Thereupon in the last part of Brahmā's day, when according to the desire of Ishwara, thirty-three celestials, well-read in Itishāsas, Upanishads, Vedas and other sciences and engaged in pious works and having their faces discoloured and limbs burnt by his effulgence took Brahmā, the origin of the universe, before them and appeared there the great Yogin Nārāyana in the shape of a swan entered into Hari. As in this world the sun daily rises and sets so the gods appear and disappear in Nārāyana. I will describe it (16–20). A cycle consisting of a thousand years complete is called Nishesha for at that time the world, the instrument of dissolution, does not exist and so all the works of creatures are brought to a close. Having destroyed all the worlds consisting of the gods, Asuras and Pannagas, the Lord only, the preceptor of the world, lives in His own Self. After the end of each cycle the Lord, again and again, creates all creatures. The Lord is unmanifest and Eternal. The whole universe exists in Him. When the world is divested of the rays of the sun and the moon, of smoke, fire, air, sacrifices and religious rites, when the birds become motionless and no animal moves about, when the whole world is enveloped with darkness, and every thing becomes invisible, when all the works come to a close, when the fall of lightning, earth-quake and other portends disappear, when the enemies are destroyed and the universe, identical with Nārāyana, arrives at a state of equilibrium Hrishikesha, the Great soul, strives to sleep. Wearing matted locks like unto a thousand flames Krishna, clad in a yellow raiment, resembling a cloud in hue and having red eyes, a breast pasted with red sandal and adorned with the mystic mark of Srivatsa, appears there like a cloud charged with lightning. A garland of a thousand lotuses adorns, his neck and his wife, Lakshmi, herself remains attached to his person. Thereupon Vishnu, of incomparable prowess and identical with virtue, the grand-father of all, enters into an undescribable Yoga sleep. Thereupon after the completion of a thousand years he himself awakes as the Lord Purusottama the master of all the celestials. Afterwards the Lord of the world again thinks of creating the universe. With his supreme power he creates the departed manes, gods, Asuras and men. He then thinks of the works of the gods. That lord of speech then creates all the worlds (21-34). The Lord is the creator, protector and destroyer: he is the ordainer: he is self-control and regulation (35). All the gods are identical with Nārāyana, all works are identical with Nārāyana, all truth is identical with Nārāyana and all dignity is identical with Nārāyana. All Yajnas and Srutis are identical with Nārāyana. Emancipation is identical with Nārāyana and He is the refuge of all. Virtue and sacrifices all depend on Nārāyana. Knowledge and ascetic penances all proceed from Him. There is no god superior to Nārāyana: nor will there be any (36–38). He is the Self-sprung Deity, the lord of the universe; He comes within the ken of knowledge as Brahmā and within that of perception as air. He is identical with yajna. He is known by us as both manifest and unmanifest: he is omniscient and the creator of all. He displays what the senses cannot: and the latter cannot perceive what he does not display, The gods, the patriarchs and the seven Rishis have not been able to know the end of Him. Therefore the Sruti says that He is without end. His most supreme form the gods cannot see: they only adore that form of His which He assumes at the time of His incarnation. The gods only see that form of His in which He manifests Himself. The form which He does not show no body can search for. He is the lord of elements, the motion of the vital air and the fire of digestion. He is the distributor of energy, asceticism and ambrosia. He enjoys the fruits of Chāturhotra in four Asramas. He is the ordainer of four Yugas and four oceans. He is the great Yogin. Having destroyed the universe He keeps it in his womb for a thousand years and then unfolds the egg. This omniscient Prajapati creates the gods, Asuras, the Brāhmanas, serpents, Apsaras, herbs, the upholders of the universe, Yakshas, Guhyakas, and the Rakshasas (39-47).
CHAPTER XXX. THE WORK OF CREATION AND UPRAISING OF THE EARTH.
Vaishampāyana said:—The Vedic Sruti says that formerly this universe of Brahmā existed in the shape of a golden egg. Thereupon for creating the world the omnipotent Lord cut off the egg which had its mouth upwards. The Lord, who was conversant with the knowledge of all divisions, again divided it into eight parts. The etherial hole which was on the surface of the egg was converted into the most excellent Brahma region intended for the virtuous. And the hole underneath was converted into Rasātala. As the material cause of the universe the Lord created that egg with eight sorts of holes; and he then divided senses, in the shape of holes, into gross and subtle elements. And the various parcels of the egg dyed with diverse colors were converted into variegated clouds. The liquid substance, that was in the egg, became gold on earth.
O King, as the world is covered with oceans, at the time of the universal dissolution so the entire universe was covered with the streaming juice of that egg. And the water, that came out of the egg which the Lord created formerly for the construction of the celestial region, became the golden mountains. With that water, all the quarters, sky, the region of Nāka and all other interstices were covered. And wherever that water dropped mountains were created. The earth was thick set with mountains and became impassable. Assailed by those mountains extending over many Yojanas the earth was pressed down by their weight. The celestial water, identical with Narāyana which flowed down on earth became the golden energy. Assailed by that energy and unable to bear it the earth entered into the region underneath. Seeing the earth enter into the region underneath, the slayer of Madhu, for the well-being of all, devoted his attention to raising her (1-16).
The Lord said:—Assailed by the weight of my strength the poor goodess Earth is going to Rasatala like unto a cow thrown helplessly into mud (17). The Earth said:—"Salutation unto Purusottama who is endued with three foot-steps, of incomparable strength, the great man-lion of four arms, and who bears the mystic mark of Srivatsa on his breast and holds the bow Shrānga, discus, sword and club (18). O lord, thou dost hold Atman, thou dost uphold the universe, the elements and protect the world. Thou dost, by thy energy and strength, hold all and I sustain them afterwards. I cannot sustain what thou dost not uphold. There is no element which is not supported by thee. O Nārāyāna, at every Yuga, thou dost, for the behoof of the world, relieve me of my burden. Assailed by thy energy I am about to enter into Rasātala. I do now seek refuge with thee. Do thou save me. When I am oppressed by the Dānavas and the wicked-souled Rākshasas I do seek thy shelter who art eternal and all truth. When my mind is possessed by fear I, hundreds of times, pray to thee in my mind who art broad-shouldered and like unto a bull and seek thy shelter." The Lord said:—"O Earth, do not fear. Be self-controlled and enjoy peace. I do bring you to your proper place which you wish (19–26)."
Vaishampāyana said:—Thereupon the great Lord thought in his mind of his celestial forms and said:—"Assuming what form shall I upraise the earth?" Then ascertaining how he would raise up the earth sunk under water, the Lord, sporting in water, thought of his boar-form. Hari, the upholder of the ground, thus engaged himself in raising up the earth. That Brahmā form, indentical with worlds, was above the reach of all. It extended over ten Yojanas, and was a hundred Yojanas in height. It was like a dark-blue cloud in hue—and its voice was like the muttering of clouds. It was strong like a huge mountain and had white burning tusks. It was effulgent like lighting and the rays of the sun. His shoulders were plump and spacious. His gait was like that of a proud tiger. His back was elevated and he was endued with all the marks of a bull. Having thus assumed the form of a huge boar, Hari entered into Rasātala for raising up the earth. The Vedas were the feet of that boar, the sacrificial stakes were its teeth, the sacrifice was its hands, Chiti was its mouth, fire was its tongue, Darbha grass was its hair, Brahman was its head. That Great Yogin was the distributor of days, nights and moments, was identical with the Vedas and their limbs, and adorned with Srutis. Having thus assumed the form of a sacrificial boar the preceptor of the world immediately entered into the region underneath. He held the earth covered with the mass of water. For the behoof of the world the Lord entered into Rasātala and upraised the earth with his tusks sunk down there.
Thereupon reinstating the earth in her proper place the Lord upheld the upholders of the earth and then released her. On account of her being held up by him the earth attained to peace and saluted the Lord Vishnu. Having thus assumed the form of sacrificial boar, the Lord, for the well-being of all, raised up the goddess Earth. Having raised up the earth from Rasātala that foremost of Suras, having eyes, devoted his attention to making various divisions of the world. Having assumed the form of a huge boar, the highly illustrious Achyuta, of unequalled prowess, raised up the earth with one tusk for the well-being of the world (27–48).
CHAPTER XXXI. THE CREATION OF MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS.
Vaishampāyana said:—The earth floated over that vast expanse of water like a boat. On account of the heaviness of her body she did not sink down (1). The Lord then thought of making divisions of the earth. He then thought of the height of mountains, the courses of rivers and their sizes, small or less. Having divided the earth into four continents like unto four petals of a lotus and separated the oceans he created the golden mountain Meru (2-4).
Thereupon going to the eastern side he created the (Udaya) rising mountain a hundred yojanas in extent and a thousand yojanas in height. With golden summits the fruits of his own energy and effulgent like the rising sun he completed it with body and base (5–6). That one, having lotus eyes, created there golden trees of huge stems covered daily with flowers and fruits (7). The Great God Vishnu next created the mount Soumanaka which was a hundred yojanas in extent and two hundred in height. He collected there thousands and thousands of jems and variegated altars shining like evening clouds. He then created the mountain of a thousand summits, the abode of hundreds of jems. It was thickly covered with trees and was sixty yojanas in height. There the celestial Architect placed his most excellent seat adored of all creatures. He then created the great mountain Shaishira covered with forest. Its impassable caves were richly adorned. From it he created the celebrated river Vasudhāra, originating from dews abounding in birds and adorned with banks. That river, full of sacred sacrifices, covered the entire eastern quarter with pearls and conch-shells, daily yielded ambrosial fruits and flowers, and had profuse shade. It was adorned with many trees grown on its bank (8-15).