12-337-46)

He whom they call the mind-born son, endowed with the supreme wisdom of the grandsire—Vasiṣṭha, foremost and repository of austerity—who also shines surpassing even the sun. (12-337-47)

In his lineage, from him, there was the great sage named Parāśara, of great power; he, your father, was the most excellent treasure of the Vedas, and of great austerity, truly an abode of penance. Born in the womb of an unmarried girl, in the daughter of the father; from that sage, you too will be born as a son. (12-337-48)

Those of the past, future, and those yet to come, whose every doubt about all meanings has been dispelled; those who have indeed transcended before, are the cycles of a thousand ages. (12-337-49)

You will see all those whom I have indicated, endowed with austerity; and again, you will see many cycles of thousands of ages. (12-337-50)

O sage, I am the one without beginning or end in the world, holding the discus in my hand. By constant meditation on me, O sage, this statement does not become otherwise. (12-337-51)

Saturn, the son of the Sun, will become the great Manu. In that Manvantara, together with the group of seven sages, you too will be, my child, by my grace; there is no doubt about this. (12-337-52)

Vyāsa said.

Thus, at that time, the Lord spoke to the Sarasvatī sage Apāntaratama, saying, "Accomplish this," and then spoke thus. (12-337-53)

I am he; by the grace of that god, the Hari-minded one, I was born as Apāntaratamā by the command of Hari. Again, I was born as the renowned delight of the family of Vasiṣṭha. (12-337-54)

Thus, I have described this former birth of myself, which occurred by the grace of Nārāyaṇa and also as one born from a portion of Nārāyaṇa. (12-337-55)

Indeed, I practiced extremely severe austerity in the past, being the best among the intelligent, with the highest concentration. (12-337-56)

O sons, all this which you ask me about, regarding the former birth and the future of the devotees, has been told to you by me out of affection. (12-337-57)

Vaiśampāyana said.

O king, the origin of our teacher has already been told to you before. Now, as you have asked about Vyāsa, who has an untroubled mind, hear it again. (12-337-58)

O royal sage, know that Sāṅkhya, Yoga, Pañcarātra, the Vedas, and the Pāśupata doctrine—these knowledges are indeed various opinions. (12-337-59)

Kapila, the supreme sage, is called the expounder of Sāṅkhya. Hiraṇyagarbha is known as the knower of Yoga; there is no other ancient one. (12-337-60)

He whose darkness is dispelled, who is indeed the teacher of the Veda, is called thus. Some here refer to that sage as Prācīnagarbha. (12-337-61)

Śiva, the consort of Umā, lord of beings, the auspicious-throated one, and son of Brahmā, unperturbed, has spoken this Paśupata knowledge. (12-337-62)

O best of kings, the Lord himself is indeed the knower of the entire Pañcarātra scripture; in all these knowledges, He is seen. (12-337-63)

O lord of men, as per scripture and as per knowledge, steadfastness is Nārāyaṇa, the lord; but those who are of darkness do not know him thus. (12-337-64)

The wise declare him alone as the maker of the śāstra; those who speak say that the sage Nārāyaṇa is the goal, and there is no other. (12-337-65)

Hari always dwells in all who are without doubt; Mādhava does not abide in those with doubt, due to the force of reasoning. (12-337-66)

O king, those who know the Pañcarātra and are devoted to its proper practice, having attained single-minded devotion, they indeed enter into Hari (Viṣṇu). (12-337-67)

Both Sāṅkhya and Yoga are eternal; and all the Vedas in their entirety, O king, have been explained by all the great sages as Nārāyaṇa, this universe, the ancient one. (12-337-68)

Any auspicious or inauspicious action that is set in motion, whatever proceeds in all worlds, should be known as originating from the seer; thus it manifests in the divine, in the sky, on earth, and also in the waters. (12-337-69)