PART I.

SECTION I.

Om![1] Salutation unto Vāsudeva![2] O Pundarikāsha,[3] victory unto thee! I bow unto thee, O origin of the universe! O Hrishikesha,[4] O great Purusha, O thou the first born! That Vishnu,[5] who is eternal, indecayable one, who is Brahmā, the Isvara and the Purusha,—who causeth the creation, the sustentation and the dissolution (of the world) consequent on the qualities[6] being agitated,—and from whom hath sprung the cosmos with Pradhāna,[7] Buddhi, etc.;—may he confer on us excellent understanding wealth[8] and emancipation! Bowing down unto Vishnu, lord of the universe, and saluting Brahmā and the rest, and paying reverence unto my preceptor, I will rehearse the Purāna that is equal to the Vedas. Saluting and paying homage unto that best of ascetics, Parāçara—son unto Vasistha's son—versed in annals and the Purānas,[9] accomplished in the Vedas and the branches thereof, and learned in the mysteries of the scriptures,—who had finished his first daily devotions.—Maitreya asked him, saying,—"O preceptor, I have one by one studied near thee all the scriptures as well as the Vedas and their branches. It is owing to thy grace that, O foremost of ascetics, almost all of those that are even our enemies, confess that I have studied all the branches of knowledge. O thou cognisant of righteousness, I am desirous of hearing from thee how this universe came into being, and how, O virtuous one, it shall be in the future; in what, O Brāhmana, the cosmos consists; wherefrom sprang this system of mobile and immobile objects; where it lay at first and where it shall dissolve itself; as to the objects that have manifested themselves; the genesis of the gods; the establishment of seas and mountains and the earth, and that of the sun, etc. and the dimensions thereof; the genealogies of the deities,—all about the Manus, and the Manwantaras,[10] and Kalpas[11] and Vikalpas of Kalpas composed of the fourfold division into Yugas; the character of the close of Kalpas; and the entire tendencies of the Yugas; and, O mighty ascetic, the history of Devarshis[12] and monarchs; the proper division by Vyāsa of the Vedas into different parts; and the morality concerning Brāhmanas and others, as well as that of householders. O son of Vasishtha, I wish to hear all this related by thee. O Brahmana, incline thy mind favourably unto me, so that, O mighty anchoret, I may know all this through thy grace".

Pāraçara said,—"Excellent well; O Maitreya, O thou that art conversant with righteousness. Thou bringest into my recollection what of old my grandsire, the reverend Vasishtha, had said of old. When I heard that my sire had been devoured by the Rākshasa sent by Vicwāmitra, I was wrought up with an exceeding rage. Then I set about disturbing the sacrifice of the Rakshas; and in that sacrifice reduced to ashes night-rangers by hundreds. On the Rakshas undergoing extermination, the eminently pious Vasishtha, my grandfather, said unto me,—'Do not indulge in excessive wrath, O child, control this passion of thine. Albeit the Rākshasas did thus unto thy sire, yet have they not transgressed. This ire springeth up in fools; but where is the anger of the wise? Who, my child, destroyeth whom? Persons[13] but reap their acts. O child, anger heweth away the great and immense asceticism and fame acquired with extreme toil by men. The prime saints ever banish anger, which retardeth heaven and emancipation. Therefore, my child, do not thou come under its sway. No need of burning the night-rangers, who have not wronged. Stop this sacrifice of thine. Pious people are composed of forgiveness.' Thus exhorted by my high-souled grandsire, I, for the sake of the dignity of his speech, stopped the sacrifice. Thereat, that foremost of ascetics, the reverend Vasishtha was gratified. And it came to pass that there appeared then Pulastya, son unto Brahmā. And when my grandfather had offered him arghya,[14] when he had taken his seat, O Maitreya, the exceedingly righteous elder brother of Pulaha addressed me, saying,—'As, albeit a mighty enmity existeth (between thyself and the Rākshasas), thou hast resorted to forgiveness at the words of thy superior, thou shall master all the branches of knowledge. And as, although highly enraged, thou hast not cut off my sons, I, O pious one, shall confer on thee a mighty boon. Thou shalt be the author of the Purāna and Samhita,[15] and thou shalt attain a consummate knowledge of the celestials. And through my grace, O child, thy intelligence shall be clear and unobstructed as concerns the Present and the Past.' Then my grandsire, the reverend Vasishtha, said,—'What Pulastya hath uttered to thee, must be so.' At thy question I remember me in full of all that formerly had been said unto me by Vasishtha and the intelligent Pulastya. And, O Maitreya, as thou hast asked me, I shall at length relate unto thee adequately the Purāna Samhitā.—Do thou understand that properly. This universe hath sprung from Vishnu,—and in Him it is established. He is the cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction thereof, and He is the universe".

SECTION II.

Parāçara said:—"I bow unto Him that is holy and eternal—the supreme Soul who is ever uniform,—even Vishnu, the Lord of all. I bow unto Hiranyagarbha, unto Hara and Sankara, unto Vasudeva the saviour, even him who bringeth about creation, maintenance and destruction to everything. I bow unto him that is uniform yet hath a multiplicity of forms; who is both subtle and gross;—who is manifested and unmanifested; unto Vishnu, the cause of salvation. I bow unto Vishnu, the supreme Soul, who pervadeth the universe, and who is the fundamental cause of the creation, sustenance and extinction of everything. And bowing down unto Him, who is the stay of the universe,—who is minuter than the minutest monad,—who resides in every being—unto the undeteriorating foremost Purusha, who is extremely pure, and constitutes knowledge of the highest kind,—who in consequence of the erroneous sight (of people) seemeth to be endowed with a shape; unto the Vishnu who can compass the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe,—saluting the Lord of the world, un-born, unchangeable and undeteriorating,—I shall relate what formerly, asked by Paksha and other great ascetics, the reverend lotus sprung Great-sire said unto them, and what they rehearsed unto king Purukutsa on the banks of the Narmadā; and what he, in his turn, related to Sāraswata,—and the last unto me. He who is Prime and Greater than the greatest, who is the supreme Soul resident in himself,—who cannot be differentiated by by form, color, etc, who is without deterioration or destruction, and without birth, growth and dissolution; who can only be asserted as existing,—is called by the learned Vāsudeva, in consequence of his existing everywhere and in all objects.[16] That Brahmā is prime and eternal,—without birth, change or deterioration. He is uniform, and pure in consequence of the absence of the ignoble. He is all this (that is)—he is Manifested and Unmanifested;[17] and he exists as the Primal Purusha and Time. O twice-born one, the first form of the Primæval Brahmā is a Male Being. His other forms are Manifested and Unmanifested, Time and the rest.[18] The wise see that sacred state of Vishnu, which is superior to Pradhāna Purusha,[19] Manifest and Time. The forms of Vishnu, first consisting of Pradhāna, Purusha, Manifest and Time are the causes and expressions[20] of creation, sustenance, and destruction. Do thou understand that Vyakta,[21] Vishnu, Avyakta, Purusha and Time are the exertions of Him, resembling those of a child sporting. That which is the Unmanifested Cause, is called subtle Nature by the foremost saints,—external, and instinct with cause and effect. It is indestructible, supportless, immeasurable, undeteriorating, real devoid of sound or touch, and without form, etc. It hath three several modes;—and is the mother of the Universe, without beginning and is the end of all. Formerly after the universal dissolution, everything was permeated by it. O Brāhmana, those versed in the language of the Veda,—exercising self-control and meditating the Deity, read the sense expressive of Pradhāna, thus. Day was not, nor night, nor sky, nor earth. And there was neither darkness nor yet light. And there existed then Pradhāna, Brahmā and the Purusha,—incapable of being apprehended by ear and the other organs, or the intellect. As O Vipra, the prime Vishnu hath two forms, Pradhāna and Purusha, so, O twice-born one, he hath another, which is joined to him (on the occasion of creation) and severed from him during the universal dissolution; and this is called Kāla. (Time). During the past dissolution, in consequence of the Vyakta remaining nascent in Prakriti, this circumstance in popular parlance is called Kāla. O twice-born one, the revered Kāla hath no beginning and hath no end; and in it genesis, stability and dissolution are uninterrupted. On the occasion of the universal dissolution, when Prakriti and Purusha remain separate, O Maitreya, there exists the form of Vishnu termed Kāla. Then at the time of creation, the supreme Brahmā, the Prime spirit pervading the universe, reaching everywhere—the lord of all beings, and the soul of all—the foremost Lord, Hari, entering into Pradhāna and Purusha, agitated them. And as odour, simply by reason of its proximity, and without any act, stirreth the mind, even so did the Supreme Lord. That best of males, O Brāhmana, is he that stirreth, and He it is that is stirred; he possessing in himself the three modes alike when in equilibrium and when not, entereth into Pradhāna. And that Lord of lords, Vishnu, manifests himself in gross elements in subtle objects, and in such forms as Brahmā and others. And, O best of twice-born ones, on the occasion of creation, from the equipoise of the principles presided over by Kshetrajna,[22] springs up that which manifests the principles.[23] And then Pradhāna overspread Mahat; and the three kinds of Mahat pertaining respectively to goodness, passion and foulness, were enveloped by Pradhāna, even as the rind envelopeth the seed. And from the three kinds of Mahat sprang three kinds of ahankāra;[24] (consciousness,) viz., vaikārika, taijasa and bhutādi.[25] And, O mighty ascetic, as Pradhāna had enveloped Mahat, that cause of the elements and the senses, viz., akankāra from its containing the three principles, was in its turn, enveloped by Mahat. Then the bhutādi,[26] etc., being wrought, produced the rudiments of sound, and from the latter came into being ether, having the property of sound. And (anon) the bhutādi overspread the rudiments of sound as well as the ether; and, ether being wrought, produced the rudiments of touch; and then sprang the powerful air, whose property is known to be touch. And ether furnished with nascent audibility, covered air, endowed with tangibility. And then the air, wrought up, brought forth the rudiments of form. Light came from the air, and its property is said to be form. And the rudimental air endowed with touch, enveloped the rudimental tangibility. And light, being agitated, caused the taste; and therefrom sprang water, the residence of taste. And the rudiments of form overspread the rudiments of taste. And water, stirred, developed the rudiments of odour; therefrom sprang hardness endued with the property of odour. The subtle condition of a property existing in diverse objects is called Tanmātra. In consequence of the Tanmātras not being differentiated, they are undistinguishable; they are not agreeable or unpleasant of cause dullness,—and they are not marked by any distinguishing feature. From the consciousness related to darkness sprang the five rudiments and the five elements; from the conciousness relating to light sprang the organs of sense and from the consciousness relating to goodness sprang the ten deities.[27] The mind is the eleventh (organ).[28] The deities are known to have sprung from the principle of goodness. O twice-born one, the touch, the eye, the nose, the tongue, and the ear for the fifth, are designed for the perception of sound, etc. and are backed by intellect. The other organs are the anus, the organs of generation, the hands, the feet, and the vocal organs for the fifth; and the functions of these are excretion, articulation, motion, and mechanic labor. Ether, air, light, water, and earth, O Brāhmana, are respectively furnished with the properties of sound etc. and in consequence of their being agreeable or otherwise, or bringing on delusion,—they are known as Vicesha.

"And endowed with distinct energies, they without combining, and being all of them interfused, could not create objects. And then, coming together, and each supporting the others, they attained firmness and harmony and a uniform appearance. And in consequence of their being presided over by the Purasha, and favored by Pradhana, (who was ripe for it), those, commencing from Mahat and ending in Vishesha, brought forth an egg. And that egg resembling a watery bubble, fostered by the elements, attained dimensions. O thou of exceeding intelligence; and that egg formed by Prakriti, resting on water, became the body of Vishnu wearing the form of Brahmā,—And there Vishnu—lord of the universe—who is incapable of being perceived,—becoming manifest, remained in the form of Brahmā.[29] And Meru became the bellows-like inner covering of that exceedingly high-souled one, and the other mountains became his outer covering; and the seas served for his water in the womb. And, O Vipra, in that egg sprang mountains and islands, and seas, light, and numbers of worlds, and deities, Asuras and human beings. And that egg was environed ten times successively with water, fire, air, ether, and bhutādi and the bhutādi was surrounded in the same way by mahat.[30] And mahat along with all those was also covered by avyakta.[31] As the internal cocoanut fruit is covered by the external rind, etc., even so was the egg surrounded by the natural coverings. Then the lord of the universe, inspiring the principle of passion,[32] and becoming Brahmā, became engaged on creation. And until the expiry of Kalpa,[33] the worshipful Vishnu of immeasurable power, instinct with the principle of goodness, sustaineth creation. And at the end of a Kalpa, O Maitreya, Janārddana,[34] surcharged with the principle of foulness, wearing a fierce form and becoming terrific swalloweth up all. And having swallowed up all beings, anon the cosmos becoming one ocean, the supreme Lord lieth down on the couch[35] (formed by) the serpent. And walking, he, wearing the form of Brahmā, again addresseth himself to creation. And in consequence of his creating, sustaining and dissolving verily one Janārddana acquireth the appellations of Brahmā, Vishnu and Siva. As creator, Vishnu createth himself, and, as sustainer, he sustaineth himself, and, finally, becoming the destroyer, the Lord himself destroyeth everything. And as earth, water, light, air and ether, all the organs of sense and the heart go by the name Purusha, (Vishnu as being the Primal male, is the author of all these.) And, as he is the lord of all beings, and, as, knowing no decay, he hath the universe for his form, even he is the creator of all, and his also are the ends attained by beings".[36]

SECTION III.

Maitreya said:—"How can Brahmā, who is devoid of quality and confineless and pure and unblamed of soul, possibly engage in creation, etc.?" Thereat Parāçara said,—"As the powers of many an object are incomprehensible and incapable of being construed to sense, the powers of creation etc., possessed by Brahmā, like the heat of fire, are also so. O foremost of ascetics, hearken how the Professor of the eight kinds of wealth becomes engaged in creation. O wise one, in consequence of the eternal reverend Vishnu coming into being from objects, as Brahmā the Grand-father, he is designated as produced. According to the measure set by him human life is known as consisting of an hundred years. This (age) is called para, and the half thereof Parārdha. O sinless one, do thou listen to me as I mention unto thee the divisions of that which I have named unto thee as the Time-form of Vishnu,—in relation to Him as well as other creatures, and mobile and immobile objects, and the seas and all other things, O best of men. O chief of ascetics, a kāsthā is composed of fifteen nimeshas;[37] thirty kāsthās make up a kalā; and thirty kalās a muhurta; and as many muhurtas make up a day and a night unto human beings. As many days and nights form a month; and a month consists of two fortnights. Six months form an ayana; and a year is composed of two ayanas, one northern, the other southern. The southern ayana is the night of the celestials, as the northern is their day. The period of twelve thousand years of the deities constitute the four Yugas, viz. Krita, Tretā, and the others.[38] Do thou understand that.[39] Chronologists say that four, three, two, and one thousand divine years successively compose Krita and the other Yugas. An hundred divine years are said to constitute the first twilight, as another hundred years the last, of the Yuga. The space that intervenes between these twilights goeth by the name of Yuga, embracing Krita, Tretā and the rest. And O anchoret, a thousand of the four Yugas, Krita, Tretā, Dwāpara and Kali, constitute one day of Brahmā. One day of Brahmā O Brāhmana, compriseth four and ten reigns of the Manus.[40] Listen to the chronology thereof! The seven saints, the celestials, Sakra, Manu, and his sons—kings all of them—are created at the same time and, as formerly,[41] are destroyed at the same time, O excellent one, a little over seventy-one four Yugas constitute a Manwantara—the period of Manu as well as the gods. Manwantara takes up over eight lakshas[42] and fifty-two thousand years; and, O twice-born one, full thirty[43] kotis above sixty-seven[44] niyutas and about twenty thousand human years. Ten and fourteen such periods[45] form one day of Brahmā. Then comes on his sleep[46] and at the end thereof, the universal dissolution. And then all the triune world, comprising Bhur, Bhuva and the rest, are in conflagration, and the dwellers of the regions of Maha, exercised with the heat, resort to the regions of Jana. On the three regions being reduced to one sheet of sea, that deity, the lotus-sprung Brahmā instinct with Nārāyana, contemplated by the Yogis[47] of Janasthāna,—with the intention of swallowing up the three worlds,—lieth down on the bed (formed by) the serpent. And having spent the night measuring that period,[48] at the end thereof he begins anew the work of creation. This is the year of Brahmā and thus is the space of his hundred years; and the life of that high-souled one is an hundred (such) years. O thou without sin, one half of Brahmās life is spent. On the expiration thereof passeth away a Mahākalpa—which is called Pādma. O twice-born one, this is the Kalpa distinguished as Vatrahā belonging to the second Parāddha, which is present".

SECTION IV.

Maitreya said:—"O mighty ascetic, relate unto me how the reverend Brahmā whose name is Nārāyana, created all beings at the commencement of the Kalpa". (Thereat) Parāçara said,—"Hear as to how that god, the lord of Prajāpati,[49] the reverend Brahmā instinct with Nārāyana, created beings. On the expiration of the past Kalpa, that Master, Brahmā, surcharged with the energy of righteousness, awaking from his slumbers, saw the universe—void of all. And the supreme, incomprehensible Nārāyana—the lord of the greatest—as the worshipful Brahmā, became engaged in creation. This sloka is used with reference to the divine Nārāyana, the creator of the universe, in the form of Brahmā. Apa is named nāra, having been created by Nara;[50] and in days of yore, (water) having been the abode of him, he hath hence been called Nārāyana.—And on the universe becoming one ocean, the creator of all beings, the Lord resting on water, inferring that the Earth was thus placed, set his heart on delivering her. And as he, on former occasions, had assumed the forms of a fish, a Tortoise, etc., he now assumed the form of a Boar. And for sustaining the entire universe, the lord of creatures, impregnated with the Veda and sacrifices, of serene soul and the soul of all,—the Supreme spirit—stay of soul, and the prop of the Earth,—hymned by the Siddhas inhabiting the region of Jana,—Sauaka and others,—then entered water.—And seeing him enter the nether regions, that exalted one, the Earth, bowing low in humility and reverence, began to praise him. And the Earth said,—'I bow unto thee, who art all being; I bow unto thee, holding the conch and the mace. Do thou rescue me from here, now, as, thou hadst formerly done. I had formerly been delivered by thee. O Janārddana, I as well as other things, such as the sky, etc., are permeated by thee. Reverence unto thee, O prime spirit, O male soul, I bow unto thee. I bow unto thee, who art pradhāna and vaykta, and who art Time. Thou, wearing the forms of Brahmā, Vishnu and Rudra, art the creator of all beings, and thou art the maintainer as well as the destroyer thereof. Having destroyed everything, thou, O Govinda,[51] on the universe having become one Ocean,—contemplated by the pious, reposest (on the serpent-couch). None knoweth the high mystery encompassing thee; and the deities do but adore that form in which thou incarnatest thyself. O supreme Brahmā, adoring thee, those desirous of emancipation, attain the same. Who, not worshipping Vasudeva, obtaineth liberation? Thy entire form comprehends ail that may be secured by the mind, all that may be perceived by sight and the other senses, all that may be discriminated by thought. And I am supported, and created, and maintained by thee. And for this it is that people call me Mādhavi.[52] Victory to thee, O thou that art all knowledge! Victory to thee, who art gross and undeteriorating! Victory to thee, O thou that art infinite! Victory to thee, thou that art the Nascent! Victory to thee, thou that art Manifest. Thou, O lord! O prime of prime souls! O soul of the Universe! Victory to thee, O master of sacrifice, thou, who art sinless! Thou art Sacrifice, and Vaskatkāra[53] and thou, Omkarāa[54] and thou, Fire. Thou art the Vedas, and thou the branches thereof, and thou Hari,[55] art the person presiding; over sacrifice. Thou art the Sun, etc., and the planets and stars, and thou the entire universe. And O foremost god, thou art all that is formless and that is formed, and that is hard and, O best of male beings, all that I have mentioned and also all that I have left un mentioned. I bow down unto thee. I bow unto thee again and again.'"

Parāçara said:—Thus eulogised by Earth, that graceful one, the holder thereof, began to roar in Sāma[56] accents. Then heaving up the Earth with his razors from the deep, the mighty Boar, having eyes resembling blown lotuses,—and himself like unto lotus-leaves,—rose up like a gigantic dark-blue mountain. And as he emerged, the troubled water dashed by the wind forced out from his mouth, surging up, splashed the highly resplendent and sinless ascetics, Sananda and others, dwellers of the regions of Jana. And on the nether regions being broken up by the hoof-impacts (of the boar), the water began to run down with roars; and the Siddhas constantly inhabiting the regions of Jana, were moved about by the air of his breath. And the ascetics, placed in the tactual pores of the mighty bore as he rose up holding the Earth in his abdominal cavity and kept shaking his Veda-impregnated person,—experienced the highest bliss. And yogis dwelling in the regions of Jana, Sananda and others, with delighted hearts, and with heads bent in humility, hymned the holder of the Earth, remaining moveless, with his eyes expanded,—saying,—"Victory unto thee, O foremost God of gods,—O Keçava,[57] O wielder of the conch, mace, sword and discus! The cause of creation, destruction and sustentation, save thee, supreme state there is none whatever. The Vedas are thy feet, and the yupa,[58] thy larger tooth, and Sacrifice, thy smaller; the place of the (sacrificial fire) is thy mouth, and the fire itself thy tongue; and darva is thy down. O Lord, thou art the person presiding over Sacrifice. O mighty soul, day and night are thy eyes; and that refuge of all—the state of Brahmā, himself—is thy head; the entire complement of Suktas[59] composeth thy matted locks; and thy tongue is the sacrificial offerings, O god. O thou having the (sacrificial) ladle for thy face! O thou who hast the solemn accents of Sāma for thy voice, O thou that hast the front-part of the sacrificial ground, for thy body! O thou who hast all the sacrifices for thy joints! O god, thou hast for thy ears the morality of the Smritis as well as the Srutis.[60] Be thou propitiated! O undeteriorating one, O thou that hast the Universe for thy form, we know thee as having covered the Earth with thy paces, and that thou art the cause and stay thereof. Thou art the foremost Lord of the cosmos. Be thou gracious! Thou art the master of the mobile and the immobile. Raised on thy razor-ends, all this Earth, O Lord, seemeth like a lotus-leaf besmeared with mud on the tusk of an elephant that hath plunged into a pool of lotuses. O thou of unparalleled power, all the space between heaven and earth hath been covered with thy body. O thou, the universe hath been enveloped with whose splendour, O Lord, prove thou of profit to the universe. Thou art the sole highest reality,—there is none other, sovereign of the universe. And this glory in which the mobile and the immobile are enfolded,—is thine. O thou that art knowledge, unspiritual people, through ignorance, look upon this form of thine displayed in the world. Foolish persons, regarding this entire universe impregnated with knowledge, as real, fall into a sea of delusion. But O supreme lord, those that are versed in knowledge and are of pure spirit, look on this entire universe as thy form replete with knowledge. O Sarva, O soul of all! Be thou gracious! For the good of this world do thou, O thou of immeasurable soul, raise the Earth up. O lotus-eyed one, confer on us what is good. Thou, O reverend one, art surcharged with the virtue of goodness. O Govinda, for the benefit (of all), O lord, raise up this Earth. O lotus-eyed one, confer on us what is good. Mayst thou incline thy mind to creation fraught with profit to the universe! We bow unto thee. O lotus-eyed one, confer on us what is good".

Parāçara said,—"Thus hymned by the divinities, that supreme soul, the holder of Earth, at once lifted her up, and set her on the mighty sea. And, resting on the sea like a giant bark, Earth did not sink in consequence of the flatness of her frame. Then leveling the Earth, the worshipful supreme Lord without beginning, placed mountains on her in proper order. And by his infallible power, that one of truthful purposes created on the Earth all the mountains that had been burnt on the occasion of the burning of the foregone creation. And then; properly dividing the land containing seven islands, he, as formerly, created the four regions, viz., Bhuva and the rest. And then, possessed with the principle of passion, the reverend Deity, Hari, wearing the form of Brahmā and assuming four faces, set about creation, But in the matter of creation, he was an instrument merely; as the force resident in the things created, was the principal Cause. Being ripe for development, (objects at the time of creation) desiderate nothing more. O foremost of those practising austerities, objects attain their objectivity by virtue of their inherent force".[61]

SECTION V.

Maitreya said:—"O twice-born one, tell thou me truly how the Deity created celestials, and saints, and Pitris,[62] Dānavas, and men, and beasts, and trees, and those inhabiting land and water and air; as well as concerning (the respective) qualities and characters and natures (of the creatures) dwelling in Earth,—which Brahmā had created at the commencement of creation".

Thereat Parāçara said—"O Maitreya, listen thou heedfully! I shall tell thee how the Lord God created all,—deities and the rest. As he was contemplating creation as in former Kalpas, through lack of vigilance was generated Illusion, formed of Foulness.—Five are the kinds of Illusion which spring from this high-souled one, viz., tamas, moha, mahamoha, tamisra and andhatamisra.[63] And as (Brahmā) contemplated, were created five kinds of things, trees, &c., having no sense, undeveloped internally as well as externally, and of pent-up selves. As these, trees etc. were the first objects of creation, they are designated the principal creation. But finding these incapable of answering the end, he thought of again creating other things. And as he was revolving creation, sprang up the Tiryyaksrotas.[64] Those that live in Tiryyaksrotas. They are beasts, &c,—composed mainly of foulness, and devoid of liberal curiosity. Leading unrestrained lives, these, albeit devoid of knowledge, deem themselves as possessing the same. Proud, and considering vastly of themselves, they are subject to eight and twenty kinds of ills.[65] And although developed internally, they cannot express themselves to each other. And finding even these as insufficient for his purpose, (Brahmā) bethought him of other ways; and there came into being the third class of objects, named Urddhasrotas[66] to whom the principle of goodness predominates. They have great capacity for pleasure and happiness; and being developed alike externally and internally and, in consequence, more fitted to express themselves on both sides, have been designated Urddhasrotas. This third creation, that of the deities—is called Tushtatman.[67] And great was the pleasure of Brahmā on the consummation of this creation. But, deeming these main creations as not fulfilling his purpose, he revolved within himself another excellent creation, capable of bringing about his end. As that one of true resolve was thus meditating, there came forth from avyakta the arvvyāksrotas competent to accomplish his purpose. And as these eat by swallowing down, they are called arvvyāksrotas. The are bountifully developed; and, albeit possessing a share of foulness, have passion in a larger measure. And it is for this that in them unhappiness preponderates, and that they act continually.[68] They are developed internally and externally,—they are human beings fulfilling the purpose (of the Creator). Thus, O foremost of ascetics, have I narrated unto thee the genesis of the six orders of creation. Brahmā first created Mahata, next he created Tanmātras, which reckon as the second class, and are comprehended under the designation of Bhutasarga.[69] The third creation is Vaikārika, and is known as aindriya.[70] Thus hath been the creation of Buddhi and the others, which is called Prākrita.[71] And the main creation counts as the fourth, and includes the immobile objects. By the name of Tiryyaksrotas is meant, beasts, &c. And the sixth creation is Urddhasrotas, which is known as Devasarga.[72] And the seventh is Arvvāksrotas which is man. The eighth is the creation of Anugrahas[73] composed of goodness and passion. Five are the Vaikrita[74] acts of creation; and three are Prākrita.—And they together constitute Prākrita and Vaikrita. And the ninth is known as Kaumāra. Thus have I described unto thee the nine acts of creation of the Lord of creatures. The Prākrita and the Vaikrita are the radical causes of the world. What wouldst thou further hear of the Lord of the universe, engaged in creation?"

Maitreya said—"O ascetics, thou hast narrated unto me in brief the origin of gods &c. But, O best of the foremost anchorets, I wish to hear this at length". Parāçara said,—"O Brāhmana, on Brahmā being engaged in creation, from his mind issued the four orders of beings commencing with celestials and concluding with the immobile,—and although these are destroyed at the time of universal dissolution, they are never bereft of the mental tendencies they acquire in existence, consequent on their acts; or of the good or bad fortune resulting respectively from their fair or foul actions.[75] Then desirous of creating deities, Asuras, ancestors and men, all going under the name of ambha, Brahmā began to contemplate. And as the lord of beings concentrated his soul, passion overspread him; and first from forth his hips came out Asuras. And then (Brahmā) renounced his person surcharged with darkness; and, O Maitreya, on being renounced by him, Foulness was converted into Night.[76] And having assumed another body, he (again) became desirous of creating, and from the face of the pleased Brahmā, came forth, O twice-born one, celestials surcharged with the virtue of goodness. And that body also having been resigned, the quality of righteousness was turned into Day. And therefore it is that Asuras are powerful by night and deities by day. And he then assumed a person, fraught with goodness; and, he being honored as a sire, out of him sprang the ancestors. And having created the ancestors, the Lord renounced that form also. And on being renounced, the same became Twilight, remaining between day and night. And then he assumed a person filled with the principle of passion; and, O foremost of the twice-born ones, thereat sprang men fierce, with passion entering into their composition. And the lord of creatures speedily resigned that form also,—And it became Moonlight, which is termed prāksandhydā.[77] And therefore it is, O Maitreya, man and the Pitris, become powerful in Moonlight and Twilight. Moonlight, Night, Day, and Twilight,—these four, are the bodies of Brahmā, endowed with the three principles. And then he assumed another body filled with the principle of passion, and thereat sprung Hunger from Brahmā, and from Hunger, wrath. Then the reverend one in the dark created beings frightful and bearded, and always exercised with hunger. And (as soon as these) were created, they rushed at the Lord. And of those that cried,—‘Ho! don't do this,—save him,'—are Rakshas;[78] and others that said,—‘We shall eat him up,'—are Yakshas, from Yakshana[79] eating. Seeing them mischievous, the hair of the Deity fell off,—and having fallen off from his head, it again rose to his head. And from their movement (sarpana), the hair became sarpas,[80] —and from their having fallen off, they are known as ahis.[81] Then the creator of the universe, waxing wroth, generated some beings of wrathful souls. Twenty-hued, they are beings subsisting on flesh. And then came forth from him Gandharvas, whose office is music. O regenerate one, as these came into being, drinking in strains (of music), they are called Gandharvas, All these beings created the reverend Brahmā, directed by inherent force resident in these (respectively). Then he at his pleasure created another order of beings—fowls of the air. And he created sheep from his breast, and goats from his mouth. And the lord of creatures created kine from his womb and flanks. And he created from his feet horses, elephants, sarabhas,[82] gavayas,[83] deer, camels, mules, nyankus,[84] and other species. And from his down sprang medicinal herbs furnished with fruits and roots. And, O twice-born one, at the commencement of the Tretā-Yuga and on the eve of the Kalpa, Brahmā, having created the beasts and the drugs, then set them apart respectively for sacrifice. Fair complexioned males, sheep, horses, mules, and asses, were called Grāmyā[85] animals. And know also those that are wild. (These are) beasts of prey, the cloven-hoofed, elephants, monkeys, and, fifthly, birds, and, sixthly, aquatic animals, and, seventhly, reptiles. Then from his first mouth he generated the Gāyatri,[86] the Richas,[87] the Trivatstoma[88] the Rathantara,[89] and the Agnishtoma[90] among sacrifices. Then from his southern mouth he created the Yajus,[91] the Trishutva metre, the fifteenth Stoma,[92] the Vrihat Sāman,[93] and the Uktha.[94] And from his western mouth, he created the Sāmas and the Fagati metre, the seventeenth Stoma, the Vairupa[95] and the Atirātra.[96] And from his northern mouth he brought forth the twenty-first Stoma, the Atharva Veda, the Aptoryāma,[97] the Anishtubha metre, and the Vairāyya Sāma. Thus from his person came forth noble and ignoble. And having created gods, Asuras, Pitris, and men, that lord of beings, the great-sire, at the commencement of the Kalpa, created Yakshas, Piçāchas,[98] Gandharvas, and numbers of Apsaras; and that lord, the reverend Brahmā, the first Cause, created Naras,[99] Kinnaras,[100] Rākshasas, birds, beasts, deer, serpents, and mobile and immobile objects lasting or other-wise. And in successive creations, verily each creature is born into those acts which it used to perform in its former existence.[101] Some are cruel and some kind, some mild and some harsh, some virtuous and some vicious, some truthful and some false,—in consequence of their inheriting their respective natures as developed in previous births; and it is also for this that each affects a particular course of conduct (in preference to others).[102] The Deity is the lord of all objects of enjoyment, of all creatures, and all bodies; and it is the Deity who hath personally divided and differentiated them. And at the beginning from the Vedic Vocabulary he assigned names unto creatures, celestials and other, as well as unto sacrifices; and also fixed forms and shapes thereof. And from the auditory Veda, he assigned appellations unto the sages,—and appointed them to their respective functions. And as the signs of the seasons successively manifest themselves, the characteristics, of the Yugas are seen in due order. And instinct with energy arising from a desire of creation, He, actuated by the creative impulse, thus again and again bringeth about creation at the commencement of Kalpas".

SECTION VI.

Maitreya said,—"Thou hast called man by the term Arvvāksrotas. But O Brāhmana, tell me at length how Brahmā created him. And tell me also how he created the orders,—and, O mighty ascetic, of their qualities; and the offices assigned to Vipras and the rest".

Parāçara said,—"O foremost of twice-born ones, Brahmā of true intents was inspired with the desire of creating the kosmos from his mouth, O foremost of twice-born ones, came out creatures surcharged with the principle of goodness; and from the breast of Brahmā creatures surcharged with the principle of passion; and from his thighs came out beings surcharged with both goodness and foulness; and, O best of regenerate ones, from his feet Brahmā created other beings, who were impregnated with the principle of dullness. This is the fore-fold division into orders. And, O excellent Brāhmana, Brāhmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaiçyas and Sudras, came from the feet, the thighs, the chest and the mouth of Brahmā. O exalted one, Brahmā brought into being these four orders capable of satisfactorily performing sacrifices, in order to the successful celebration of them. O thou cognisant of righteousness, the celestials, gratified with sacrifices, in turn gratify creatures,—and therefore sacrifices conduce to welfare. It is men engaged in observing their proper morality, of pure ways, and good, and walking the path of righteousness,—who perform sacrifices. It is by virtue of having been born as human beings that men, O ascetic, can obtain heaven and emancipation; and, O twice-born one, that they can go to the wished-for regions. O foremost of ascetics, men (at the beginning) having been divided into four orders, were reverent and of excellent ways. Then they lived wherever they liked,—without any let. And they were pure in heart,—unpolluted; and cleansed in consequence of their observing all rites. And their minds being pure and the Pure Hari residing in their heart, they perceived that state which goeth after the name of Vishnu, and which is genuine knowledge. Then that portion of Hari which is fraught with Fatality, spread sin (amongst men), causing slight pleasure and an overmeasure of woe. O Maitreya, this, composed of anger, &c, springs from the seed of unrighteousness and begets delusion and covetousness,—and stands in the way of the attainment (of the summum bonum). And men anon could not (any more) completely attain the eight kinds of success, Rasa, Ullāsa, &c. And on sin progressing, and those becoming exceedingly feeble, creatures became subject to physical changes[103] and to all the miseries consequent thereon. Then they constructed forts composed of trees, or rocks, or water; and artificial forts; and cities; and towns. And, O mighty ascetic, they only made houses in those towns, for shelter from cold, the sun, and other (physical discomforts). Having thus provided against cold, etc., men then betook themselves to tasks capable of being performed with the hands, for subsistence. And Vrihi,[104] barley, wheat, small seeds, sessame, prijangu,[105] udāra, kodrava,[106] chināka,[107] māsha,[108] mudga,[109] masura, simbi,[110] kulatkthaka,[111] āraki,[112] oats, and hemp,—these seventeen kinds, O ascetic, were among the rural plants grown. And fourteen sorts are the plants intended to be used in sacrifice, divided into grāmya[113] and āranya[114] Vrihi, barley, māsha, wheat, small seeds, prijangu, sessame, kulaththaka, these eight belong to villages. And Syāmāka,[115] nirāba,[116] jartila,[117] gavedhuka, benuyava, and markataka,[118] (these), O ascetic, (are the plants growing wild in the woods). These fourteen species of plants, grāmya and āranya, are intended for the celebration of sacrifices, and they are very useful for that purpose. All these plants together with sacrifices are the causes of the increase of population; and it is for this those versed in the highest significance of things celebrate sacrifices. By performing sacrifices day after day, one, O foremost of ascetics, reapeth great good, and hath one's sins, committed, shorn of their rancour. O mighty-minded one, it is those only in whose minds the drop of sin attaineth proportions, that set their face against sacrifices. These, reprobating the ordinance of the Veda and the divinities presiding over sacrifices, endeavour to stand in the way of sacrifices. And wicked wights of evil ways and crooked aims, running the Vedas down, lay the axe at the root of courses leading to progress. Having created men, the Lord, on their means of subsistence according with their respective qualities, having been settled, placed them duly in consonance with dignity; and, O best of those practising righteousness, ordained the codes of duty in respect of the orders; and their modes of life; and the regions attainable by them; concerning all the castes, observing the rules of their respective orders. And the sphere assigned to Brāhmanas observing the rules of their order, is that of the Creator himself. And the sphere assigned to Kshatriyas, not turning away from fight, is that of Indra. And Vaiçyas, following the laws of their order, attain the regions of Marut.[119] And those belonging to the Sudra caste that spend their lives in serving (the other orders), attain the regions of the Gandharvas. Those practising the Brahmacharyya injunctions attain the regions of Marut belonging to the eight and eighty thousand ascetics that have drawn up their vital fluid. And those living in the forest reap the place of the seven sages; householders repair to the regions of the Creator; and mendicants, to the sphere named Brahmā. The sphere of the yogis is Amrita[120] —which is the supreme state of Vishnu himself. Those yogis that contemplate Brahmā with a single soul,—of these is that supreme state which is seen by the celestials. The sun, the moon, and the other planets, going to this region again and again, return therefrom again and again,—but to this day those that contemplate the twelve-lettered (Mantra),[121] do not have to return therefrom. Tāmisra, Andhatāmisra, Mahāraurava, Raurava, Asipatravana, Ghora, and the waveless Kālasutra,—these are appointed the regions of those that revile the Vedas,—that obstruct sacrifices; and that abandon their own religion".

SECTION VII.

Parāçara said—"Then came forth unto him the mind-sprung beings, embodying causes and consequences arising from his own person. And out of the body of that intelligent one came out the souls. And thus were generated all those mobile and immobile objects beginning with the deities and concluding with the immovable,—which are established in the three several spheres,[122] —and of which I have told thee before. And when these beings of that intelligent one did not multiply, then he created other mind-begotten sons, resembling himself,— viz. Bhrigu, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Angiras, Marichi, Daksha, Atri, and the mind-sprung Vasishtha. The Purāna saith that these nine resemble Brahmā himself. Those who formerly had been created by Vedas, being bereft of love and hate, and possessed of the highest knowledge, did not take to the world, or produce offspring. And these being indifferent to the increase of people, a mighty wrath took possession of Brahmā, capable of consuming the three worlds. And, O anchoret, the entire triune universe was then illuminated with the flame flowing from the ire of Brahmā. And then from his furrowed forehead inflamed with wrath sprang Rudra, resembling the mid-day Sun; having a body, half-female,—terrific; and of a prodigious person. And saying unto him,—'Divide thou thyself.'—Brahmā then vanished. Thus directed, he divided himself into a male and a female. And then he divided the male into one and ten parts; and the Lord God also divided the female into Saumya,[123] Asaumya,[124] Santa,[125] Asānta,[126] Sita,[127] Asita,[128] and many other parts resembling himself. Then the Lord appointed the Self-create Manu, formerly sprung from Brahmā's self, and resembling himself, to rule creatures. And that lord, the divine Self-create Manu, took to wife the female Satarupā,[129] purged of all sin through asceticism. And to that person Satarupā bore Priyavrata and Uttānapada; and two daughters, named Prasuti and Akuti,—endowed, O thou cognisant of righteousness, with the perfections of beauty, and nobility. And the Lord of creatures of old conferred Prasuti on Daksha, and Akuti on Rucha. And unto this wedded couple were born, O exceedingly righteous one, Yajna and Dakshina; and these were then united in marriage. And ten sons were borne to Yajna[130] by Dakshina.[131] At the time of the Self-create Manu, these went by the designations of Deva and Yāma. And on Prasuti, Daksha begat four and twenty daughters,—whose names do thou hear, Sraddhā,[132] Lakshmi,[133] Dhriti,[134] Tushti[135] Pushti,[136] Medha,[137] Kriya[138] Buddhi,[139] Lajja,[140] Vapu,[141] Santi, Siddhi,[142] and Kriti.[143] These thirteen daughters of Daksha were wedded by the Lord Dharma.[144] The daughters remaining after these elder ones, were eleven, furnished with fair eyes,—Khyati,[145] Sati,[146] Sambhuti,[147] Smriti,[148] Priti[149] Kshamā,[150] Sannati,[151] Anasuyā,[152] Urjjā,[153] Swahā,[154] and Swadhā. Bhrigu, Bhava, Marichi, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Atri, Vasishtha, Vanhi, and the pitris, espoused respectively the daughters, Khyāti and the rest, O foremost of ascetics. And then Sradhā brought forth Kāma;[155] and Chalā,[156] Darpa;[157] and Dhriti, Niyama[158] as her son; and Tushti,[159] Santosha,[160] and Pushti,[161] Lobha[162] And Medha[163] brought forth Srutam;[164] and Kriya,[165] Dandam,[166] Naya,[167] and Vinaya;[168] and Buddhi,[169] Bodha;[170] and Lajja, Vinayaj and Vapu,[171] Vyavasaya[172] as her son; and Santi brought forth Kshamā; and Siddhi, Sukha;[173] and Kirti, Yaças.[174] These are the offspring of Dharma. Nanda bore unto Kama, Harsha[175] —grandson unto Dharma. Hinsā[176] was the wife of Adharma;[177] and from her were born Anrita,[178] and a daughter—Nikriti.[179] And from these came forth Bhaya[180] and Naraka;[181] and two daughters—Maya[182] and Vedana.[183] And Maya and Bhaya gave birth to Mrityu[184] —that allayer of the three kinds of heat,[185] And Vedana bore unto Rauraba, a son named Duhkha.[186] And from Mrityu sprang Vyadhi[187] Jwara,[188] Soka,[189] Trishnā,[190] and Krodha.[191] These ultimately lead to misery; and all have marks of unrighteousness. They have no wives, being all of vital fluid drawn up.[192] And, O son of the Prime ascetic, these are the terrific forms of Vishnu; and they ever bring on the universal dissolution. And, O exalted one, Daksha, Marichi, Bhrigu, and others—lords of creatures—are always the causes of the creation of the universe. And the Manus and their sons and kings possessed of wealth and prowess, and ever abiding by the way of righteousness,—and heroic,—are the causes of the maintenance of the cosmos".

Maitreya said,—"O Brahmana, thou hast alluded to constant creation, constant sustenance and constant dissolution. Do thou describe unto me the characteristics of them".

(Thereat) Parāçara said,—"That one of incomprehensible soul,—the reverend destroyer of Madhu—the Lord assuming respective shapes, effecteth the creation, maintenance, and destruction (of the Universe). The dissolution (of beings) is of four kinds, viz., O twice-born one, Naimittika, Prākritika Atyantika, and Nitya. When, on the expiry of his Day, Brahmā—the lord of the Universe—lieth down, takes place the dissolution called Naimittika. When the mundane egg dissolveth itself away in Primæval Nature, takes place the Prākrita dissolution. The fusion of the Yogis into the Supreme Soul through knowledge, is the Atyantika dissolution. And the constant dissolution of things taking place day and night, goeth by the name of Nitya. The creation which comes of Primæval matter, is known as Prakriti; that which takes place at the end of a minor dissolution, is known as Damandini; and, O foremost of anchorets, the constant daily creation of beings, is called Nitya by the wise versed in the import of the Puranas. Thus that origin of all beings, Vishnu, remaining in the bodies of all things, bringeth about creation, maintenance and destruction. O Maitreya, the energies of Vishnu relative to creation, sustenance, and destruction, remaining in the bodies of all beings, are ever coursing on day and night. O Brahmana, he that, compounded of these mighty powers, overruleth the three principles, attaineth the Supreme state (of Vishnu), and hath not to come back to this scene".

SECTION VIII.

Parāçara said,—"O mighty ascetic, I have narrated unto thee the creation of Brahmā connected with the principle of dullness. Now I shall unfold unto thee the creation called Rudra. Do thou hearken as I proceed! At the outset of a Kalpa, as the Lord was rapt in thoughts about a son resembling himself, on his lap appeared one hued red-blue. And, O best of regenerate persons, crying in sweet tones, he went about. And as he was crying, Brahmā asked him,—'Why dost thou weep?' And thereon, he said unto the Lord of creatures,—let me have a name.' And (the Lord said),—‘O divine one, thou art named Rudra. Do not cry. Have patience.' Thus accosted, he again cried for seven times. And thereat the Lord gave him seven other names; and assigned six receipients thereof, as well as the six wives and sons of the latter. Bhava, Sarva, Isana, Pasupati, Bhima, Ugra, and Mahadeva,—these seven names were mentioned by the Great-father, And the holders thereof were respectively the Sun, water, earth, fire, air, ether, the initiated Brāhmana, and Soma. And Suvarchala, Uma, Sukesi, Siva, Dik, Dikshā, and Rohini,—are, O best of men, the wives of the Rudras, named the Sun, etc. And hearken (unto me) reciting the names of their offspring, whose sons and grandsons have filled the universe. Sanaischara, Suka, Lohitānga, Manojava, Skanda, Swarga, Santāna and Budha,—these are respectively the sons (of the Eight Forms.) Rudra, formed thus, took to his wife Sati, And through Daksha's ire, Sati renounced her person. And then, O best of the born ones, she became the daughter of Himavat by name Umā. Then the reverend Bhava again married Umā, who was his solely. And Bhrigu's wife, Khyati, brought forth the gods—Dhata and Vidhata; as well as Sri, who is Nārāyana's spouse".

Maitreya said:—"We have heard that Sri arose from the Ocean of milk on the occasion of the churning of the deep. But why dost thou say that she was begot by Bhrigu on Khyati?"

Thereat Parāçara said;—"That mother of the Universe—Vishuu's energy—is enduring and undeteriorating, O foremost of the twice-born ones, even as Vishnu is omnipresent, so this one also. Vishnu is the sense and she is the word; she is morality, Vishnu is justice; Vishnu is perception, and she the power thereof; he is merit, and she the act of piety.—Vishnu is the creator, and she the creation; Sri is earth,—and Hari, the supporter thereof. The reverend one is contentment, and, O Maitreya, Lakshmi is permanent peace; Sri is desire, and the worshipful one is Kama; he is sacrifice, and she the dakshina; the goddess is the first libation, and Janārddana is Purodāsa;[193] O ascetic, Lakshmi is patuisālā,[194] and Madhusudana is the prākvansa[195] (of a sacrifice); Lakshmi is the chitti and Hari is the yupa;[196] Lakshmi is sacrificial fuel, and the reverend one is Kuça; The reverend one is Sāman, the Lotus-dwelling Sri is Udgiti;[197] Lakshmi is Swāhā, that Lord of the Universe,—Vāsudeva—is fire, the worshipful Sauri is Sankara, (the mistress of) Wealth is, O best of the twice-born one, Gauri. O Maitreya, Kesava is the Sun, the Lotus-seated one is the splendour thereof; Vishnu are the paternal manes, and the Lotus-throned one is Swadha, ever conferring gratification; Sri is the city of the celestials, that soul of all—Vishnu—is the exceedingly spacious sky; the support of Sri is the Moon, and Sri is the constant resplendence thereof; Lakshmi is Fortitude and Exertion; Hari is the air-coursing everywhere. O twice-born one, Govinda is the Ocean; and, O magnanimous Vipra, Sri is the shore thereof. Lakshmi is like the spouse of Indra, and the Destroyer of Madhu is the Indra of the immortals; the holder of the discus is Yama himself, and the Lotus-presiding one is Dhumorna.[198] Sri is Prosperity, that god—the supporter of Sri—is the Lord himself of riches. Lakshmi is the highly exalted Gauri and Kesava is Varnna himself. Sri is the celestial host, O foremost of Vipras, and Hari is the lord thereof. The mace-handed one is Avashtambha, and, O best of the regenerate, Lakshmi is Energy. Lakshmi is Kastha.[199] and he is Nimesha.[200] He is muhurta, and she is kalā; Lakshmi is the light, and Hari, or Sarva—lord of all—is the lamp. The Mother of the universe is the plant, and Vishnu—the spouse of Sri—is the tree established. Sri is Night, and that deity—the holder of the discus and mace—is Day. The boon-bestowing Vishnu is the bridegroom, and she dwelling in the lotus-grove is the Bride. The reverend One is like a male river. Pundarikaksha is the (banner), and the Lotus-seated Sri is the Ensign. Lakshmi is Thirst, and that master of the Universe, the Great Nārāyana, is Desire. And, O thou cognisant of righteousness, Lakshmi and Govinda are respectively Attachment and Love. What is the use of dilating? I tell thee this in brief,—the Reverend Hari compriseth gods, men, beasts and other creatures that are termed male; and, O Maitreya, Lakshmi compriseth all that are termed female. There exists naught that is beyond these".

SECTION IX.

Parāçara said:—"O Maitreya, listen to what I say anent thy question about Sri, as I had heard from Marichi. That Emanation of Sankara—Durvasa—was ranging this Earth. And it came to pass that the sage saw in the hand of a Vidyadhari a celestial garland,—perfumed by which, O Brahmana, that entire forest of Santanakas[201] had become surpassingly charming to the rangers of woods. And it came to pass that on seeing that graceful garland, that mad Vipra practising the vows, asked for the same of that bride of a Vidyadhara. And solicited by him, that slender-framed and large-eyed spouse of a Vidyadhara, saluting him with regard made it over unto him. And thereat, laying the wreath on his head, that Vipra wearing the form of a maniac proceeded to roam about the earth. And then he saw that deity—Sachi's lord—sovereign of the three regions—mounted on the mad Airavata,—approaching along with the celestials. And the ascetic, resembling a mad man, taking from his head that garland, whose odour was maddening six-footed (black-bees), threw it on the sovereign of the celestials. And thereon the king of the immortals, taking the wreath, placed it over the head of Airavata; and thus placed, the same appeared like the Jahnavi on the peak of Kailasa. And it came to pass that the elephant with his eyes blinded by the temporal exudation,—on being assailed by the odour, smelt the perfume with his trunk (raised),—and then cast the same away to the earth. Then was wroth the reverend Durvasa, best of anchorets; and, O Maitreya, being enraged, he spoke unto the sovereign of the celestials, saying,—‘O thou intoxicated with wealth! O wicked of soul! O Vāsava! how art thou puffed up! But inasmuch as thou dost not regard this wreath, which is the abode of Auspiciousness,—and as, bowing down the head, thou hast not, said,—Thy favour!—nor, with thy cheeks beaming with delight, hast thou placed it on thy head,—as, in (brief), thou dost not pay high homage to this garland given by me,—O fool, thy celestial prosperity shall depart from thee. Surely, O Sakra, me thou deemest like other twice-born ones; and therefore, thou thinking immensely of thyself, hast thus slighted me. And as thou hast cast away the wreath given by me to the earth, therefore thy Triune world shall be reft of Auspiciousness. Me whom when wroth the mobile and the immobile fear,—thou, O monarch of the immortals, hast insulted from thy excess of arrogance".

Parāçara said;—"Thereat the great Indra, swiftly alighting from the back of his elephant, propitiated the sinless Durvasa. And propitiated by him with his head humbled, that best of ascetics—Durvasa—answered the thousand-eyed (Deity),—saying,—‘I am not kind of heart; nor doth forgiveness find, a place in me. They, O Sakra, are other ascetics; but know me as Durvasa. Gautama and others have for nothing fostered thy pride. But me thou must know as Durvasa, who is nothing if not unforgiving. And having been hymned aloud by Vasistha and others,—overflowing with clemency, thou hast grown haughty,—and it is for this reason that thou insultest even me in this way. Who is there in all these three regions that beholding the frowning face of mine furnished with flaming matted locks,—can keep off fear; forgive I will not. What then is the use, O thou of an hundred sacrifices, of thy expending much speech. Thou again and again puttest thyself to useless trouble in thus beseeching me".

Parāçara said:—Having said this, the Vipra went away. And, O Brahmana, the monarch of the immortals also, mounting Airavata, went to Amaravati. O Maitreya, from that time the three worlds with Sakra became shorn of Auspiciousness, and the glory thereof faded; and sacrifices and medicinal herbs grew feebler. And no sacrifices are performed, and none practiseth asceticism; and none taketh any delight in good works, such as charity. And all men, void of power, came under the masterdom of the senses; and O prime of the regenerate ones, they could not restrain their hearts even in things intrinsically small. Where strength is, there is Prosperity, and strength ever followeth Prosperity. Where is the strength of the inauspicious? And without strength, where are virtues? And without virtues, persons cannot have power, affluence, etc. And those divorced by power and wealth, are; overriden by all. And, when, overruled a person albeit possessed of time, loseth his sense. On the three worlds, shorn of Auspiciousness, being bereft of strength Daityas and Dānavas began to use force against the celestials. And the Daityas, shorn of Auspiciousness and devoid of strength, being overmastered by covetousness, entered upon hostilities with the celestials, having neither Auspiciousness nor strength. And the celestials, Indra and the rest, on being vanquished by the Daityas,—with the god of Fire at their head,—sought the protection of the exceedingly exalted Great-father. And, having been addressed duly by the deities, Brahmā, then spoke unto the celestials. And Brahmā said,—‘Do ye seek the protection of the Supreme of supreme deities, that Lord, the Destroyer of Asuras, the cause of all,—as well as of creation, protection and destruction, the Lord of the lord of creatures—Vishnu; Infinite; the unvanquished; the cause of the unborn Pradhana and Purusha ripe for creation; Him that taketh off the misery of the humble; even Vishnu. He will provide for your welfare.' Having spoken thus unto the assembled celestials, Brahmā—Great father of all—went along with them to the Northern shore of the Milky Ocean. And repairing thither surrounded by all the celestials, the Great-father, with excellent speech eulogized the prime of prime and the master—Hari. And Brahmā said,—"We bow unto thee, who art All and the Lord of all,—who art infinite, unborn and unspent: who art the stay of the worlds, and the prop of the Earth; who art unmanifested and without difference; Nārāyana,—who art the subtlest of all subtile objects: and who art the weightiest of all things weighty on earth; He in whom and from whom are all things that have sprung into existence, commencing with Sat: who surpassest the Prime person; and art the Embodiment of the Supreme Spirit; who are contemplated in order to emancipation by Yogis desirous of deliverence; in whom are not Goodness and the rest,—nor the attributes inhereing in Prakriti. May that one pure beyond all things pure—that primaeval Male be propitious (to us)! May that pure Hari, whose power is not tethered to kalā, kāshthā, nimesha, etc., prove propitious (to us)! May He that is styled the Supreme Lord, who is free from all things,—that Vishnu who is the Soul of embodied things,—be propitious (to us)! May that Hari, who is cause as well as effect, who is the cause even of the cause,—who again is, the effect of the effect,—prove propitious to me! We bow down unto Him who is the effect of the effect of the effect,—and who also is Himself the effect of that effect,—and who is the effect of the effect thereof. We bow unto thee who art the foremost of the celestials,—who art the cause of even the cause,—and the cause of the cause of that cause,—and the origin of all these causes combined. We bow down unto that Supreme State which is the creator as well as the created,—and which is at once cause and consequence. We bow unto that Prime State of Vishnu which is pure cognition, which is constant, causeless, undeteriorating and unspent; and which is the unmanifested and unmodified. We bow down unto that Prime and ever pure state of Vishnu, which is not gross and yet not subtile; which cannot be differentiated. We bow unto that undeteriorating one who is the Supreme Brahmā,—and in one of whose Ayuta[202] of Ayuta portions is this cosmic energy established. We bow unto that Prime State of Vishnu—that Supreme Deity—which is not known either to the deities, or the ascetics, or me, or Sankara himself. We bow unto that Suprenje incomprehensible and indestructible State of Vishnu, which, on the exhaustion of their merits and demerits, the Yogis, ever perservering, view, grounded in the Pranava.[203] We bow to the Prime State of that God Vishnu, who is without equal, and whose energy is Brahmā, Vishnu and Siva. O Lord of all! O soul of all beings! O thou that art all! O refuge of all! O thou that never fallest off! O Vishnu, be thou propitious! Come thou within the ken of us who are thy devotees". Hearing this invocation of Brahmā, and then the deities, bowing down, said,—"Be propitious! Come thou within the range of our vision? O thou that art in every thing! O thou that never fallest off! O support of the Universe! we bow unto that Prime State which even the reverend Brahmā doth not know". When the deities as well as Brahmā had ended thus, the Devarshis,[204] headed by Vrihaspati,[205] said,—"We bow down unto him—the creator of the cosmos devoid of difference—who is primæval, who is the Sacrificial Person, who is worthy of being extolled, and who is prior in birth to everything. O Worshipful one! O thou that art the Lord of Past and Future! O thou who hast the Universe for thy form! O undeteriorating one! Be propitious; and manifest thyself unto us who humble ourselves. This is Brahmā; and this is Trilochona in[206] Company with the Rudras. And this is the Sun along with the Adityas[207] and this is the God of Fire with Agni. And these are the two Açwinas and the Vasus; and these are the Maruts. And these are the Sidhyas, and these the Viçwas; and these the deities,—and this the Lord Indra of the celestials. O Lord, all the hosts of the celestials, having been routed by the forces of the Daityas, seek shelter at thy hands, standing in humble guise".

Parāçara said:—O Maitreya, thus hymned (by the deities), that reverend one—the holder of the conch and discus—that Supreme Lord—rendered himself visible unto them. And seeing then that holder of the conch, discus, and mace, that abode of wonderful grace,—a very mass of energy,—the deities, with the Great-father at their head, bowing down in humble guise, with their eyes quivering with agitation, began to hymn Pundarikāksha. And the celestials said,—"Salutation! Salutation unto thee! O thou that art without difference! Thou art Brahmā, and thou art the holder of Pināka.[208] Thou art Indra, and Agni and Pavana,[209] and Varuna, and the Sun, and Yama. And the Vasus, and the Maruts, and the Sādhyas, and the Viçwa gods thou. And, O god, those deities that have come unto thee are even thyself, who art the creator of the Universe,—since thou art in everything. Thou art sacrifice, and thou Vashatkāra, and thou Prajāpati. And, O soul of all, thou art knowable and unknowable; and this entire universe is permeated with thee. O Vishnu, worsted by the Daityas, we seek refuge of thee. O Soul of all, be propitious unto us; and do thou favour us by vouchsafing us thy energy. So long affliction lasts, so long the desire of defeating the foe agitates the heart, as long doth stupor last and so long is misery experienced,—as one doth not throw one's self on thy protection, O thou that destroyest all sins. Therefore, O thou of complacent soul, do thou extend thy grace unto us. O master of all energy, do thou favour us with thy own power".

Parāçara said:—"Thus eulogised by the immortals, that creator of the cosmos—the worshipful Hari—casting a complacent glance, spoke (as follows). And the auspicious reverend One said,—‘Ye gods, I shall increase your power. Let the deities do as I say. Bring in company with the Daityas all the medicinal plants to the shore of the Ocean of milk, and making Mandāra the churning-stick and Vāsuki the cord, let the deities churn (the Ocean) for ambrosia, I assisting them. And concluding peace with the progeny of the Daitya's, ye should enlist their services in this task; and tell them,—Ye shall in common with us reap the fruit of this undertaking. And on the sea being churned, ye should by drinking the nectar that will come up, attain access of strength and be immortal to boot. And, ye gods, I shall so order that the enemies of the celestials shall not get ambrosia,—but shall only undergo all the trouble".

Parāçara said:—Thus addressed by the god of gods, all the celestials, concluding peace with the Asuras, set about churning for ambrosia. And procuring various medicinal herbs, the deities, the offspring of the Daityas, and the Dānavas,—throwing the same into the waters of the ocean of milk, resembling autumnal clouds,—and O Maitreya, making Mandāra the churning-stick and Vāsuki the twine,—at once addressed themselves to churning for ambrosia. And instructed by Krishna, the gods in a body held that (part of Vāsuki's body) where the tail was, and the Daityas held by the fore-part of his body. And, O thou of measureless Splendour, the Asuras, smitten with the fire sprung from the breath of Vāsuki's hood, became enfeebled. And clouds scattered by the breath issuing from Vāsuki's mouth, showering down at his tail, the deities were enlivened. And, O mighty ascetic, remaining in the midst of the Milky sea in the shape of a tortoise, the revered Hari himself became the support of the churning-stick. And the holder of the discus and mace, remaining in one form in the midst of the immortals, and in another, in the midst of the Daityas,—began to pull the king of serpents. And, O Maitreya, in another gigantic form, Keçava pulled the mountain upwards,—which form was seen neither of the celestials nor the Asuras. And Hari obliged with energy the king of serpents; and the Lord invigorated the immortals with another energy. And on the milky-sea being churned by the celestials and the Asuras, first came into existence Surabhi, worshipped of the celestials,—home of clarified butter. And thereat both the deities and the Dānavas experienced very great delight, O great ascetic; and with their minds attracted, they steadily gazed at her. And as the Siddhas were questioning within themselves,—"What is this?"—out came the exalted Vāruni, with her eyes rolling in consequence of intoxication. And then perfuming the universe with odor, from forth a whirlpool of the Milky-sea arose Pārijāta—the tree in which the celestial females delight. And then, O Maitreya, from the Milky-occan arose numbers of Apsarās, wonderful exceedingly, and furnished with grace and nobility. And then sprang the Mild-rayed one;[210] and Maheçwara appropriated him. And the serpents appropriated the poison that sprang from the Milky-sea. And then arose the divine Dhanwantari;[211] clad in white raiment, bearing a Kamandalu[212] filled with nectar. And thereat, O Maitreya, all the Daityas' sons and the Dānavas, along with the ascetics, felt delighted. And then from the water arose the exalted Sri, endowed with excellent grace,—seated on a blown lotus, and carrying also a lotus in her hand. And filled with delight, her hymned the mighty saints with the Srī Sukta;[213] and the Gandharvas, headed by Viçwāvasu, began to chant before her. And, O Brāhmana, bevies of Apsarās—Ghritāchi and others—began to dance, and the rivers—Gangā and the rest—came with water, for bathing her. And an elephant of one of the cardinal points, taking water out of the golden vessels, bathed that goddess—the mighty Mistress of all the worlds. And the Milky-sea, assuming a form, presented her with a wreath of unfading lotuses; and Viswakarmā decked her person with ornaments. And wearing divine garlands and attire, bathed and adorned with ornament, she in the sight of all the celestials sought the bosom of Hari, And on being gazed at by the goddess Lakshmi remaining in Hari's bosom, the celestials, O Maitreya, suddenly attained excess of delight. And, O exceedingly pious one, on being overlooked by Lakshmi, the Daityas, ever disregarding Vishnu—headed by Viprachitti—were wrought up with extreme anxiety. And then, O twice-born one, the Daityas, endowed with great prowess, possessed themselves of the Kamandalu that was in the hand of Dhanwantari, and which contained the ambrosia. And then Vishnu, assuming a female form, and thereby exciting their desire, secured the same, and then the Lord made it over unto the celestials. And then the immortals,—Sakra and the rest—quaffed off the ambrosia; and thereat the Daityas rushed against them with upraised weapons and Nistrinsas.[214] And having drunk ambrosia, the invigorated gods beat the Daitya-hosts, and these flew in all directions and entered the nether regions. Then the deities, bowing down unto the bearer of the conch, discus and mace, as formerly, began to govern the celestial regions. And then the glad-rayed Sun began to course in his own path; and, O best of ascetics, the luminaries also gyrated in their own orbits. And then the reverend Fire, crowned with a fair splendour, began to burn brightly. And, all creatures felt a regard for righteousness. And, O foremost of anchorets, the triune world was furnished with grace; and that chief of the celestials—Sakra—again waxed graceful. And Sakra, seated on his throne, receiving back the celestial regions, and established in his celestial sovereignty, began to hymn the Goddess holding a lotus in her hand. And Indra said,—"I salute the Lotus-sprung mother of all beings—unto Sri having lotus-like eyes, and reposing in the bosom of Vishnu. Thou art Siddhi, and thou art nectar, and thou Swāhā and Swadhā, O purifier of the worlds. And thou art twilight and light and lustre, and affluence, and intelligence, and veneration, and Saraswati. Thou art the learning of sacrifice; thou art the worship of the Universe-form (of the Most High); thou art the Occult Learning, O beauteous one; and thou art the knowledge of Brahmā, O goddess,—and thou art the bestower of the fruit of emancipation. And thou art the Science of Dialectics; and thou art the Three (Vedas); and thou art the Vārttā; and thou art the knowledge of chastisement, etc. O goddess, this universe is filled with thy gentle and terrific forms. And, O goddess, who, save thee, can dwell in the person of that god of gods, the bearer of the mace, who is contemplated by the yogis. O goddess, the triple world, having been renounced by thee, had come to the verge of destruction; and, through thee hath it again recovered its position. And, O exalted one, men come by wives and sons, and houses, and friends, and corn, and wealth through thy kind look. And, O goddess, freedom from bodily ailments, riches, destruction of foes, and felicity, are not difficult of attainment for those people that view thy glances. Thou art the mother of all creatures, as that god of gods—Hari—is their father. And this universe consisting of mobile and immobile, was primævally permeated by thee as well as Vishnu. And, O thou that purifiest everything, if thou forsakest (us), neither our treasures, nor our cattle, nor our houses, nor our attires, nor our bodies, nor our wives, are secure unto us. O thou that residest in the bosom of that god, Vishnu, if thou forsakest me, neither sons, nor friends, nor ornaments are secure unto me. O stainless one, he that is forsaken by thee, is also forsaken by goodness, truth, purity character, and other virtues. And, those that are glanced at by thee,—albeit devoid of any good quality, ever attain note, on account of character and other virtues, as well as lineage, and wealth. And, O goddess, he that is looked at by thee, is praiseworthy and accomplished and blessed and intelligent and high-born and heroic and possessed of prowess. And, O nurse of the Universe, O beloved of Vishnu, all virtues, character, etc., are instantly prevented in him from whom thou turnest away thy countenance. But the tongue even of the Deity is incapable of celebrating thy perfections. O lotus-eyed one, prove auspicious! Me mayest thou never renounce."

Parāçara said,—"Thus eulogised to the height, the goddess Sri resident in all beings spoke unto Satakratu[215] in the hearing of all the gods. And Sri said,—'O chief of the celestials, O Hari, pleased am I with thy hymn. Do thou mention the boon thou desirest. I have come hither to confer the same on thee.' Thereat Indra said,—‘O goddess, if thou wouldst confer a boon on me, if I am worthy of one, let this be the great boon, that this triple world thou wouldst not forsake. And let this be the second boon that him also thou woudst not forsake, who, O ocean-sprung One, shall propitiate thee with this hymn.' Thereat Sri said,—‘O foremost of the celestials, O Vāsava, this triple world will I not leave. I confer upon thee this boon, being pleased with thy hymn and prayer. And I shall never be displeased with him whoever shall chant this hymn.'"

Parāçara said,—"O Maitreya, formerly the great goddess, Sri being pleased with the hymn and prayer, conferred this boon on the lord of the celestials. In the days of yore, Sri was begot of Bhrigu on Khyati. And she again came out of the Ocean when it was churned by the celestials. As the great god Janārddana,[216] the lord of the Universe, goes through incarnations, so does Sri to help Him. When Hari assumed the form of a dwarf, she took birth as a lotus, and when He descended on earth as Parasurāma, she appeared as the Earth. At time of the incarnation of Rāma, she became Sitā, and when He was born as Krishna, she became Rukhmini. And thus in all the incarnations, she assisted Vishnu. When he had a celestial shape, she assumed the shape of a celestial, and when he assumed a human form, she took a human shape. She changed her body (human or celestial) according as Vishnu did. Sri does not renounce the abode of him for three generations, who reads or hears of this story of her birth. O sage, never can quarrelsome Alakshmi,[217] dwell in that house where this hymn of Sri is chanted. O Brāhmana, I have related unto thee everything of what thou didst ask me for—how Sri formerly was born as the daughter of Bhrigu and how she afterwards came out of the Ocean of milk. This eulogy of Lakshmi, the source of all wealth, came out of the mouth of the lord of celestials. Poverty can never infest those persons on earth, who chant this hymn every day".

SECTION X.

Maitreya said,—"O great sage, thou hast related unto me all I had asked thee for. Do thou now give me again an account of the family of Bhrigu from Bhrigu downwards".

Parāçara said,—"Lakshmi was born of Bhrigu and Kyāti and became the spouse of Vishnu. And two more sons were born of Bhrigu and Kyāti namely Dhātā and Bidhātā. Two daughters, by name Ayati and Niyati were born of the high-souled Meru. And Dhāta and Bidhātā took them as their wives. They gave birth to two sons named Prāna and Mirkandu. Of Mirkandu again was born a son named Mārkandeya. And hear then again, a son was born of Prāna by name Vedaçirā. Of the other sons of Prāna one was named Kritimān and the other Rājavān. And in this way did spread the family of the great Bhrigu. Māricha's spouse Satmbhuti gave birth to a son named Paurnamasam. And of him were born two sons named Birajā and Sarvaga. And their sons I shall mention, O twice-born one, when I shall relate the lineage at leisure. And Angirā's wife Smriti gave birth to four daughters, named Sinibali, Kuhoo, Rākā and Anumati. And by Atri, Anasuyā gave birth to three sons untouched by sin named Soma, Durbāsā and the sage Dattatreyo. And Pulastya's wife Preeti gave birth to a child named Dattoli, who in his former birth or in the Sayambhava Manwantara was known as the sage Agāstya. Kshamā, the wife of the Patriarch Pulaha was the mother of three sons; Kardama, Avarian and Sahishnu. The wife of Krātu, Sannati, brought forth the sixty thousand Bālakhilyas, pigmy sages, no bigger than a joint of the thumb, chaste, pious, resplendent as the rays of the Sun. Vasishtha had seven sons by his wife Urjja, Rajas, Gātra, Urdhabhahu, Basana, Anagha, Sutapas and Sukra, the seven pure sages. The Agni, named Abhimani, who is the eldest born of Brahmā, had, by Swahā, three sons of surpassing brilliancy:—Pavaka, Pavamana and Suchi who drinks up water. They had forty-five sons who (with the son of Brahmā, the Agni named Abhimani and his three descendants) constitute the forty-nine Fires. I have mentioned the progenitors (Pritras) who were created by Brahmā. Of those by Agnishwattas and Varhishads the former being devoid and the latter, possessed of Fires,[218] Swadha had two daughters Mena and Baidhārini. They were both, O twice-born one, acquainted with theological truth and given up to religious meditation, accomplished in perfect wisdom and adorned with all estimable qualities, Thus I have narrated the progeny of the daughters of Daksha. He who hears it with reverence, shall never want offspring".

SECTION XI.

Parāçara said:—I mentioned unto you that the Menu Swāyambhava had two heroic and pious sons Priyavrata and and Uttanpada. O these two, O Brahman, Uttanpada, had, by his favourite wife Suruchi, a son, Uttama, whom he dearly loved. O twice-born one, the king had another queen by name Suniti, to whom he was less attached. By her he had another son Dhruva. Beholding his brother Uttama on the lap of his father as he was seated upon his throne, Dhruva was desirous of ascending to the same place. But as Suruchi was present the king could not receive his son, approaching there delightedly and desiring to be taken on his father's knee. Beholding the child of her sapatni[219] thus anxious to be placed on his father's lap and her own son already seated there Suruchi said,—"O child, why do you vainly cherish such a presumptuous desire born as thou art from a different mother and art no son of mine. Thou art inconsiderate enough to aspire to a station which is fit for excellent Uttama. It is true thou art the son of the king but I have not given thee birth. This regal throne, the seat of the king of kings is suited to my son only; why shouldst thou trouble thyself for it. Why does thou idly cherish such an ambition as if thou wert my son? Dost thou not know that thou art the offspring of Suniti?" Parāçara said;—O twice-born one, hearing the words of his step-mother, and quitting his father, the boy repaired in a passion to the apartment of his own mother. Beholding him angry and his lips trembling, Suniti took him upon her lap and said,—"O child, who is the cause of your anger? Who hath not welcomed thee? Who doth not know, that by behaving ill towards thee he hath offended thy father?" Being thus addressed Dhruva repeated to his mother all that the arrogant Suruchi had said to him in the presence of the king. Her son having related all these sighing, she was greatly distressed. And Suniti, rendered poorly, with her eyes dimmed, sighed and said,—"Suruchi has rightly spoken; thine, child, is as an unfortunate fate: those who are born to fortune are not liable to the insults of their step-mothers. Yet be not afflicted, my child, for who shall efface what thou hast formerly done, or shall assign to thee what thou hast left undone. The regal throne, the umbrella of royalty, excellent horses and elephants are his whose virtues have deserved them; remember this my son and be consoled. That the king favours Suruchi is the reward of her merits in a former birth. The name of wife alone belongs to such as I, who have not equal merit. Her son is the progeny of accumulated piety and is born as Uttama and mine son art thou, O Dhruva, of inferior merit. It does not behove thee, O my child, to be sorry on this account; a wise man will be satisfied with the degree which appertains to him. If thou art greatly hurt at the words of Suruchi, do you try to amass piety which bestows all good. Be thou good-natured, virtuous-souled, friendly and engaged in doing good to all living creatures; for prosperity descends upon worthy persons as water flows towards low ground".

Dhruva said;—"O mother, what thou hast said to console me doth not find place in my heart which has been rent asunder by harsh words. I shall so exert that I may attain to the most exalted rank adored by the whole world. I am not born of Suruchi who is the favourite wife of the king. Do thou behold my prowess, O mother, who am born of and reared by thee. Let Uttama, my brother, who is not born of thee, receive the regal throne, conferred on him by my father.

"I do not wish to have that which is given by others, O mother. I shall by my actions acquire such a position which had not been enjoyed even by my father". Parāçara said:—Having addressed his mother thus, Dhruva issued out of his mother's dwelling. And quitting the city, he repaired to a neighbouring thicket. He beheld there seven ascetics, who had repaired there before, sitting upon the hides of the black antelope, which they had taken from off their persons, and spread over the holy kusa grass. Saluting them respectfully and bowing unto them humbly the prince said, "Do ye know me, O great ascetics, as the son of Uttanpada, born of Suniti. Being dissatisfied with the world, I have appeared before you". The Rishis replied:—"O prince, thou art only a boy and but four or five years of age. There can be no reason why you should be dissatisfied with life. You cannot be disgusted with anxiety since thy father reigns; we cannot imagine, O boy, that you suffer the pain of separation from the object of your affections. Nor do we see any sign of disease on your person. What is the cause of your dissatisfaction? Tell us if it is known to you". Parāçara said,—Thereupon he repeated unto them what Suruchi had spoken to him. And having heard that they said to one another,—"Oh! How wonderful is the vehemence of Kshatriya nature? He is a mere boy and still he cannot stoop to indignities and he has not been able to remove from his mind what his step-mother had said. O son of Kshatriya, if it pleases thee, tell us what thou desirest to do through your dissatisfaction with the world. O thou of immeasurable prowess, tell us in what thou wishest to have our help? Speak freely: for we perceive that thou desirest to have something from us". Dhruva said:—"O ye foremost of twice-born ones, I wish not for riches, neither do I long for a kingdom. I aspire to a station which hath never been acquired by any before. O excellent sages, tell me how I may effect this and attain to that station which is the most elevated in this world". Maychi said—"O Prince, none can attain to that best of stations who does not propitiate Govinda. Do thou therefore worship the undecaying". Attri said—"He with whom is pleased the first of spirits Janārddana, gets at this imperishable dignity—I mention unto you the truth". Angira said,—"If thou desirest for an exalted station do thou worship Govinda in whom immutable and undecaying, all that is, exists". Pulastya said,—"Worshipping the divine Hari, the Supreme Soul, the Supreme Stay and Supreme Brahmā thou mayst attain to eternal liberation, what of reaching that most exalted station". Kratu said,—"Nothing is difficult to attain if Janārddana is pleased, who is the soul of sacrifice in sacrifices and supreme spirit in abstract contemplation". Pulaha said,—"Do thou adore, O pious boy, that Vishnu, the lord of sacrifice, and Universe, worshipping whom Indra obtained the dignity of a king of the celestials". Vasishtha observed:—"Anything, that a man desires, may be obtained in this world by adoring Vishnu what of that exalted position". Dhruva said:—"You have told me, humbly bowing before, what is the deity to be adored: do ye now inform me of the prayer which is to be meditated by me to propitiate him. May the great ascetics, delightedly inform me of the prayer by which I may propitiate the God". The Rishis said,—"O Prince, hear, we shall relate unto thee, how those, who are devoted unto Vishnu, shall worship Him. They shall first withdraw their minds from all exterior objects and then fix it steadily on that being in whom the world exists. O Prince, hear from us the prayer that is to be recited by him, who has thus concentrated his thoughts on one only object, whose heart is filled with his spirit, and who has controlled himself. 'Om, salutation to Vasudeva, who is manifest as Brahmā, Vishnu and Siva, and whose form is inscrutable'. This prayer was offered in olden times by your grandsire, the Manu Swayambhuva, and propitiated by which, Janārddana conferred upon him prosperity, which he desired, unequalled in three worlds. Do thou therefore try to propitiate Govinda by reciting this prayer continually".

SECTION XII.

Parāçara said:—O Maitreya, hearing these words from beginning to end, that Prince, saluting these sages, issued out of that thicket. And confiding in the accomplishment of his object, O twice-born one, he repaired to the holy place on the banks of the Yamuna called Madhuvana, or the grove of Madhu, called after the name of a demon of that name who resided there and was known thus on the earth. Slaying the highly powerful son of the Rakshasa, Madhu—Lavana, Satrughna (the youngest son of Daçaratha,) founded a city at that spot which was named Mathura. And Dhruva engaged in performing penance at that holy shrine the purifier of all sin, where was Mahadeva, the god of Gods meditating upon Hari. In accordance with instruction given by Marichi and others, he began to contemplate, Vishnu the sovereign of the gods, seated in himself. O twice-born one, Dhruva, thus contemplating him, having his mind perfectly withdrawn from all other thoughts, the Great Hari, ever existing in all creatures and natures, took possession of his heart. O Maitreya, Vishnu thus occupying the heart of that one engaged in his meditation, the earth, the supporter of elemental life, could not sustain his height. When he used to stand upon his left foot (for praying) one half of the earth bent beneath him and when he used to stand upon his right foot the other half of the earth sank down. And when he used to stand touching the earth with his toes, the whole earth shook with its mountains and rivers, O twice-born one. The rivers and seas were greatly agitated thereby and even the celestials called Yāmas, being greatly alarmed, in consultation with Indra began to concert measures for interrupting the devout exercises of Dhruva. And, O great ascetics, the Kushmandas in company with Indra, assuming, various shapes actively engaged in obstructing his meditations. One assuming, by virtue of illusion, the shape of his mother Suniti, stood before him, with tears in his eyes, and saying in tender accents—"My son, desist from this penance, that is destroying thy health. I have after many troubles gained thee and have formed many hopes in thee. O child, it does not behove thee to forsake me, at the words of my rival, helpless, alone and unprotected. Thou art my only refuge. Thou art a boy of five years old. Such a hard penance doth not become thee. Desist therefore from such fearful practices which are not productive of any beneficial result. For thee this is the time of youthful pastime, then comes the season for study, then the period of worldly enjoyment and lastly that of austere devotion. O my boy, thou art but a child, this is the season of thy play—why hast thou thou engaged in asceticism to destroy thyself? Thy chief duty consists in thy devotion to me now. Do thou engage in such works as become thy age and circumstances. Be not guided by bewildering error and desist from such unrighteous actions, If thou dost not renounce to-day these devout austerities I shall terminate my life before thee". Parāçara said:—But Dhruva being wholly intent upon seeing Vishnu did not behold his mother weeping, with her eyes bleared with tears. "O child! O child! fly, the hideous Rākshasas, with uplifted weapons are coming this side of the forest". Saying this (the illusion) disappeared. Instantly crowded there the Rākshasas uplifting terrible arms and with countenances emitting fiery flame. They began to emit hideous cries before that prince and whirl and toss their threatening weapons. Hundreds of jackals, from whose mouths gushed out flame, while they expanded them, yelled horrible cries to appal the boy wholly engrossed by meditation. Those night-rangers cried out: "Kill him, kill him, tear him to pieces; eat him up, eat him up". And those goblins having faces of lions, and camels, and crocodiles, howled about to strike terror into the heart of the prince. All these (illusions of) Rākshasas and jackals, their cries and weapons made no impression upon his senses whose mind was completely given up to the meditation of Govinda. The son of the lord of earth, entirely taken up by one idea, beheld continually. Vishnu only seated in himself and saw no other object All these illusions being thus baffled the celestials were greatly disturbed. Being terrified at this discomfiture and afflicted by the devout austerities of the boy the celestials assembled and repaired in a body for help to Hari, who is the creator of the universe, and without beginning or end. The celestials said:—"O lord of the celestials! O lord of the world! O great god! O supreme spirit! being afflicted by the devout austerities of Dhruva, we have come to thee to seek thy refuge. As the moon increases in his orb day by day, so, O lord, (this boy) by his devotion is approaching incessantly superhuman power. O Janārddana, we have been greatly alarmed by the devout austerities of the son of Uttanpadā and have taken thy refuge: do thou desist him from his devout exercises. We do not know whose position, he aspireth to—whether the throne of Sakra, of the sun, of the lord of wealth or that of Varuna the lord of water.

"O lord, be propitiated with us, remove this mace of affliction from our breast and desist the son of Uttanpada from his devout exercises". The Great God (Vishnu) replied:—"He aspireth not to the throne of Indra, nor to the sovereignty of the solar orb or the deep, nor to the rank of the lord of riches. I shall soon confer on him, O celestials, what he desireth to have. Removed of your anxiety do you all proceed to your respective quarters—I shall soon desist that boy, whose mind is wholly engrossed with devout meditation".

Parāçara said:—Being thus addressed by Vishnu the celestials headed by the performer of hundred sacrifices, saluting him, repaired to their respective habitations. And that Great God, who is all things, being pleased with Dhruva's whole-minded devotedness to him, assuming his shape with four arms, approached him and said,—"May good betide thee, O son of Uttanapada! I am pleased with thy devout exercises. I have come here to confer boons on thee—do thou beg one, O thou of firm vows. Withdrawing thy mind from external objects while thou hast dedicated it to me alone—I am greatly pleased with thee; do thou therefore beg of me an excellent boon". Parāçara said—Hearing the words of that great God, the boy opened his eyes and beheld before him that Hari whom he had seen in his meditation. And beholding him with the conch, the discus, the mace, the bow and the scimitar in hand and crowned with a diadem, he bowed his head down to the earth. With his hair standing erect and being greatly stricken with fear, Dhruva addressed himself for worshipping that great God. Reflecting how he could offer thanks unto him, and what he could say in his praise, he was greatly perplexed with anxiety and then at last had recourse to that deity. Dhruva said,—"O great God if thou art greatly pleased with my devout exercise, do thou confer upon me this boon, that I may praise thee whenever I wish. O god, I am a boy, how shall I be able to sing thy glory, whom even the great sages like Brahmā, conversant with Vedas, have not been able to know sufficiently. My heart is filled with devotion to thee, O lord, do thou grant me the understanding of placing my praises at thy feet". Parāçara said,—O foremost of twice-born ones, the lord of the earth Govinda touched with the tip of his conch, the son of Uttanapada standing with jollied palms. And greatly pleased, that prince, bending low his head, praised that undecaying protector of living beings. Dhruva said,—"I bow unto Him whose forms are earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, the first element, primæval nature, and the pure, subtle, all-pervading soul that excels nature. Salutation unto that Purusha who is devoid of qualities, pure, subtle, extending all over the earth, and who is separate from Prakriti; who is supreme over all elements, all objects of sense, intellect and who is separate even from Purusha. I seek refuge unto him, who is one with Brahmā, who is the soul of the whole universe, pure, and who is the foremost of all gods. Salutation unto that form of thine, O thou the soul of all things, which is designated as Brahmā by virtue of his pervading and maintaining the whole Universe, which is unchangeable and meditated upon by the sages. Thou art the great god pervading the whole universe with a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet and who passes ten inches beyond its contact.[220] Thou art that excellent Purusha—whatever has been and whatever is to be. Thou art the progenitor of Virāt,[221] Swarat,[222] Samrāt,[223] and Adipurusha. The lower and upper and middle parts of the earth are not without thee—the whole universe is from thee—whatever has been and whatever shall be. The whole universe is thy form and exists in thee. From thee is sacrifice derived, and all oblations and curds and ghee and animals of either class (domestic or wild). From thee the Rig Veda, the Shāma Veda, the metres of the Vedas and the Yajur Veda have sprung. Horses and cows having teeth in one jaw only have been created by thee and as well as goats, sheep and deer. Brahmanas originated from thy mouth; warriors from thy arms; Vaiçyas from thy thighs and Sudras from thy feet. From thine eyes came the Sun, from thy mind the moon, from thy central veins the Vital breath, from thy mouth the fire, from thy navel the sky, from thy head the heavens, from thy ears the regions and from thy feet the earth. And from thee the whole world was derived. As the wide-spreading Nyagrodha (Indian fig-tree) exists (before it grows up into a tree) in a small seed, so at the time of dissolution, the whole world exists in thee as its germ. As the Nyagrodha, originating from its seed, spread gradually into a huge tree, so the creation originating from thee expands itself into the universe. O lord, as nothing is visible of a plantain tree, except its bark and leaves, so nothing is seen in thee except the whole universe. The faculties of intellect that are the source of pleasure and pain exist in thee as one with all existence. But the sources of pleasure and pain, singly or blended, do not exist in thee freed as thou art from all qualities. Salutation to thee, who art the subtile rudiment, who art single when a cause, but manifold in actions. Salutation to thee, who art the proximate cause of life and action and identical with the great elements. Thou art manifest in spiritual knowledge, thou art the great Purusha, Brahmana, Brahmā and Manu. Thou art beheld by mental contemplation and imperishable. Thou abidest in all, art element of all; thou assumest all forms; all elements are from thee and thou art the soul of all—glory unto thee as thou art the soul of all, lord of all things—the origin of all things. What shall I speak unto thee, as thou knowest every thing, being seated in all hearts? O thou the soul of all thing, the sovereign lord of all creations-the source of all elements, thou knowest all creatures and their desires. O lord, do thou satisfy my desire. O lord of earth, my devout exercises have been crowned with success to-day since I have beheld thee". The Lord said:—"Thy devotion hath been crowned with success since thou hast beheld me, O Dhruva. The sight of me, never goes without any result, O prince. Do thou ask of me a boon, whatever thou wishest for; whenever I appear before men all their desires are satisfied". Dhruva said "O lord! O sovereign of all creatures, thou dost exist in the hearts of all. How can that be unknown to thee, O lord what I am cherishing in my mind? Yet O lord of celestials, I shall mention unto thee, the object hard to attain, which my presumptuous mind panteth after. But what can there be which cannot be got at, if thou art pleased, O creator of the universe; for it is by thy favour, that Indra enjoyed the sovereignty of three worlds. 'This regal throne is not for thee, since thou art not born of me'. These haughty words my step-mother addressed loudly unto me. By thy favour I beg of thee, O lord, an exalted station, which surpasses all others, which is the support of the universe and shall last for ever". The Lord said:—"Forsooth shalt thou attain to the station thou art soliciting for; for, O boy even in thy former birth, thou didst satisfy me (with thy austere devotion). Thou wast, in thy previous existence, a Brahmin, devoted with all thy heart unto me, ever dutiful to thy parents and always satisfying thy duties. In course of time, a prince became thy friend, who in his youth indulged in all sensual pleasures, who was of a beautiful appearance and bright form. While in his company and beholding his riches, hard to acquire, thou didst desire that you might be born as the son of a king. It is by virtue of that desire, thou art born as a prince in the mansion of Uttānpāda, O Dhruva, which cannot be easily obtained. The birth, in the race of Swambhuva, is considered by others, as a great boon, and for this I was propitiated by thee, O boy; but now thou art not valuing it so much. The man, who worships me, obtains in no time, liberation from life: what is the abode of celestials to one whose mind is centered in me, O boy! Thou shalt, by my favour, O Dhruva, attain to a station which is above the three worlds and become the stay of stars and planets: there is not the least doubt about it. I do confer upon thee, O Dhruva, a station, which is above those of the Sun, the Moon, stars, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and all other constellations; above the regions of the seven Rishis and the divinities who traverse the atmosphere. Some of the celestials live for four ages; some for the reign of a Manu; but thou shalt live the duration of a Kalpa. Thy mother, Sunoti too, metamorphosed into a clear star, shall exist by thee in the welkin for the same period. People singing thy glory, with concentrated minds, morning and evening, shall attain to an accession of piety". Parāçara said:—O thou of a great mind, obtaining this boon, from Janārddana, the sovereign of the celestials and the lord of earth, Dhurva attained to this excellent station. Beholding the increase of his honor and glory, the preceptor of the celestials and Asuras, Usānas, repeated these verses. "Oh how great is the strength of his austere devotion, and how mighty is the success thereof, since the seven Rishis are preceded by him. This too is Dhruva's mother Suniti, who is otherwise named Sunritā. Who on this earth, can recount her glory? Giving birth to Dhruva, she hath got at a station which is the refuge of the three worlds, and which is a station eminent above all. He, who shall celebrate the translation of Dhruva into the abode of the celestials, shall be released from his sins, and be adored in heaven. He shall not lose his station, either in this world, or in heaven (after death) and shall live long, possessed of every blessing".

SECTION XIII.

Parāçara said,—By Dhruva the abode of all blessings, his spouse Shambhu gave birth to two sons, Shisti and Vabya. Suchaya, the wife of Sishti gave birth to five sons, freed from sin, by name, Ripu, Ripunjaya, Sipra, Vrikala, and Vrikatejas. Of these Ripu begat upon Vrihatee a highly effulgent son named Chakshusa, who again begot the Manu Chakshusa on Pushkarini of the race of Varuna, who was the daughter of the high-souled patriarch Aranya. O great sage, the patriarch Vairaja had a daughter named Nadbala, on whom Manu begot ten highly effulgent sons—Uru, Pooru, Satadumnya, Tapasher, Satyavak, Kavi, Agnistoma, Atiratra, Sudyumnya and Abhimanyu. Uru begot on his wife Agneyi six highly effulgent sons—Anga, Sumanas, Svati, Kratu, Angiras and Siva. And Anga begot on Suneetha one son named Vena. O great sages, with a view to multiply his progeny, the Rishis rubbed his right hand. And from his arm sprang a famous king named Vainya, who was celebrated as Prithu for milking the earth for the advantage of his subjects. Maitreya said,—"O foremost of ascetics, do thou tell me why the right hand of Vena was rubbed by the great Rishis, in consequence of which the mighty and powerful Prithu was born". Parāçara said:—Originally a daughter was born of Mritya named Suneetha. Anga married her. And she gave birth to Vena. O Maitieya, being born from the daughter of Mrityu, he inherited the evil propensities of his grand father. When he was inaugurated by the great Rishis, Vena caused it to be proclaimed everywhere that he was the lord of the earth. No one would undertake any sacrifice, offer any oblation or make any gift. "I am the king the lord of sacrifice, no one is entitled to oblations except myself". Thereupon the Rishis assembled there and worshipping the lord of earth, addressed him, O Maitreya, with sweet words. The Rishis said,—"O king, O lord, do thou hear, what we speak unto thee, for then thy health as well as the interest of thy subjects shall be secure. We purpose to worship, for thy welfare, with protracted rites, Hari, the lord of the celestials and sacrifices. And thou shalt also be entitled to a share in it. If, O king, with our sacrifices, the lord of sacrifices is propitiated, he shall also satisfy all thy desires. In whose kingdom, O king, Hari, the lord of sacrifices is worshipped with sacrifices, he confers on him, the satisfaction of all his desires". Vena said—"Who is there above me that, I even, shall have to worship him. Who is that person, who is known as Hari and whom ye do all consider as the lord of sacrifices? Brahmā, Janārddana, Sambhu, Indra, Vayu, Jama, the Sun, Fire, Varuna, Dhata, Pusha, (the sun) Bhumi (earth) and the lord of earth (the moon)—these and all others who are capable of imprecating curses and conferring boons (on mankind) do all exist in the person of a king for the essence of a sovereign is all that is divine. O twice born ones, understanding this full well, do ye all obey my commands—you should not make gifts or offer oblations unto any one (but me) and should not worship any body else. As to serve her own husband is the prime duty of a female, so it is incumbent upon you, O twice-born ones, to satisfy my behests only". The Rishis said,—"Give us command, O great king, to undertake sacrifices, so that piety may not suffer decrease. All this world is but the outcome of oblations".[224] Parāçara said:—Being thus addressed by the great Rishis and requested by them often and often, Vena did not give them. Thereupon all the ascetics, being stricken with excessive ire, cried out "Kill him!—kill this vicious weight! He, who vilifies our lord the sovereign of sacrifices, without beginning or end, is not worthy of the sovereignty of the earth". Saying this, the ascetics slew that king with the blades of Kusa grass, consecrated by prayer, who had already been, destroyed by his impiety towards God. Thereupon those ascetics beheld dust on all sides and said to the people who were nigh, "What is this?" To which the people replied—"The kingdom is without a king and hence the robbers and thieves have engaged in their dishonest work of encroaching upon the property of others. And O great ascetics, this dust has been raised by those robbers hastening to seize other's property". Thereupon consulting with each other those ascetics, intent upon creating a prince, began to rub the thigh of that childless monarch. The thigh being thus rubbed, there arose a being of the complexion of a charred stake, with flattened features and of a dwarfish stature. And he speedily addressed all the ascetics there saying, "What shall I do?" Whereto they replied—"Sit down" (Nishada) and thence his name was Nishada. O foremost of ascetics, from this person sprang a race called Nishadas who inhabit the Vindya mountain and are characterised by the exterior tokens of depravity. By this means the wickedness of the king (Vena) was extracted and the Nishadas was thus born destroying Vena's son's. Thereupon those twice-born ones began to rub the right hand of Vena from which sprang the highly powerful son of Vena named Prithu resplendent in person and burning like the fire itself. Thereupon from the welkin fell down the original bow of Hara named Pinaka, and the celestial arrow and the celestial armour. Prithu thus born, all the beings around were greatly delighted. And at the birth of that pious son. Vena too attained to the region of celestials and was delivered by that high-souled one from the hell named Pat. Thereupon the seas and rivers from all sides come there with holy water and pearls and gems of diverse kinds, for his inauguration on the throne. The great parent of all, Brahmā, with the celestials and the descendants of Angiras (the fires) and with all things, animate or inanimate, came there and performed the ceremony of consecrating the lord of people—the son of king of Vena. And beholding in his right hand the mark of the discus of Vishnu and recognising a portion of that deity in Prithu the great parent attained to an excess of delight. For all those who become the sovereign kings of the earth, have always the mark of the discus of Vishnu in their hands. The highly powerful Prithu, the son of Vena, being thus invested with a mighty dominion, his power was unimpeded even in the region of the celestials. That highly effulgent one, being installed according to due rites, by these who were skilled in religious rites, those subjects even, who were disaffected in his father's regeme, became fully attached unto him. And in consequence of his attachment unto his subjects he was known all over as "the king". The waters became solid when he traversed the deep; the mountains opened him a way and his banners were unbroken even when he passed through the forests. (In his time) the earth yielded crops without cultivation; people got their food without any thought—the king gave milk at any time and honey was stored in every flower. At the auspicious sacrifice which was performed at the birth of Prithu and which was headed by the great parent—the highly intelligent Suta was produced from the juice of the moon plant. And in that great sacrifice the highly intelligent Māgadha was also born. Thereupon the Rishis accosted Suta and Māgadha saying "Do you sing the glory of this powerful king Prithu, the son of Vena. This is your special function and he is the fit object of your praise". Thereupon both of them, with folded hands, spoke unto the twice-born ones saying—"This king is born to-day—his works or merits we are not cognizant of; nor his fame has spread abroad—tell us on what subject shall we base our praise?" The Rishis said—"Sing his glory mentioning the works he shall perform, becoming the emperor of the earth and the merits he shall be crowned with". Parāçara said:—Hearing these words the king was highly gratified and reflected, saying—"Persons (in this world) are eulogised for their various actions. And surely my virtuous actions shall be the theme of these bards. And whatever merits, they will relate in their panegyric, I will acquire with all my attention. And whatever faults they shall recommend to be avoided I shall always shun". The king resolved thus. Thereupon Suta and Māgadha, with sweet-voiced discourses, sang the future virtues of the intelligent Prithu, the son of Vena.—"He shall be truthful, charitable, observer of his promises, the lord of people, wise, benevolent, patient, valient and the supresser of the wicked; pious, grateful, kind, sweet-spoken; shall always respect the venerable, perform sacrifices, respect the Brāhmins and shall be always recognised by the pious. He shall cherish the good and in administering justice shall be indifferent to friend or foe". He cherished in his mind the virtues thus celebrated by Suta and Māgadha and practised them in his life. Thereupon that king governed the earth and performed many sacrifices accompanied with liberal donations. One day the subjects stricken with hunger approached the king for the edible plants had perished during the season of anarchy. And when asked by him the cause of thus coming they said—"O foremost of kings, during the period of anarchy all vegetable products were withheld and, O lord of men, many are now perishing for want of food. Thou hast been appointed (by the Providence) as our lord and sustainer—grant us vegetable—the support of our lives who are dying with hunger". Parāçara said:—Hearing this, the king, inflamed with wrath, took up his bow Pināka and his celestial arrows and issued forth to assail the Earth. And the Earth too, assuming the shape of a cow, instantly fled away. From his fear she traversed the Brahmā, and all other regions—and wherever she, the supporter of elements, went, she beheld the son of Vena, with uplifted weapons. At last trembling with terror, the earth, desirous to escape his arrows, addressed Prithu, the hero of resistless prowess,—"O lord of men, do thou not know that there is a great sin hanging upon the destruction of females—why dost thou then try to slay me?" Prithu said,—"O thou the perpetrator of vicious deeds, when by the destruction of one malignant being the happiness of many is secured—that destruction is considered as an act of virtue". The Earth said,—"If dost thou, for the behoof of thy subjects, slay me, who shall support them, O foremost of kings?" Prithu said,—"O Earth, slaying thee with my arrows, who art beyond my control, I shall support my own men, by virtue of my own devotion". Parāçara said,—Thereupon the earth, overcome with fear, trembled and bowing unto him, addressed that king again, saying,—"All undertakings prove successful whenever suitable means to accomplish them are employed. I shall now suggest thee a means, which, if pleases thee, thou mayst accept. O lord of men, the edible plants, which I had devoured before, I may return thee, if thou likest, in the shape of milk. O thou the foremost of the pious, for the behoof of thy subjects, give me a calf by which I may be able to secrete milk. O hero, make also all places level, so that I may produce, equally around, milk which is the source of all vegetation". Parāçara said,—Thereupon the son of Vena with his bow and, uprooted mountains by hundreds and thousands and thenceforth all the hills are lying scattered all around.[225] Before this the surface of the earth was irregular, and there was no boundaries of villages and cities. There was no cultivation, no pasture, no agriculture, no high way for merchants; all these originated, O Maitreya, in the reign of the son of Vena. Whatever there was level ground, the king made habitations for the subjects. Before his time, the fruits and roots, which were the staple food of the subjects, were procured with great difficulty for all vegetables were destroyed. Thereupon having made, the Swaymbhuva, Manu, the calf, that lord of men, Prithu, milked the earth with his own hands. He desiring the benefit of his subjects, corns and vegetables of all kinds were produced upon which the people even now and perpetually subsist. By conferring life on her, Prithu became the father of the Earth and thence she got the patronymic Prithivi (the daughter of Prithu). Thereupon the celestials the ascetics, the demons, the Rākshasas, the mountains, the Gandharvas, the Uragas, the Yakshas, the Pitris, and the trees, with their respective vessels, milked the earth, as much O Manu, as they required. And the milker and the calf were both peculiar to their own species. The Earth, the mother, the nurse, the supporter and the nourisher of all creations was produced from the sole of the foot of Vishnu. And Prithu, the son of Vena, became so very powerful, that by virtue of his pleasing the subjects he was the first man who was styled the lord of the earth. He who shall relate the story of the birth of the son of Vena shall never suffer any retribution for his iniquitous deeds. And he who shall hear of the birth and virtues of Prithu shall be relieved from the affliction of evil dreams.

SECTION XIV.

From Prithu were born two highly powerful sons named Antardhāna and Pāli. And Antardhāna begot on Shiknandini a son named Habirdhāna. And Habirdhāna again begot on Dhishana six sons—named, Prāchinberhis, Sukra, Gaya, Krishna, Braja and Ajina. Prāchinverhis was a mighty prince and patriarch by whom mankind was multiplied after the death of Havirdhāna. He was called Prāchinverhis on account of his placing upon the earth (at the time of his prayer) the sacred grass pointing to the east. After a protracted devotion that lord of earth married the daughter of the Ocean named Savaranā. And Prāchinverhis, begot on Savaranā, the daughter of the Ocean ten sons, who were all called Prachetas and were all well-skilled in archery. They all practised the same religious austerities and remained immersed in the bed of the deep for ten thousand years. Maitreya said,—"Do thou, O great ascetic, tell me, why those high-souled Prachetas practised austerities being immersed in the deep". Parāçara said,—Welcoming the high-souled Prāchinverhis, the Patriarch requested him to multiply race. And he accordingly addressed his sons, saying,—"O my sons, I have been commanded by Bramhā, the god of gods to multiply mankind. And I too had promised obedience. Do ye therefore, my sons, diligently promote the increase of mankind. You shall all with reverence obey the commands of the Patriarch". Parāçara said,—Hearing the words of their father those princes said, "So be it" and repeatedly addressed him, O Muni, saying,—"By what, O father, we shall be able to multiply mankind? It behoveth thee to mention this unto me". The father said,—"There is no doubt that people shall meet with an accomplishment of all their desires, if they worship Vishnu, the conferrer of boons. There is no other alternative. What future can I tell you? If you wish to succeed, do you adore Govinda who is Hari, the lord of all beings, in order to bring about the increase of mankind. The excellent Purusha, without beginning, should be worshipped by him who wishes for virtue, wealth, enjoyment or liberation. Adore him, who is imperishable and propitiating whom the great Patriarch Brahmā succeeded in creating the universe". Parāçara said,—Being thus addressed by their father the ten Prachetas plunged into the deep and with concentrated minds, engaged in devotion. O foremost of ascetics, with their minds wholly devoted to Nārāyana, the refuge of all creatures and the lord of the universe, and withdrawing their thoughts from all other exterior objects, they remained (in the state of devotion) for ten thousand years. And remaining there they worshipped with concentrated minds that great God Hari, who, when propitiated, confers, on all those who praise him, whatever they desire. Maitreya said,—"O foremost of ascetics, the praises addressed to Vishnu, by those Prachatas, lying plunged in the depths of the ocean are sacred and it behoveth thee to relate them unto me". Parāçara said—Do thou hear—(I shall recount) the praises addressed, of old, to Govinda by the Prachetas as they stood in the waters of the deep. Prachetas said,—"We bow unto him who is the eternal theme of all speech, who is the beginning of the boundless universe and the lord of it; who is the primeval light—who has not the like of him; indivisible and infinite; who is the creator of all things, mobile and immobile—salutation unto him, who is one with time, who is without form—and whose first form is the day and the second and third form are the evening and night. Salutation unto him, who is the same with the moon who is the life of all living beings, and who is the receptacle of ambrosia, drunk daily by the celestials and progenitors. Salutation unto him, who is one with the sun, who with his fierce rays, dispels darkness from the sky and who is the creator of the seasons—the summer, the winter and the rains. Salutation unto him, who is one with the earth—who, being solid, is supporting the whole universe and is the asylum of smell and all other objects of sense. We bow to that form of Hari, which is water, which is the seed of all living beings and the womb of the world. Salutation unto Vishnu, who is one with Fire, who is the mouth of the celestials being the eater of the Havya and who is the mouth of the progenitors being the eater of the Kavya. Salutation unto him who is at one with the air, which exists as five vital airs in the body causing constant vital action and is the origin of ether. Salutation unto him, who is at one with the atmosphere, who is pure, whose form and end cannot be perceived, who is shapeless and limitless and who gives separate existence to all creatures. Salutation unto Krishna, who is the creator, is perceived in the form of sensible objects and is the direction of the faculties of sense. We bow unto Hari, who is one with senses both subtle and substantial, who receives the impression of the senses, and who is the source of all knowledge. Salutation unto that universal soul, who as intellect carries the impressions received by the senses to the soul—Salutation unto him who is Prakriti—who has created the Universe, who is maintaining it and in whom it shall perish. We bow unto that excellent Purusha, who albeit freed from all and devoid of all qualities, appears, to the creatures labouring under mistakes, as enveloped with all qualities. Salutation unto that Brahmā, who is the ultimate condition of Vishnu, who is unchangeable, without birth, pure, void of qualities and free from accidents; who is neither high nor low neither massive nor thin, has neither shape, nor colour, nor shadow, nor substance nor affection nor body; who is neither ethereal nor capable of being touched; who is neither smell nor taste; who has no eyes, cars, or motion or speech, breath mind; who is without name, gotra, countenance or lustre; who is without fear or mistake; without blame, disease or death; who is free from passion, without sins, imperceptible, inactive, independent of place and time, separated from all investing properties, but exercising irresistible might, and who is at one with all beings and dependant upon none. Salutation to that nature of Vishnu which tongue cannot describe nor eye hath seen". Parāçara said—Thus glorifying Vishnu the Prachetas performed austerities for ten thousand years in the depths of the sea. Thereupon Hari, having the complexion of the full-blown lotus leaf, being pleased, appeared before them even in the midst of waters. And beholding him mounted on Garuda, the Prachetas bending low their heads with reverence, saluted him. Thereupon Vishnu addressed them, saying,—"Do you ask of me a boon. Being pleased with you I have come here to confer boons on you". Bowing unto that giver of boons, the Prachetas asked of him the multiplication of mankind as ordered by their parents. And granting them the wished for boon Vishnu disappeared instantly and Prachetas too came out of the sea.

SECTION XV.

Parāçara said,—When the Prachetas were thus engaged in devout exercises the earth was covered with huge trees and the subjects suffered decease. The welkin being obstructed with the branches of trees, the wind did not blow for ten thousand years and the mankind did not labour. And when the Prachetas came out of the water they were greatly inflamed with ire beholding the earth, and wind and flame issued out of their mouths. The wind uprooted all the trees and left them sear and dry and the fierce fire consumed and thus the earth was cleared off the forests. Beholding all the trees thus destroyed and only few left, their king Soma approached those princes and said,—"Renounce your ire, O princes, and hear what I say; I shall bring about peace between you and the trees. This precious and beautiful maiden, sprung from the trees, has been nourished by me with my rays who am cognizant of futurity. Her name is Marishā and she has sprung from the trees. That lucky damsel shall be your wife and the multiplier of the family of Dhruva. From half of your lustre and half of mine, the learned and the great Patriarch Daksha shall be begotten on her; your lustre as well as mine being conjoined in him he shall be effulgent like fire and multiply the human race. There lived in the days of yore an ascetic named Kandu—the foremost of those conversant with the Vedas. He engaged in an austere devotion on the picturesque bank of the river Gomati. To obstruct his devotion a highly beautiful nymph named Pramlocha was despatched by the king of the celestials. And being thus engaged, the sweet-smiling nymph diverted the sage from the practice of his pious austerities. Being thus diverted he lived with her for a hundred and fifty years at the valley of the mount Mandāra, his mind being wholly given up to worldly enjoyment. Once on a time the damsel said to the high-souled Rishi,—'O Brahman, I desire to go to the abode of the celestials—do thou, with a delighted countenance, grant me the permission'. Being thus addressed by her, the ascetic, solely attached to her, replied,—'O fair lady, do thou stay a few days more with me'. Being thus requested by him that damsel of a slender person, enjoyed earthly pleasures in the company of that high-souled ascetic, for more than a hundred years. And being again accosted by her with 'O lord! allow me to return to the abode of the celestials' he again requested her to stay a few more with him. After the expiration of another hundred years the beautiful damsel, with a smile of love, again said,—'I shall now go to the abode of the celestials, O Brāhman'. Being thus addressed the ascetic, detaining the fair-eyed damsel, said,—'Stay a little more, thou shalt depart for a long time'. Afraid of incurring an imprecation the graceful nymph lived with the ascetic for nearly two hundred years more. The high-souled sage was repeatedly asked by the nymph to allow her to repair to the abode of the lord of the celestials and she was as often desired by him to remain. Afraid of his curse, excelling in amiable manners and knowing full well the pain consequent upon the separation from an object of love she did not quit the ascetic, who, enjoying in her company day and night and having his mind possessed by cupid, became fully attached unto her. Once while he was speedily issuing out of the cottage the nymph said to him. 'Where are you going?' Whereto he replied, 'O damsel, the day is fast approaching its close, I must perform my evening ablutions or else I shall neglect a duty'. Thereupon smiling, she, delightedly, said to the sage,—'O thou conversant with all religions, why dost thou talk of to-day approaching its close? Is thy day, O Brāhman, the aggregate of many hundred years? Shall it not create astonishment in other? Do thou tell me'. The ascetic said,—'O fair damsel, you came to the riverside this morning—I saw you there and brought you to my hermitage. The day has passed and the evening has well-nigh arrived. Tell me in sooth what the truth is'. The (nymph) Pramlocha said,—'True it is, O Brāhman, that I came here at dawn. It is not false—but after that hundreds of years have flown away'. Thereupon, the sage, stricken with fear, asked that nymph, having expansive eyes, saying,—'Tell me how many years I have spent in enjoyment with you'. Pramlocha said,—'You have spent nine hundred and seven years six months and three days'. The ascetic again said,—'No more of laughter, O fair nymph, tell me the truth; methinks I have spent one day in your company'. To which Pramlocha replied: 'O venerable sage why shall I speak untruth unto thee since I have been specially requested by thee to-day to speak the truth'. Soma said,—O Princes, when the sage had heard these words and thought them to be true he began to reproach himself exclaming, 'O fie, fie upon me; my penance has been obstructed—the wealth of those who are cognizant of Brahmā, has been stolen; my judgement has been blinded; by whom women have been created to beguile mankind? O fie upon that passion by which my self-control has been stolen whereby I, was about to attain the knowledge of Brahmā who is above the reach of those who are immersed in the six waves—namely, hunger, thirst, sorrow, stupification, decay and death. By this evil company, which is the road to hell all my austerities, leading to the acquisition of the wisdom of the Vedas, have been obstructed'. Having thus reviled himself the pious sage spoke to the nymph, who was near him, saying,—'Go where dost thou wish, O vile nymph—thou hast performed that for which thou hast been enjoyned by the lord of the celestials—thou hast obstructed my penances with thy fascinations. I do not reduce thee to ashes with the fierce fire of my rage. Seven paces together are quite sufficient for the friendship of the pious, and thou and I have lived together for a pretty long time. Or what for is thy folly—and why should I be offended with thee—verily this is an outcome of my own folly since I have not been able to control my passions. O fie on hated thee, the box of fascinations, who, to win favour with Sakra, has disturbed my devotion'. Soma said,—While the sage spoke thus to the nymph she perspired and stood trembling. Thereupon, the foremost of ascetics again said angrily to her, thus trembling and with drops of perspiration issuing from every pore—'Depart! Depart'. Being thus remonstrated with by that sage she issued out of the hermitage and began to wend her way by the welkin, rubbing the perspiration with the leaves of the trees. She went forth from tree to tree rubbing her limbs and the perspiration with the durky shoots. And the child, she had conceived by the sage, came out from the pores of her skin, in drops of perspiration. The trees received those drops and the wind collected them. I protected it with my rays till it increased in size gradually. Because she sprang from the drops on the tops of the trees that fair damsel was called Mārisha; the trees will give her to thee—let your anger be appeased. She is Kandu's child—she was sprung from the trees—she is my offspring as well as that of the wind—and she is also the daughter Pramlocha. And the great sage, Kandu, on the wane of his devotion, repaired to the region of Vishnu called Purushottama, O Maitreya. And there he, O princes, devoted himself, with his whole mind to the adoration of Vishnu and engaged in the Yoga, with uplifted hands and uttering the prayers comprehending the supreme truths of the Vedas". The Prachetasas said,—"We wish to hear of the excellent prayers of the sage, by which Kandu engaged in devotion and in the adoration of Keshava". On which Soma repeated them:—"'Vishnu is beyond the limit of all earthly things, he is the infinite; through him we may get at the other end of the limitless deep—the earth: he is above all that is above; he is the finite truth; he is worthy of being approached by those who are conversant with the Vedas; the limit of elemental being; above the perception of the senses and the protectors (the divinities who protect the creation). He is the cause of cause; the cause of the cause in cause; the cause of finite cause; and in effects he, both as every object and agent, preserves the creation. He is Brahmā the lord; Brahmā all beings; Brahmā the creator of the human race; the undecaying, imperishable and eternal; he is spread all over the earth, unborn, incapable of increase or diminution. Purushottama, is the eternal, unborn, immutable Brahmā. May he annihilate the infirmities of my nature'. Repeating those prayers, comprehending the essence of divine truth and propitiating Keshava the ascetic attained to the final emancipation. I shall now describe to you what Mārisha was in her previous birth—for a recital of her glorious acts will be of immense benefit to you. O princes, she was in her previous birth a queen, and was left childless at her husband's death; and she therefore propitiated Vishnu with zealous devotion. Thus pleased with her devotion Vishnu appeared to her in person and said,—'Do thou beg of me a boon'. Whereto she replied communicating her desire,—'O lord of earth—I am a widow from my childhood—unfortunate as I am, in vain is my birth on this earth. Do thou so favour me, that I may be blessed with a good husband in every birth and a son equal to a patriarch amongst men; I may be possessed of beauty and wealth and may be pleasing unto all—that I may be born out of the ordinary course'. Hrishikesha, the lord of the celestials, the giver of all boons thus prayed to, raised her from her prostrate attitude and said,—'In one birth you shall have ten husbands of great prowess whose fame shall spread far and wide. And O fair damsel, you shall have a great son gifted with mighty prowess and all the accomplishments that are to be seen in the great Patriarch. The supremacy of his family shall be established all over the universe and the three worlds shall be filled with his descendants. And you, by my favour, shall be of marvellous birth, chaste, endowed with grace and loveliness and delightful to men'. Having thus spoken to that fair damsel, having spacious eyes, the Deity disappeared and the princess, was accordingly born as Mārisha, who is given to you for a wife, Princes". Parāçara said:—Thereupon renouncing their ire against the trees at the words of Soma, the Prachetas took Mārisha righteously to wife. And the Ten Prachetas begot on Mārisha the eminent Patriarch, Daksha, who had (in a former birth) been born as the son of Brahmā. O thou of great mind, for the multiplication of creation and increase of his own race this eminent Daksha created progeny. Obeying the mandate of Brahmā for the furtherance of creation he made moveable and immoveable things, bipeds and quadrupeds. Having created (that) by his will he created females out of which ten were conferred on Dharma, thirteen on Kasyapa and twenty-seven who regulate the course of time on the Moon, And from them were produced the gods, the demons, the snake-gods, cows, birds, singers, the spirits of evil and others. Thenceforth creatures were produced by sexual intercourse. O Maitreya—before that they were generated, by the by sight, by touch and by the influence of austerities practised by the ascetics of accomplished piety. Maitreya said:—"O great ascetic, Daksha, as I am informed, was born from the right thumb of Brahmā: tell how he was born again as the son of Ten Prachetas. Another great doubt exists in my mind O Brahmā that how could he, who was the grandson of Soma, be also his father-in-law". Parisara said:—O thou of great piety, birth and death are constant in all creatures. Rishis having divine vision do not wonder at it. Daksha and other eminent ascetics take birth in every age and they again cease to be: the learned are not perplexed by it. O foremost of the twice-born ones, in the days of yore there was neither senior nor junior (by age); asceticism and spiritual power were the sole causes of being considered as senior. Maitreya said:—"O Brāhman, do thou relate at length, the origin of the gods, demons, Gandharvas, serpents and goblins". Parāçara said:—Do thou hear, O thou of a high-mind, how commanded by Brahmā, Daksha created living creatures. At first Daksha created his will-born progeny—the deities, the Rishis, the Gandharvas, the demons and the snake-gods. When he found, O twice-born one, that his mind-born progeny did not multiply he began to meditate upon some other means of increasing the living creatures, Then desirous of multiplying the race by means of sexual intercourse he married the daughter of the Patriarch Veerana by name Ashikni who was devotee! to austerities and the eminent supportress of the world. And the energetic Patriarch for the multiplication of the progeny begot on Ashikni the daughter of Veerana, five thousand sons. And beholding them desirous of multiplying the race, the divine ascetic Nārada approaching them addressed them with sweet words—Nārada said,—"O ye highly powerful Haryaswas, it is evident that you intend multiplying the progeny—do ye hear this: you like ignorant people, do know not the middle, the height and the depth of the world: how would you propagate progeny then? Your understanding is not hindered by interval, height or depth, why do ye not O fools, behold the end of the universe?" Parāçara said—Having heard these words they repaired to various quarters and have not returned as yet as the rivers lose themselves in the ocean (and do not come back).

The Haryaswas having gone away the Patriarch Daksha again begot a thousand sons upon the daughter of Beerana. And, they, who were named Savalaswas, were desirous of multiplying mankind and they were again addressed by Nārada, Brāhmana, with the words mentioned before. They said to one another,—"What the Muni had said is perfectly true. We must follow the path wended by our brothers: there is not the least doubt about it. And ascertaining the extent of the universe we will multiply our race". They also went to various quarters by the path (followed by their brothers) and have not returned like rivers flowing into the deep. Thenceforth, O twice-born one, a brother searching after a brother, is generally lost: the wise do not resort to such actions. Finding that all his sons had disappeared the eminent Patriarch Daksha was worked with ire and imprecated Nārada. We have heard, O Maitreya, that thereupon the learned Pratriarch Daksha, desirous to multiply the race begot upon the daughter of Veerana sixty daughters. Of whom he gave ten to Dharma, thirteen to Kasyapa, twenty-seven to Soma, four to Arishtanemi, two to Bahuputra, two to Angiras and two to the learned Krisaswa. Do thou hear their names from me. Arundnati, Vasu, Yami, Lamba, Bhami, Marutwati, Sankalpa, Muhurtta, Sadhya and Viswa were the ten wives of Dharma. I will mention their offspring. Viswadevas[226] were the sons of Viswa and the Sadhyas[227] were the sons of Sadhya. The Maruts or Winds were the offspring of Marutwati and the Vasus of Vasu. The Bhānus (or suns) were the sons of Bhānu and the deities governing the moments of Muhurtta, Ghosa was born of Lamba and Nāgabithi[228] was born of Yāmi (night). And all the objects of the world were born of Arundhuti and Sankalpa (pious determination) was the son of Sankalpa. I shall mention at length the particulars of the eight Vasus who abound in effulgence and night. They are Apa, Dhruva, Soma, Dhara, Anila, Anala, Pratyusha and Prabhāsha. The sons of Apa were Vaitandya, Srama (weariness) Srānta (fatigue) and Dhur, and the son of Dhruva was the great Kāla (Time) the cherisher of the world. The son of Soma was Varchas (light) by whom was generated Varchaswi (radiance). And Dhara had, by his wife Monohora, Dravina, Hutaravyavaha, Sisira, Prāna and Ramana. Anila's wife was Siva; and he had by her two sons—Monojova (swift as thought) and Avijnātagati (unknowable motion), The son of Agni—Kumara, was born in a clump of Sara reeds, whose sons were Sākha, Visākha, Naigameya and Prishthaja. The son of Kritikas was named Kartikeya. The son of Pratyushwa was the great ascetic Duvala who had two intelligent and philosophic sons. The great ascetic Vrihaspati had a sister who was the foremost of the females, virtuous and of accomplished asceticism. Without beings attached to the world she travelled all over the world. She became the spouse of Pravasha the eighth Vasu. Of her was born the noble Patriarch Viswakarma the author of a thousand arts, the architect of the celestials, the inventor of all ornaments and the foremost of the artists. He constructed the chariots of all the deities; and by the skill of that high-souled one, people obtain subsistence. He had four sons whose names hear from me. They were Ayaikapad, Ahirvradhna, Twashtri and Rudra and they were all wise. And the self-born son of Twashtri was also the famous Viswarupa. There are eleven well-known Rudras, lords of the three worlds—Hara, Bahurupa, Tryambaka, Aparajitā, Vrishahapi, Sambhu, Kaparddi, Raivata, Mrigavyadha, Sarava and Kapāli; but there are a hundred names of the Rudras of unmitigated prowess.

Kashyapa married the thirteen daughters of Daksha namely Aditi, Diti, Danu, Arishta, Surasa, Surabhi, Vinatā, Tāmrā, Krodha, Vasa, Idā, Khasā, Kadru and Muni. I will describe their progeny to you. There were twelve well-known celestials in a former Manwantara, named Tushitas, who, on the approach of the present Manwantara and at the end of the reign of Manu Chakhusha assembled and said to one another,—"O deities, let us all speedily enter into the womb of Aditi that we may be born in the next Manwantara for we shall thereby be again crowned with blessings". Having said this they at the end of the reign of Manu Chakshusha were born the sons of Kashyapa, the son of Mārichi by Aditi the daughter of Daksha. Of them were born first Vishnu and Sakra and the Aryaman, Dhuti, Twashtri, Pushan, Vivaswat, Sāvitri, Mitra, Varunā, Ansa and Bhaga. These who, in the reign of Chākshusha Manu were Tushitas, were called the twelve Adityas in the Manwāntara of Vaivaswata. The twenty-seven virtuous daughters of the Patriarch who were married to the Moon were all well-known as the nymphs of the lunar constellations after their names; they had children of unmitigated effulgence. The wives of Arishthanemi bore sixteen children. The daughters of the learned Bahaputra were the four lightnings. The excellent Paratyangirasa Richas were born from the wives of Angiras and the celestial weapons were the children of the Rishi Krishaswa. These deities take their birth once after the expiry of a thousand yugas; they are thirty-three in number and their appearance and disappearance is here spoken of as birth and death and O Maitreya these divinities appear and disappear, age after age as the sun sets and rises again.

It is said that Kashyapa begat on Diti two sons—One was named Hiranyakashipu and the other was named Hiranyaksha and both of them were invincible. She had also a daughter named Sinhika who was married to Biprachitwa. Hiranyakashipu had four highly effulgent sons—named Anuhlāda Hlāda, Prahlāda and Sanhlāda;—they were all highly intelligent, powerful and the multiplier of the Daitya race. O noble sage, amongst these, Prahlāda, looking impartially on all things, devoted his whole faith to Janārddana. O twice-born one, the flames lighted by the king of Daityas did not consume him in whose heart Vasudeva was present. The whole earth shook, when bound with ropes, he moved in the midst of the water of the deep. Having his mind entirely engrossed by Achuta his body firm as the rock was not assailed by the diverse weapons hurled on him by the order of the king of Daityas. And the venomous snakes could not destroy him (even). And he remembering the excellent Purusha and protected by the recollection of Vishnu as his armour he did not renounce his life albeit overwhelmed with rocks. The earth received the high-minded (Prahlāda) when he was hurled from on high by the king of Daityas residing in Swerga. The slayer of Madhu being present in his mind, the wind sent into his body to wither him up was itself destroyed. Being ordered by the lord of Daityas the maddened elephants of the spheres broke their trunks and baffled their pride against his firm breast. The rites of the priests of the Daitya monarch were useless to bring about the destruction of one who was attached to Govinda. The thousand illusions of the illusive Samvara were baffled by the discus of Krishna. The poison offered by the cooks, at the command of the king of Daityas, could not produce any change upon the intelligent (Prahlāda) void of pride, who unhesitatingly partook that. He looked impartially upon the world and all creatures, was full of kindness and regarded all things equally and as identical with himself. He was pious and an inexhaustible mine of purity and truth and a model for all pious men.

SECTION XVI.

Maitreya said—"O great ascetic, you have described to me the human races and the ever-existing Vishnu, the cause of the world; but who was this Prahlāda the foremost of the Daityas of whom you spoke and whom fire could not burn, and who did not die even when assailed by weapons. And Prahlāda being present in the waters, in bonds, earth trembled, agitated by his movements. And he did not die before albeit overwhelmed with rocks. Thou hast related the unlimited glory of that intelligent Prahlāda. O muni, I am desirous to hear an account of the character and unequalled might of that effulgent worshipper of Vishnu. O Muni, Why was he assailed by the descendants of Diti with weapons? And why was he, ever engaged in pious observances, thrown into water? For what was he overwhelmed with rocks? And why bitten by venomous snakes? Why thrown down from the mountain-top? Why cast into fire? And why was he made a butt for the tusks of the elephants of spheres? And why was the wind sent by the mighty Asuras into his body to wither him up? O Muni, Why the spiritual guides of the Daityas were engaged in ceremonies for his destruction? And why did the Daitya Samvara spread thousands of illusions for his destruction? Why did the cooks of the Daitya-chief offer him poison for his destruction which was digested by that high-souled sage? O noble Manu—I wish to hear all this—an account of the high-souled Prahlāda, full of marvelous glories. I am not the least surprised for the Daityas not being able to destroy him: for who can slay him whose mind is solely devoted to Vishnu? Why did the Daityas, born in his race, cherish dreadful malice against him ever engaged in pious observances and in the worship of Kesava? Relate to me, Why the sons of Diti offer violence to one so pious,—high-souled and ever devoted to Vishnu and free from sin? The great cannot offer violence to a person gifted with such qualities even if he be an enemy; how could his own kin (behave thus towards him)? O foremost of the Muni, do thou relate all this—the character of the sovereign of Daityas. I wish to hear it at length".

SECTION XVII.

Parāçara said:—Maitreya, hear the interesting story of the wise, high-souled and magnanimous Prahlāda. In the days of yore the three worlds were brought into subjection by the valiant son of Diti—Hiranyakashipu, proud of the boon conferred on him by Brahmā. That Daitya had usurped the sovereignty of Indra and exercised the functions of the sun of air, of the lord of waters, of fire and of the moon. He himself became the lord of riches and Yama; and that Asura appropriated to himself, without reserve, all that was offered in sacrifice to the celestials. O foremost of ascetics, renouncing their own region the celestials, through his fear, wandered upon the earth, disguised in mortal shapes. Having conquered the three worlds, he was inflated with the pride of the riches, and being eulogised by the Gandharvas, enjoyed all wished-for objects. Thereupon all the Siddhas, Gandharvas and Pannagas worshipped the valiant Hiranyakashipu addicted to drinking. The Siddhas stood delighted before the Daitya chief, some singing, some playing on musical instruments and others shouting out cries of victory. When the Asura delightedly quaffed the inebriating cup in his picturesque crystal palace, the nymphs danced there gracefully.

His illustrious son, by name Prahlāda, while yet a boy, residing in the dwelling of his preceptor, read such readings as are studied in early years. Once on a time the high-souled (Prahlāda) in the company of his preceptor appeared before his father the Daitya-chief while drinking. The father Hiranykasipu, raising up his son prostrate at his feet, spoke to Prahlāda of unmitigated prowess, saying,—"Repeat, boy, agreeably, the substance of what you have read during the period". Prahlāda said,—"Hear, father I will repeat the substance of what I have read. Hear attentively what occupies my thoughts. I bow to that Great Being who is without beginning, middle or end, increase or diminution: the imperishable lord of the world, the universal cause of causes". Parāçara said:—Hearing those words the lord of the Daityas, his eyes red with ire and lip swollen with indignation, looked towards the preceptor and said,—"O vile Brahmana, what is this? O vicious-minded, thou hast, in disrespect to me, taught my boy the worthless commendation of my foe". The preceptor replied,—"O sovereign of Daityas, it doth not behove thee to give way to anger; I have not taught thy son what he has uttered". Hiranyakashipu said,—"Prahlāda, my boy, by whom then you have been thus taught. Your preceptor says that he has not instructed you thus". Prahlāda replied,—"Vishnu, O father, is the instructor of the whole world and is present in our minds. Who else, but that Great Soul can teach us (any thing)?" Hiranyakashipu said,—"O thou of vile understanding, who is this Vishnu, of whom thou art speaking again and again before me the valiant lord of the world?" Prahlāda said,—"He is Vishnu, the great God, who is being meditated upon by the devout, whose glory cannot be described in words, who is all things and from whom all things proceed". Hiranyakashipu said,—"O fool, myself living, to whom else you give the title of supreme lord? Are you desirous of death that you are mentioning this again and again?" Prahlāda replied, "O father, Vishnu, who is Brahmā, is not only the creator, preserver and supreme lord of me only, but of all creatures as well as of thyself. Be propitiated; why art thou angry?" Hiranyakashipu said,—"What evil spirit has entered into the breast of this silly lad, that, he, like one possessed, gives expression to such profane words". Prahlāda said,—"That Vishnu is not only present in my mind, but he pervades the whole universe; He is omnipresent and commands me, thyself and all creatures". Hiranyakashipu said,—"Away with this wicked boy; take him again to the preceptor's house and govern him; perhaps he has been taught by some vicious-minded (men) to sing the glories of my foes". Parāçara said:—He having said this Prahlāda was again conducted to the preceptor's house by the Daityas, where always prompt to attend upon the preceptor he received instructions constantly. After a considerable time that lord of Asuras sent for Prahlāda again and said "O my boy, recite me some poetical composition". Prahlāda said—"May that Vishnu be propitiated with us, from, whom matter and soul originate and all that is mobile and immobile proceeds and who is the cause of all this creation". Hiranyakashipu said,—"Destroy this vicious-minded boy; there is no use of his life; he is a fraud to his own family since he has proved a traitor to his kin". Parāçara said—Being thus commanded by him, hundreds and thousands of Daityas, with huge weapons, addressed themselves for his destruction. Prahlāda said to the Daityas—"Since Vishnu is present in your weapons as well as in mind, your weapons shall fail to hurt me". Parāçara said—Thereupon hundreds of Daityas assailed Prahlāda with their weapons but he did not feel the least pain and his strength was ever renewed. Hiranyakashipu said—"O you of vile understanding, refrain from glorifying my enemy; I promise you immunity, be not so foolish". Prahlāda replied: "No fear can overwhelm me since that immortal remover of all dangers is present in my mind, the very recollection of whom is enough to remove all perils consequent upon birth and human infirmities". Hiranyakashipu said—"O serpents, speedily bring this vicious lad to destruction with your envenomed fangs". Parāçara said:—Being thus commanded by him, Kuhaka, Takshaka, Artdhaka and many other venomous serpents, bit him in every part of his body. But with his mind solely devoted to Krishna he remained in that pleasurable recollection; he could not feel anything although he was bitten by deadliest serpents. The serpents said to the sovereign of the Daityas—"Our fangs are broken; our jewelled crests are shattered; our hoods are burning; Our hearts are trembling; but the skin of this body is unhurt; O king of Daityas, resort to some other expedient". Hiranyakashipu said—"O Elephants of the spheres, unite your tusks and slay this deserter of his own family and the supporter of our enemy; sometimes our own descendants bring about our own destruction as the fire consumes the wood from which it proceeds". Parāçara said:—The boy was then cast down on the earth being assailed by the tusks of those elephants of the spheres as huge as mountain peaks; but he recollecting Govinda, thousands of tusks were blunted against his breast: he then spoke to his father: "The tusks of the elephants hard as adamant have been blunted. This is not on account of any strength of mine but is consequent upon my calling upon Janārddana who destroys all dangers and sins the sources of all these evils". Hiranyakashipu said:—"Away, O ye elephants of the spheres. O Asuras, light out fire; O deity of the winds, blow up the fire, and let this perpetrator of endless iniquities be destroyed therein". Parāçara said:—Thereupon commanded by their master the Dānavas piled a huge heap of wood around the son of the king of Asuras and then put fire thereto to burn him. Prahlāda said—"This fire, although blown up by the wind, doth not burn me: I behold all around me the face of the quarters, cool, and the beds of lotuses". Parāçara said:—Thereupon the twice-born ones, the sons of Bhargava, the high-minded priests skilled in speech and the reciters of Shama Veda, eulogising him, said to the sovereign of the Daityas,—"O king, subdue thy anger against this lad, thy own begotten son. Even thy ire against the celestials bore fruits. O king, we shall so bring up this boy, that he growing humble shall engage in the destruction of thy enemies. O king of daityas, since childishness is the root of all these evils, it behoveth thee to renounce thy ire against this boy. If he according to our instructions, does not abandon the cause of Hari we shall then concert infallible measures to bring about his destruction". Parāçara said Thereupon being thus solicited by the priests the king of Daityas had his son brought out from the flames by the Daityas.

Thence-forth residing in the house of the preceptor the boy Prahlāda, whenever he got an opportunity, gave lessons himself to the sons of the Dānavas. Prahlāda said,—"O sons of the descendants of Diti, hear from me the supreme truth; do not take my instruction otherwise for there is no touch of covetousness. All creatures are born first, then they attain to infancy and youth and then succeed gradually the inevitable decay; and then they meet with death, O sons of the Daitya chiefs. This myself and you all have witnessed. He who is dead is born again—this cannot be gainsaid; the sacred texts warrant it. Birth is consequent upon the virtue and vice of pristine actions. All conditions from conception to re-birth are tinged with pain. The simpleton, in his childishness, thinks that the alleviation of hunger, thirst, cold and the like is identified with pleasure; but in sooth that is pain; for exercise gives delight to those whose limbs are incapable of motion and suffering affords pleasure to those whose understanding is blinded with delusion. Where is this vile body which is a compound of phlegm and other humours and where are its beauty, grace, loveliness and other qualities? The foolish wight will take delight even in hell, who is fond of this body composed of flesh, blood, matter, ordure, urine, membrane, marrow, and bones. The agreeableness of fire is produced by cold; of water by thirst; of food by hunger; and thus all other things are rendered agreeable by their contraries. O children of Daityas, he, who will take to a wife will introduce so much of pain into his bosom. The more a man will create dear relations, the more deeply will be implanted the thorns of anxiety in his heart. He, who has got large possessions in his house, is troubled, wherever he goes, with the anxiety that they may be lost or burnt or stolen. Then there is a great pain in being born: the dying are afflicted by the tortures of Death and again by the pain of passing into the womb. Fancy, there is not the least pleasure la the embryo state; you must then admit that the world is full of miseries. Verily I speak unto you, that in this ocean of the world infested with many miseries Vishnu is your only stay. Do not consider yourselves as mere boys and therefore ignorant of it for the spirit embodied in your bodies is eternal. Birth, youth and decay are the properties of the body not of the soul. I am now a child—when I shall be young I shall exert myself for my behoof; I am yet a youth and when I shall grow old I shall work for the benefit of my soul. I am old now—all my senses have failed me and I cannot exert myself. What shall I do now, vicious-minded as I am? I did not do anything when I was capable of doing it. Thus, men, although thirsting after knowledge, having their minds distracted by vain hopes, do not attain to beatitude. The ignorant, addicted to sport in boyhood, to worldly things in youth, find, when they become incapable, that old age is come upon them. Therefore let the soul even in childhood exert itself for its welfare independent of the conditions of infancy, youth or age. This is then what I speak unto you. If you think that it is not true, do you, for my satisfaction, think of Vishnu the liberator from all bondage. What trouble is there in calling him to mind? When remembered he bestows prosperity upon people. And if you recollect Him day and night there will be an end of all sins. Let your mind be fixed on Him day and night who is present in all beings and you shall laugh at every trouble. The whole world is subject to a triple[229] affliction. What wise man would cherish hatred against beings who are all objects of compassion? If others are crowned with prosperity and I am incapable of enjoying the same why should I be malignant against those who are more prosperous than myself? I should rather be glad for their happiness for the suppression of malice is itself a reward. Even those who cherish malice against foes are considered as objects of pity by the wise, as being overwhelmed with delusion. O Daityas, admitting the distinction between myself and all other creatures, I have described to you the various reasons for repressing hate. Hear briefly the duties of those who approach the Deity. This whole world is the manifestation of Vishnu who is identified with all beings. The wise therefore do not regard any difference between themselves and all other creatures. Let us therefore renounce the angry passions of our race and so exert ourselves that we may obtain that perfect beatitude which is beyond the power of the deities of fire, of the sun, of the moon, of wind, of Indra, of the regent of the sea, of the Siddhas of the Rākshasas, of the Daitya-chief, of the serpents, of Kinnaras, of men, or beasts or human weaknesses and which is uninterrupted by various diseases such as fever, eye-disease &c., by hatred, malice, passion or desire. The beatitude, which can not be destroyed by others which is pure and eternal, can be enjoyed by him, who fixes his mind on Kesava. Verily I speak unto you, that you shall attain no satisfaction through various revolutions of this world. O Daityas, regard all creatures with impartiality—this is the adoration of the undecaying (Vishnu). He being propitiated what cannot be attained—wealth, pleasure, virtues are things of the little significance. Do ye resort to the exhaustless tree of true wisdom and undoubtedly you shall reap precious fruits therefrom".

SECTION XVIII.

Parāçara said:—Having observed the conduct of Prahlāda, the Dānavas, out of fear, reported it to the king. Hiranyakashipu sent for his cooks and said "O cooks—my vile and wicked son is teaching others his impious doctrines. Do ye slay him without his knowledge by mixing up deadly poison with all his viands. Do not hesitate to destroy that wretch". Parāçara said:—Thereupon they offered poison to the high-souled Prahlāda as they were commanded by his sire. O Maitreya, repeating the name of the imperishable and mixing that poison with his food he ate it up. Prahlāda did not suffer any harm either in body or in mind for the very name of the endless baffled the power of the poison. Beholding that deadly poison digested by him, they stricken with fear approached the king of Daityas and said: "O king of Daityas, deadliest poison was offered by us but it was digested with food by thy son Prahlāda". Hiranyakashipu said,—"Hasten, hasten, O ye priests of the Daityas: do ye speedily perform the rites that will bring about his destruction". Parāçara said:—Thereupon the priests approaching Prahlāda and beholding him lowly consoled him and said,—"Thou hast been born in the family of Brahmā celebrated in the three worlds and thou art the son of Hiranyakashipu the king of Daityas. Why dost thou depend upon the gods? Thy father is the refuge of all people:—thou dost also become the same. Do thou renounce eulogising the enemy of thy family: know that a father is the most venerable of all preceptors". Prahlāda said—"O illustrious Brahmins, that ye have said is true—the family of Marichi is celebrated in the three worlds—this cannot be gainsaid. My father has attained to the foremost place in the world by his actions—I have known this to be true—there is not the least shadow of untruth. That a father is the most venerable of all preceptors—I do not find the least mistake in this assertion. Forsooth, father is a venerable preceptor and is to be respected with all care. Methinks I have not committed any offence in this respect. You have said, 'Why do you seek shelter of the eternal?' I do not know how far this statement is sound and reasonable". Having said this Prahlāda remained speechless for some time to uphold their dignity. And again smiling he said: "'Why do you seek shelter of the eternal,' was it fair for you to accost me thus? What need of the eternal? Most admirable, most worthy of you, O my preceptors. If it does not pain you, hear what need there is of the eternal. Virtue, desire, wealth and emancipation are the fourfold objects of men. Is it vain to adore him who is the source of these four objects? Why do ye speak in vain? Marichi and other ascetics, the Patriarch Daksha and other eminent men attained to virtue and others and obtained the enjoyment of their desires. Others, through true wisdom and holy contemplation, have come to know his essence, and being freed from the bondage of the world have obtained emancipation. The adoration of Hari, attainable by unity, is the root of all wealth, dignity, glory, wisdom, progeny, piety and emancipation. O twice-born one, virtue, wealth, desire and final emancipation (all) proceed from him (and still you say) what need is of the eternal? What is the use of speaking more, you are all my preceptors—speak ye good or evil, limited is my understanding". The priests said—"O boy thou wert about to be consumed by fire, but we saved you thinking that you would not give vent to such words again. We know how foolish you are. If you, at our words, do not remove this hallucination we shall, O vicious-minded one, perform rites for your destruction". Prahlāda said—"Who slayeth what living creature—who preserveth what living creature? Every one is his own destroyer or preserver accordingly as he follows evil or good". Parāçara said:—Being thus addressed, the priests of the Daitya-chief were excited with rage, and instantly, by virtue of their magical powers, created a female form enveloped with fiery flame. That highly dreadful figure, under whose tread earth trembled, greatly wroth, struck him instantly on his breast with a dart. That fiery dart reaching speedily the breast of the boy fell on the ground broken into hundred pieces. Even a thunder-bolt is shattered against the breast of him in whose heart the imperishable Hari resides—what to, speak of a dart? The magic, which was directed by the vicious priests against the guileless (Prahlāda), then fell upon them and slew them all; And beholding them thus consumed by fire the noble Prahlāda exclaiming, "Save, O Krishna, O Eternal" approached them and said—"O thou, spread all over the universe, O thou who art manifest in the universe, O thou the creator of the universe, O Janārddana! do thou save these Brāhmanas from the unbearable flame set up by their magical incantations. As the omnipresent Vishnu, the preceptor of the world, is present in all creatures, let these priests regain their life. Vishnu being present everywhere, as I did not consider fire as my enemy let the priests be restored to life. I regarded with a friendly attitude all those who came to slay me, those who offered me poison, those who kindled fire, the elephants of the skies and serpents by whom I was bitten. And I never entertained malice against them; if this be true let the priests of Asuras be restored to life". Parāçara said:—He having said this they all, touched, rose up unhurt, and spoke to Prahlāda who was humble,—"O boy, O foremost of all, be thou crowned with a long life, undaunted strength and prowess". O great Muni, having said this, the priests repaired to the king of Daityas and related to him every thing.

SECTION XIX.

Parāçara said:—When Hiranyakashipu had heard that the magical charms (of the priests) had been baffled he sent for his son and asked him of the secret of his prowess,—"Prahlāda, thou art gifted with extraordinary prowess—is it the result of your self-exercise or the outcome of magical powers or thou art, from birth, gifted with it?"

Being thus interrogated by his father the Asura boy Prahlāda bowed down to his father's feet and said,—"This not the outcome of magical powers, O father—nor is it natural with me; This is trifling to him in whose mind resides the undecaying. He who does not cherish malice against others, O father, and regards all like his own self, is not visited by any affliction inasmuch as the cause does not exist. He who tortures others in act, thought or speech, sows the seed of numberless miseries. I wish no evil to any; neither do nor speak it; I always meditate, in me, upon Keshava who is existent in all beings. Why should miseries, physical or mental, or those inflicted by elements, or the gods, affect whose soul is purified? Considering that Hari exists in all beings the learned should assiduously love all creatures". Parāçara said:—Having heard this the Daitya-king, seated on the summit of his palace, having his face darkened with ire, said to his attendants.—"Throw this vicious-souled one from this palace which is a hundred yojanas in height, down upon the tops of the mountains, so that his body may be crushed into pieces against the rocks". Thereupon all these Daityas and Dānavas hurled that boy down: and he fell down cherishing Hari in his mind. And Earth, the upholder of the world, approaching, received him falling who was devoted to Keshava the protector of the world. Thereupon beholding him unhurt and having no bone fractured, Hiranyakashipu said to Samvara the foremost of those conversant with charms:—"We have not been able to slay this vicious-minded lad; thou art cognisant of various charms: do thou slay him". Samvara said:—"Instantly shall I slay him, O king of Daityas: do thou behold my power of illusion which can invent thousands and myriads of artifices". Parāçara said:—Thereupon that silly Asura Samvara, desirous of destroying the boy, practised his magical charms against Prahlāda, looking upon all creatures with an impartial eye. With a heart tranquil and void of malice even against Samvara, O Maitreya, Prahlāda engaged in the meditation of the destroyer of Madhu. Thereupon to protect him the excellent and flaming discus Sudarshana was despatched by the Great God. Thereupon thousands of Samvara's illusions were baffled by the quick-coursing discus for the protection of that boy.

Thereupon the Daitya-king spoke to the withering wind saying,—"Do thou, speedily, at my command, bring this vicious-minded boy to destruction". Saying "So be it" the wind immediately penetrated into his body—cold, cutting and insufferable, for his destruction. Perceiving that wind had entered into his body the Daitya boy again meditated, in his mind, upon the great upholder of the earth. And Janārddana, present in his mind, wroth, drank up that dreadful wind. And the wind thus met with its own destruction. All the magical charms being thus baffled, the wind being thus annihilated, the high-minded Prahlāda again repaired to the abode of his preceptor. And the preceptor instructed that boy daily in the science of polity essentially necessary for the administration of the government and invented by Usanas for the behoof of kings. When the preceptor found him well-versed in all political sciences and humble, he then communicated it to his father, saying,—"O lord of Daityas, thy son Prahlāda has become conversant with the principles of government as laid down by the descendant of Bhrigu". Thereat Hiranyakashipu said to his son,—"Prahlāda, how should a king conduct himself towards friends or foes and what steps he should take at the three periods (i.e. advance, retrogression and peace)? How should he behave towards his ministers, courtiers, the state and household officers, his emissaries, his subjects, those of doubtful allegiance and his open enemies? With whom should he make alliance; with whom enter into war; what sort of fortress he should build; how forest and mountain tribes should be brought down to subjection; how internal disturbances should be removed: all this and all other things you have read, do thou relate to me: I wish to hear thy mind".

Thereupon bowing to the feet of his father, Prahlāda, who had humility as his ornament, said, with folded palms to that Daitya-king. "Forsooth I have been instructed in all these by my preceptor and I have learnt them; but I do not approve of all of them. For the subjection of friends and foes four expedients have been prescribed by all—namely—conciliation, gift, punishment, and sowing dissension. But O father, be not angry, I know neither friends nor enemies. O thou of mighty arms where there is nothing to be effected what is the use of resorting to the means for effecting it? O father, it is useless to talk of friend or foe in Govinda, who is identical with all beings, manifest all over the universe, the lord of it and the Great Soul. The Great Vishnu exists in thee, in me as well as in all other creatures; and then what is the use of making such distinction as he is friend and he is foe! It is useless therefore to cultivate such tedious and unprofitable sciences which contain but false knowledge. It is but proper, O father, to engage in the cultivation of the knowledge of self. O father, the idea that ignorance is knowledge arises from ignorance only. A boy, O lord of Asuras, regards the fire-fly as fire. That is (proper) action that liberates us from the bondage of the world and that is (true) knowledge that leads us to the path of emancipation; all other actions lead but to weariness and all other knowledge is turned only into cleverness of an artist. Considering all this knowledge as useless I shall relate to thee respectfully what is really profitable; do thou, O great king, hear it. Who does not think of a kingdom? Who does not desire for riches? But all these are acquirable by the piety accumulated in a pristine birth—so the pious obtain them both. O great king, all men desire to be great—but this greatness is not acquired by exertion, it is the destiny that confers it upon men. O lord, kingdoms are acquired by fate, even by the stupid, the ignorant, the cowardly and those who are ignorant of the science of government. Therefore, he, who longs for greatness, should try to acquire piety. He, who desires for final beatitude, should try to regard all people with an impartial eye. Gods, men, animals, birds, reptiles, all are but diverse manifestations of the eternal Vishnu and exist in a separate state. By him, who knows this, the whole world, moveable and immoveable, is considered as at one with him—all proceeding alike from Vishnu assuming the universal form. When a man obtains this knowledge, the undecaying and eternal Vishnu—the remover of all afflictions, is propitiated with him". Parāçara said:—Having heard this and got up from the excellent seat, in great rage, Hiranyakashipu spurned his son on the breast with his foot. And burning in ire and wringing his hands as if bent upon destroying the whole universe, he exclaimed: "Ho Viprachita! Ho Rāhu! Ho Vāli binding this boy with serpents, do ye throw him unto the deep: delay not or else the Daityas, the Dānavas and all other people shall be initiated into doctrines of this stupid and vicious boy. We have prevented him many a time and oft and still he persists in chanting the glories of our foe: it is proper to destroy the wicked boy at once". Parāçara said:—Thereupon obeying the mandate of their master the Daityas speedily bound him with ropes and threw him into the water. Thereupon with Prahlāda trembled the mighty deep; and being agitated throughout, it rose in mighty waves. Beholding the earth about to be submerged by the great ocean, Hiranyakashipu again said to the Daityas,—"O ye descendants of Diti! Do ye bury this wicked boy in the deep with rocks. Fire did not burn him; the weapons did not hurt him; the serpents could not bite him; nor the withering blast, poison, and the magical incantations bring about his destruction. He baffled the illusions (of Samvara), fell unhurt from the loftiest mountains, foiled the elephants of the skies. He is a wicked boy and his life is a perpetual source of miseries. Let him be buried down with rocks into the deep. If he remains in that wise for a thousand years he may lose his life". Thereupon the Daityas and Dānavas, attacking Prahlāda in the mighty deep with rocks, covered thousands of yojanas therewith. And lying at the bed of the deep covered with racks, the high-minded Prahlāda, offered thus; with undisturbed mind, his praise to the undecaying:—"Salutation unto thee, O Pundarikāsha, salutation unto thee, O thou excellent Puhusha! Salutation unto thee, O thou the soul of all worlds! Salutation unto thee, O thou the wielder of sharp discus! Salutation unto the best of Brāhmanas! to the friend of Brāhmanas and of kine! to Krishna, the benefactor of the world and salutation to Govinda! Salutation to him, who as Brahmā creates the universe and who, being existent all over, preserves it. Salutation to thee, who dost at the end of Kalpa assume the form of Rudra, and who art tri-form. Thou art, Achyuta, the cause of gods, Yakhas, Asuras, Siddhas, serpents, choristers, dancers, goblins, demons, men, beasts, birds, insects, reptiles, plants, and stones, earth, fire, water, sky, wind, sound, touch, taste, colour, flavour, mind, intellect, soul, time, and the properties of nature; and these are all manifestations of thine. Thou art knowledge and ignorance, thou art truth and untruth; thou art poison and nectar; thou art the performance and continuance of acts and thou art the actions laid down in the Vedas. Thou art the enjoyer of the fruits of all actions and the means for effecting them. Thou, Vishnu, who art all, art the fruit of all acts of piety. Thou art in me, in others and spread all over the vast universe. Thy universal manifestation indicates might and goodness. O lord. The ascetics meditate upon thee, the priests offer sacrifice to thee. Thou, identical with progenitors and celestials, receivest burnt-offerings and oblations. The universe is a huge manifestation of thine; the world is lesser than that, O lord; and lesser than that are all the subtile elements and elementary being and thy subtlest form is the subtile principle within them that is called soul. Thou hast in thee a supreme soul, better than this soul and beyond the perception of all subtile elements and which cannot be conceived. Glory be to that Purusottam form of thine. And salutation be to that imperishable form of thine, O lord of gods, which is the soul of all creatures, another manifestation of thy might and which is the refuge of all qualities. I bow unto that supreme goddess who is beyond the perception of senses, the description of the tongue and mind and who is to be distinguished only by the wisdom of the truly wise. Salutation unto the Great God Vāsudeva, who is not separate from any thing and at the same time separate from all. Salutation again and again to that Great Spirit who has neither name nor form and whose existence can only be perceived. Salutation unto that Great Spirit, whose incarnate forms on earth the deities adore, being unable to behold his true form. Salutation unto that Great God Vishnu, the witness of all, who being present in all minds, beholds the good and evil of all. Salutation unto that Vishnu, from whom this world is not distinct. May He, who is the object of the world's meditation, its beginning, and who is undecaying, be propitiated with me. May that Hari have compassion upon me, who is the stay of all, in whom the universe is warped and woven and who is imperishable and undecaying. Salutation again and again unto Vishnu, in whom all things exist, from whom all things proceed and who is the supporter of all. Salutation to him who also am I, and who is everywhere and through whom all things are from me. I am all things and all things are from me who am eternal. I am undecaying eternal, the asylum of the supreme spirit. Brahmā is my appellation that is at the beginning and end of all things".

SECTION XX.

Parāçara said:—O twice-born! Thus meditating upon Vishnu as identical with himself he attained to that unification, which is desired by all and regarded him as the undecaying divinity. He forgot his individuality and was not conscious of anything. And he thought that he himself was the endless, undecaying supreme soul. And on account of this efficient notion of identity, the undecaying Vishnu, whose essence is wisdom, appeared in his mind which was wholly purified from sin. When the Asura Prahlāda had become identified with Vishnu by virtue of contemplation all the bonds were at once severed, as soon as he shook. The mighty deep rose up in waves and the monsters therein were terrified. And the earth trembled with all her mountains and forests. And throwing aside the pile of rocks that were placed by the Daityas on his breast, the high-minded Prahlāda came out of waters. And beholding the outer world, earth and heaven, he remembered who he was and knew himself to be Prahlāda. And again the wise boy, with his mind solely devoted to him and controlling his mind and speech, sang the glory of that excellent Purusha who is without beginning: Prahlāda said,—"Salutation unto thee who art the true wisdom, who art subtile and substantial, mutable and immutable, perceptible and unperceptible, who art with form and without it, indescribable and describable. Thou art the asylum of all attributes; thou art without qualities and with them; thou art with shape and without it; thou art minute and vast; visible and invisible; thou art hideousness and beauty; O undecaying Hari! thou art wisdom and ignorance. Thou art cause and effect; existence and non-existence; thou dost comprise all that is good and evil; thou art the substance of all perishable and imperishable elements and the refuge of all undeveloped rudiments. Salutation unto thee who art both one and many, Vāsudeva and the first cause of all. Salutation unto that excellent Purusha, who is both large and small, manifest and hidden, who is present in all beings and not, and from whom proceeds the universe although distinct from universal cause". Parāçara said:—While with his mind thus devoted to Vishnu Prahlāda chanted his praises; the Great Hari, clad in yellow suddenly appeared before him. Beholding him, he respectfully rose and with hesitating speech exclaimed repeatedly "Glory unto Vishnu" and said,—"O thou who removest the affliction of thy followers, O Keshava, do thou be propitious unto me. Do thou again purify me, O eternal god, with thy sight". The Deity replied,—"I am propitiated with thee for thy unshaken devotion unto me. Ask of me, Prahlāda, whatever thou wishest". Prahlāda said,—"My faith in thee may never suffer decrease in all the thousand births through which I may be doomed to pass. May my devotion unto thee be as firm as the attachment cherished by the ignorant people towards all worldly objects". The Deity replied,—"Thou hast already devotion unto me—and it shall ever be the same; but do thou beg of me a boon, O Prahlāda, whatever thou wishest". Prahlāda said,—"My father has treated me malignantly for proclaiming thy praises. O lord, do thou remove the sin he hath thus committed. He assailed me with weapons—he had me thrown into fire, bitten by the serpents, had poison mixed up with my viands, had me cast into the deep in bonds, and buried down with rocks and many other ills he had wrought against me out of malice for being devoted unto thee. May my father, O lord, by thy mercy, be speedily relieved of the sin he hath thus committed". The Deity replied,—"Prahlāda, all this shall be accomplished by my mercy. I wish to confer upon thee another boon, O son of Asura, do thou beg it". Prahlāda said,—"All my desires, O lord, have been fulfilled by the boon thou hast conferred upon me, that my faith in thee may never suffer decrease. What to speak of wealth, virtue or desire, even emancipation is in his hands who has firm devotion in thee, the root of the universal world". The Deity said,—"As unshaken is thy devotion unto me thou shalt by my mercy obtain final emancipation from existence". Parāçara said:—Having said this Vishnu disappeared from his sight, O Maitreya and Prahlāda again went to his father and bowed down before him. Having smelt his forehead, embraced him and shed tears, the father said, "Dost thou live my child?" The Great Asura treated him with kindness and repented for his past actions. And Prahlāda, conversant with piety, attended diligently upon his father and preceptor. After his father had been slain by Vishnu in the form of the man-lion, he became, O Maitreya, the sovereign of the Daityas. And obtaining the splendours of royalty on account of piety, he came by immense wealth and was blessed, with a numerous progeny. At the expiration of the regal power and freed from the consequences of moral merit or demerit, he obtained, by virtue of his meditation of the deity final emancipation from future births. So powerful was the wise Daitya Prahlāda devoted to Vishnu, O Maitreya, about whom you asked me. Whoever listens to the story of Prahlāda, is speedily freed from all sins. Forsooth a man is released from the iniquities he commits day and night by once hearing or reading the history of Prahlāda. The reading of this history, on the day of full-moon, of new-moon or in the eighth and twelfth days of the lunar half month, shall offer fruit tantamount to the gift of a cow, O twice born one. As Hari protected Prahlāda in all his calamities so he shall protect him who constantly listens to his history.

SECTION XXI.

Parāçara said:—The sons of Sanglhada were Ayushman Sivi and Vashkala. The son of Prahlāda was named Virochana, whose son was Vali who had a hundred sons of whom Vāna was the eldest, O great Muni.

All the sons of Hiranyaksha were also gifted with great prowess—Jharjhara, Sakuni, Bhutasantāpana, Mahānābha, Mahābāhu and Kālanābhan.[230]

Dahu had many sons—Dwimurddha, Sankara, Ayomukha, Sankusiras, Kapila, Samvara, Ekachakra, Mahābāhu, the mighty Tāraka, Swarbhānu, Vrishaparvan, Pulomon and the mighty Viprachiti: these were the powerful and renowned sons Danu.

Swarbhanu had a daughter named Prabhā and Sarmisthā was the daughter of Vrishaparvan who had two other daughters named Upadānavi and Hayasirā.

The two daughters of Vaiswanara were named Pulomā and Kālikā who were both married to Kasyapa and bore him sixty thousand celebrated Dānavas called Paulomas and Kālakanjas, who were mighty, dreadful and cruel.

Viprachiti begot on Sinhikā several sons named—Vyansa, Salya the strong, Nabha the powerful, Vātāpi, Namuchi, Hwala, Khasrima, Anjaka, Naraka, Kālanābha, the Valiant, Swarbhānu and the mighty Vaktrayodhi. These were the most eminent Dānavas who multiplied the race of Danu. Their children and grand children were by hundreds and thousands.

In the family of the Daitya Prahlāda, the Nivāta Kavachas were born, who were greatly purified by rigid austerities.

Six daughters, gifted with great energy, were born to Tāmra—named Suki, Syeni, Bhāsi, Sugrivi, Suchi, and Gridhrikā. Suki gave birth to parrots, owls, and crows, Syeni to hawks, Bhāsi to kites; Gridhrika to vultures, Suchi to water-fowl; Sugrivi to horses, camels and asses. These were the offsprings of Tāmra.

Vānati had two well-known sons, named Garuda and Varuna; the former also called Superna was the lord of the feathered tribes and the dreadful enemy of the serpents.

The offsprings of Surasā were a thousand powerful many-headed serpents coursing the welkin.

Kadru had also a thousand powerful sons of unmitigated prowess—all subject to Garuda and many-headed. The most celebrated amongst them were, Sesha, Vāsuki, Takshaka, Sankha, Sweta, Mahāpadma, Kumbala, Aswatara, Elapatra, Nāga, Karkkota, Dhananyaya, and many other deadly and poisonous serpents.

Krodas gave birth to highly powerful monsters and Suravi gave birth to cows and buffaloes. Irā was the mother of trees and creeping plants and shrubs and every kind of grass: Khāsa of the Rākshasas and Yakshas: Muni of Apsaras and Aristha of the celebrated Gandharvas.

These were the offsprings of Kasyapa whether moveable or stationary; their children and grand children multiplied by hundreds and thousands. Such was the creation, O Brahmana, in the Swarochisa (or the second) Manwantara. In the present or Viavaswata Manwantara Brahmā being engaged in sacrifices undertaken by Varuna I shall describe to you the manner in which the progeny multiplied. The great Patriarch begot as his sons the seven Rishis, who were in the days of yore, engendered by his mind.

O best of ascetics, when there was a quarrel amongst the Gandharvas, serpents, Dānavas and gods, Diti, having lost all her children, propitiated Kasyapa, Being perfectly adored by her, Kasyapa, the foremost of the ascetics, promised her a boon and Diti prayed for it in the shape of a valiant son capable of destroying Indra, O excellent Muni, he granted his spouse that boon. And having granted her that boon Kasyapa said—"You shall give birth to a son who shall destroy Sakra, if with pious thoughts and a pure body, you carry the babe in your womb for a hundred years". Having said this the ascetic Kasyapa remained with her and she conceived being perfectly pure. Knowing that this conception was for his own destruction, Indra the lord of immortals, came to her and attended upon her with humility. And the slayer of Pāka wanted there to thwart her intention. At last in the last year of the century he found out an opportunity. Diti, without washing her feet, went to bed. And when she was asleep the wielder of the thunder-bolt entered into her womb and severed the embryo into seven pieces.

The child, thus severed, cried out bitterly in the womb but Sakra again and again said "Do not cry". The embryo was thus cut into seven portions, and Indra, wroth again, cut each portion into seven pieces with his thunder-bolt. From these originated the swift-coursing deities called Maruts (winds.) They got this name from the words with which Indra had addressed the embryo (Ma—rooda—do not cry) and became forty-nine divinities, the assistants of the wielder of the thunder bolt.

SECTION XXII.

Parāçara said:—When Pritha was installed on the throne by the great Rishis the great Patriarch by and by conferred kingdoms upon other kings. He bestowed upon the moon the sovereignty of stars, planets, twice-born ones, grass, creeping plants sacrifices and penances. Vaisravana was made king over kings, and Varuna was made lord of waters. Vishnu was made the king of Adityas and Pāvaka of Vasus. Daksha was made the lord of Patriarchs and Vāsava of Maruts. And he conferred the sovereignty ®f Daityas and Dānavas upon Prāhlada. And Yama, the king of justice, was made the king of the manes (Pitris). Airāvata was made the king of many elephants, Garuda of birds, Vāsava of the celestials. Uchaisravas was made the king of horses and Vrishabba of kine. Shesha became the king of serpents, the lion, the monarch of the beasts and the holy fig-tree the king of the trees. Having thus divided the kingdom the great Patriarch Brahmā appointed divinities to protect the different quarters: he made Sudhanwan, the son of the patriarch Viraja, the protector of the east; Sankhapada the son of the patriarch Kardama, of the south; the immortal Ketumat, the son of Rajas, protector of the west and Hiranyaroman the son of the patriarch Parjanya, protector of the north. By these the whole earth, with its even islands and cities, was righteously governed, each confining himself to his own limit.

All these and others appointed to govern the creation are but persons of the Great Vishnu, O foremost of Munis, All the kings who have been and who shall be, O foremost of twice-born ones, are the portions of Vishnu. The lords of celestials, the kings of the Daityas, the sovereigns of the Dānavas, the rulers of the demons, the kings of the beasts, birds, men, serpents, Nagas, the best of trees, of mountains, of planets—those that were, those that are, and those that shall be, are but portions of Vishnu who is identical with the universe. None else is capable of protecting the world, but Hari, the lord of all. O greatly wise ascetic, the essence of the universal creation exists in him and none else. The eternal Vishnu invested respectively with the qualities of foulness, goodness, and darkness, creates the universe, preserves it and destroys it. By a four-fold manifestation of himself he creates the world and in the same way preserves and destroys it. In one manifestation as Brahmā, the invisible (Vishnu) assumes a visible shape; in his second manifestation, he appears as the patriarch Marichi and others; Kāla is the third manifestation and all other beings constitute his fourth manifestation. Thus he becomes four-fold in his creation invested with the quality of goodness. The Deity in one portion as Vishnu, preserves the creation; in his second portion he assumes the shape of Manu and others; in his third portion he assumes the shape of time, and in his fourth portion he assumes the shape of all beings. And thus invested with the quality of goodness, the excellent Purusha preserves the universe. And invested with the quality of darkness at the end of creation the un-born Deity, in one portion, assumes the form of Rudra. In another portion he assumes the shape of fire—in another he assumes the shape of time, and in his fourth portion he assumes the shape of all beings. And thus in his four-fold form he is the destroyer of the universe. This is the four-fold division of the Deity, O Brahman, at all seasons.

Brahmā, Daksha, time and all beings, are the energies of the Great Hari, which are the causes of creation. Vishnu, Manu, time and all beings are energies, O twice-born one, of Vishnu, which are the causes of preservation. Rudra, Antaka, time and all other creatures are the energies of Janārddana that are intended for universal dissolution. In the beginning of the creation, till the hour of dissolution, Brahmā, the patriarchs and all other animals, are engaged with the work of creation. At first Brahmā created the universe, then Marichi and others were engaged in multiplying the race and then the other animals multiply it every moment. O twice born one, Brahmā cannot create the universe unless the proper time comes, and Marichi and other patriarchs as well as other animals, independent of time, cannot help the creation. Thus at the time of creation as well as that of dissolution the four-fold divisions of the Great Deity are equally essential, O Maitreya. Whatever is generated by any living being, O twice-born one—the agent is considered as a portion of Hari. And whatever destroys any living being, moveable or immoveable, is considered as the destroying portion of Janārddana as Rudra. In this wise Janārddana is the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe. And assuming three qualities he is three-fold—in creation, preservation and destruction—but his true form is void of these qualities. And the four-fold manifestation of the Deity comprises true wisdom, pervades the universe, and does not admit of any similitude. Maitreya said:—"Describe to me, in sooth, O Muni, how could the supreme condition of the Deity admit of four varieties?" Parāçara said:—O Maitreya, that which is called the cause of a thing is the means of accomplishing it; and what is the desire of the soul to accomplish is the thing accomplished. The suspension of breath and the like operations, of the Yogi who is intent upon obtaining final emancipation, are his means and the end is the supreme Brahma from whom he does not return to the world. O Muni, the means, adopted for liberation by the ascetic, is the discriminative knowledge and this is the first variety of the condition of Brahma, O great Muni, the second portion is the knowledge that is to be obtained by the ascetics for liberation from suffering. By the third sort, they arrive at the knowledge of the identity of the end and the means and the rejection of the idea of duality. The last sort is the removal of whatever differences may have been formed regarding the three first varieties of knowledge and the necessary contemplation of the true essence of soul. The highest condition of Vishnu, who is identical with wisdom, is the knowledge of the truth. This knowledge requires no exercise, is not to be taught, is spread all over, admits of no comparison with anything, which does not require any other thing to explain it, which is itself existent and docs not require any explanation, which is calm, fearless and pure, which is not the subject of reasoning and does not require any support. And this knowledge is the excellent condition of Vishnu. O twice-born one, these ascetics, who, by the destruction of ignorance, emerge themselves in this knowledge of Brahma, lose the semenial property and do not germinate in the field of worldly existence.[231] That which is the excellent condition of Vishnu is pure, eternal, universal, undecaying and uniform. And the ascetic who obtains this supreme condition of Brahma is not required to be born again, for he is freed from the distinction of virtue and vice and suffering.

There are two states of Brahma—one with shape and the other without it—one perishable and the other imperishable. These two states are manifest everywhere. As the blaze of fire, at one place, spreads light and heat all around so this vast universe is nothing but the manifestation of the energy of the undecaying and eternal Brahma. And as the light and heat are stronger or feebler proportionate to the distance of the spot, so the energy of Brahma is more or less manifest in beings as they are more or less remote from him. O Brāhman, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are the most powerful energies of Brahma: next to them, O Maitreya, are the inferior celestials—next to them are the patriarch Daksha and others—next to them, men, beasts, birds and serpents and then the trees and plants each growing feebler proportionate to their distance from the Supreme God. In this way, the world, although eternal and indestructable, appears and disappears as if being subject to birth and death.

The all-powerful Vishnu is but the manifestation of Brahma. He being invested with form, the Yogis worship him at the very commencement. And the great ascetics, with their minds unagitated, in whose minds exists great spirit of devotion with the object to be meditated upon and along with the means for effecting it, endeavour to bring about mystic union with him. O great Muni, Hari is the most powerful of all the energies of Brahma, because he is the most immediate. And he is an embodiment of Brahma because he is composed entirely of his essence. In him the whole universe is interwoven—from him and in him is the universe, O Muni. Vishnu, the lord of the universe containing all that is destructable and indestructable, holds the creation material and spiritual with his ornaments and weapons.

Maitreya said:—"Do thou relate to me how does the great God Vishnu hold the universe with his ornaments and weapons".

Parāçara said:—Having bowed down unto the mighty and indescribable Vishnu I shall relate to you what was formerly described by Vasishtha, The Great Hari holds the pure soul of the world uncontaminated and divested of qualities like the Kaustava gem. The undecaying holds Pakriti as Srivatsa mark and intellect exists in Mādhava in the shape of his mace. The lord holds the two-folded divisions of egotism namely into elements and organs of sense in the shape of his conch-shell and bow. He holds in his hand, in the shape of discus, mind which is the strength of all and excels wind in its flight. The necklace, of the holder of mace, namely Vaijayenti, contains five precious gems (pearl, ruby, emerald, sapphire and diamond) being the emblems of the five elemental rudiments. Janārddana holds the faculties of action and perception in the shape of numerous shafts. The holy wisdom is the bright sword of Achyuta concealed sometimes in the scabbard of ignorance. In this wise, O Maitreya, Hrishikesha is the refuge of soul, nature, intellect, egotism, the elements, the senses, mind, ignorance and wisdom. And although Hari is without any shape, yet, he, for the behoof of mankind, in his dillusive form, embodies the elements of the world as his weapons and ornaments. Then the lotus-eyed deity, the lord of the universe, holds the nature and the universes. O Maitreya, true wisdom, ignorance, all that is transient, all that is everlasting, exist in the slayer of Madhu, the lord of all creatures. The time with its division of seconds, minutes, days, months, seasons, and years, is but the manifestation of the Great Hari. O Great Muni, the seven worlds, the earth the sky, the heaven, the world of Patriarchs, of sages, of saints, of truth are but diverse manifestations of his. His form is the whole universe; he is first born before all the first-born. He is the refuge of ail being; he is himself self-sustained; his various forms are celestials, men and animals. Therefore he is the supreme lord of all; eternal; he has a visible shape and is without it He is known in the Vedanta as the Rich, Yajush, Sāma and Atharva Vedas, history and sacred science. The Vedas with their manifold divisions, the institutes of Manu and the writings of other law-givers, sacred lores and their translations, poems and all that is said or sung are bodily forms of that Great Vishnu in the shape of sound. All kinds of things with or without form—here or elsewhere are the body of Vishnu. I am Hari; all this is Janārddana, cause and effect proceed from none else but him. He, who is cognizant of these truths, shall never be subject to the afflictions of worldly existence.

Thus, O twice-born one, the first portion of the Purāna, has been related to you, hearing which one may be freed from sins. The man, who hears this, obtains the fruit of bathing in the Pushkara lake[232] for twelve years in the month of Kartik. O Muni, the celestials confer upon him, who hears this Purāna, the dignity of a divine sage, of a patriarch, or of a spirit of a heaven.

THE END OF PART I.