| [174] | The quality of darkness. The meaning of the passage is that when Vishnu, possessed by the desire of creation, is engaged in meditating upon his own true form. When Satwa, or the quality of goodness, reigns supreme in him, he absolutely retires from the work of creation and when he is possessed by the desire of creation the quality of Tamas or darkness predominates in him. The origin of this desire in him is the root of creation, for the whole universe before us is the outcome of his will. According to the Hindu mythology the work of creation and dissolution is perpetually going on, And each of these work is dependant on the pure and absolute will of the Lord. When Vishnu, the Supreme Lord, happens to cherish a desire for creation he engages in meditating upon his true form. Thus meditation is allegorically represented as his sleep. From this meditation proceeds Brahmā who is to make arrangements for this great work. But he is dependant on the will of the Lord. Brahmā next creates the Patriarchs who are to be the originators of the various families. |
CHAPTER LI. THE PROPOSAL OF RELIEVING THE EARTH OF HER BURDEN.
Vaishampayana said:—Hearing these words of Vishnu, Brahmā, the Grand-Father of all, gave vent to words fraught with the well-being of gods (1). "There is no fear, from the Asuras, of the gods whom you give protection by becoming their leader in various battles (2). When you yourself, the slayer of your enemies, and the king of gods, are crowned with victory, what fear do men, engaged in religious observances, cherish (3)? Truthful and pious men are always freed from ills. Death cannot prematurely visit the pious (4). Enjoying their sixth portion, the kings, the foremost of men, do not fear one another (5). Doing good to their subjects and realizing duly tributes from their tributary kings without being blamed by them, they fill up their treasuries with wealth (6). Meting out mild punishment and being forbearing they govern their respective prosperous provinces and protect the four Varnas (7). Without creating disturbance amongst their subjects and being adored well by their ministers and protected by the four divisions of army they are enjoying the six means[175] (8). They are all well-versed in the science of archery, observant of the Vedic rites and they all worship the gods with sacrifices accompanied by profuse gifts (9). Having performed the ceremony of initiation and studied the Vedas they propitiate the great saints with chastity in thought, words and deeds and the ancestral manes, hundreds of times, with holy Srāddhas (10). There is no such object in the world, Vedic, customary, and scriptural that is not known to them (11). Believing in the great Brahman, all those kings, effulgent like the great Rishis, are endeavouring to bring back the golden age (12). By their power Vāsava is pouring good showers, and the winds, with dust removed, are duly blowing in the ten quarters (13). The earth is freed of all the evil portends and the planets are ranging at ease in the sky. United with the stars the moon is beautifully moving about in the sky (14). The sun, that produces regular successions, is moving in its two paths. Being propitiated by various oblations the fire has become sweet scented (15). The sacrifices being thus duly undertaken and multiplied the entire world is propitiated and men cherish no fear of death (16). The earth has been oppressed by the power of those powerful kings of brilliant fame following one another (17). The earth, exhausted with this weight and assailed by the kings, has come before us like a boat on the verge of being drowned (18). Oppressed by the kings resembling the fire of dissolution and having the mountains shaken and the oceans agitated the earth is repeatedly perspiring (19). With the body, energy, strength and the extensive territories of the Kshatriyas the earth is ever enjoying peace (20). In every city the king is surrounded by ten millions of soldiers; in every kingdom, hundreds and thousands of villages are growing prosperous and the earth has been completely covered with thousands of kings, their powerful army and millions of villages (21-22). Placing before her the Time, freed of all diseases and being shorn of energy the Earth has come to my house. O Vishnu, thou art her most excellent refuge (23). This Earth, the land of human actions, has been greatly assailed. It behoves thee to do that by which the eternal Earth, the stay of the universe, may not suffer deterioration (24). O Madhusudana, great is the iniquity in oppressing her, since on her being assailed all the works of the humanity will come to a close and the universe will fare ill (25). Being oppressed by the kings the earth has become evidently exhausted. Renouncing her firmness and natural forbearance she has grown impatient (26). We have heard her history. Thou hast listened to it also. We shall therefore consult with thee for relieving her of her load (27).
"Wending righteous ways all these kings are multiplying their territories. Amongst men the three other Varna are following the Brāhmanas (28). All the words are truthful, all the Varnas are observing their respective duties, all the Brāhmanas are studying the Vedas and all other men are devoted to Brāhmanas (29). Thus exist men in the world who are the instruments of righteousness. Let such practices be observed by which virtue may not suffer deterioration (30). This earth is the goal of the pious and none else. Virtue is the most excellent object they should endeavour to secure. Therefore to relieve the earth of her burden it is meet to destroy the kings. Therefore, O great one, come with us to hold a consultation. With the earth before us let us go to the summit of the mount Meru (31–32)." Having said this, O foremost of kings, the self-controlled Grand Father of all, Brahmā, of great effulgence, began to take rest with the earth (33).
| [175] | The six acts of a king, in his military character, are peace, war, marching, halting, sowing dissension and seeking protection. |
CHAPTER LII. THE ASSEMBLY OF THE GODS.
Vaishampayana said:—Saying 'so be it' the Lord, having the hue of a cloud and voice like its muttering in an unfair day, went away with the gods like a mountain covered with clouds (1). At that time Hari, having a dark-blue person, put on shining matted locks crested with jems and pearls like a cloud with the moon (2). On his spacious breast, the hairs whereof stood erect, there was the mystic mark of Srivatsa (3). Wearing two pieces of yellow raiment that eternal Hari, the preceptor of the world, looked like a mountain covered with evening clouds (4). When he began to proceed on the back of Garuda the Lotus-born Deity (Brahmā) and the gods, having their eyes fixed on him, began to follow him (5). Having reached the jewelled mountain in no time they saw the assembly hall built after their own hearts (6). It was built on the summit of the mount Sumeru, and was effulgent like the sun. Its pillars were made of gold and its gateways were crested with diamonds. It contained diverse paintings on account of its being constructed by the mind and hundreds of cars. Its windows were covered with the jewelled nets. It could go any where at will and was embellished with jems. It was filled with many sorts of jewels and flowers made of various metals. That celestial assembly hall, filled with celestial illusion, was constructed by Viswakarmān[176] (7–9). All the gods, with delighted minds, sat duly on the seats properly assigned to each of them, in that auspicious assembly hall (10). They sat on cars, seats, Bhadrāsanas,[177] Pithas,[178] and seats of Kutha[179] (11). Thereupon at the command of Brahmā, the wind Prabhanjana began to patrol on all sides of the assembly hall so that there might not arise any sound (12). When everything was silent and calm in that assembly of the gods the Earth plaintively began to address them in piteous accounts (13).
The Earth said:—O god, do thou uphold me. By thee the whole universe has been sustained. Thou art protecting the creatures and three worlds (14). Whatever thou dost sustain by thy energy and strength, I do afterwards hold it by thy favour (15). Whatever thou dost hold I do hold it and whatever thou dost not sustain I too do not keep it. There is no element in the universe which thou canst not sustain (16). O lord Nārāyana, at various cycles thou dost relieve me of my burthen for the behoof of the world (17). Being possessed by thy energy I have gone to the region underneath. O foremost of gods, I am at thy mercy. Do thou save me (18). I have been assailed by the wicked Dānavas and Rākshasas. Thou art my eternal saviour and I am always at thy mercy (19). I know it for hundred times that as long as I shall not seek refuge with Nārāyana who relieves me of all loads so long I shall be under the influence of a mighty fear (20). Before agriculture, merchandise and other means of livelihood were instituted by the lotus-sprung Brahmā, in the days of yore, I was reduced in dimension. Binding me two great Asuras, made of earth, were born before (21). While this high-souled Vishnu was sleeping in the mighty deep they originated from the dirt of his ears and remained like two logs of wood (22). Despatched by the Grand-Father, air, in the shape of vital breath, entered into the body of those two Dānavas. Thereupon covering the sky those two great Asuras began to grow up (23). Brahma gradually touched them both who were gifted with vital breaths. One of them appeared to be soft and the other hard (24). The water-born Lord Brahmā then gave them names. The one, who was soft, was named Madhu and the other, who was hard, was called Kaitava (25). When those two Daityas were thus named they, elated with the pride of their strength and being fearless, began to range in the world converted into one sheet of water, seeking battle (26). Beholding them thus approach Brahmā, the grand-father of all, disappeared in the water of the universal ocean (27). The four-mouthed grand-father desired to live secretly in the lotus sprung from the navel of the lotus-navelled Vishnu (28). When Nārāyana’s grand-sons, Madhu and Kaitava thus lived in the water, they, living there for many long years, were not the least agitated (29). Thereupon after many years, those two demons, Madhu and Kaitava, came where Brahmā was stationed (30). Beholding those two dreadful, huge-bodied and irrepressible Dānavas, Brahmā, with the stalk of the lotus, disturbed Nārāyana. Thereat the highly-effulgent lotus-navelled Deity rose up from his bed (31). At that time the three worlds were covered with water and so in that one sheet of water there took place a terrible encounter between Nārāyana and Madhu and Kaitava (32). That dreadful battle continued for thousand years and those two Dānavas did not experience least exhaustion in the encounter (33). After a long time those two Dānavas, dreadful in battle, with a delighted heart, said to the Lord Nārāyana. "We have been greatly pleased with fighting with thee. Thou art our most desirable death. Do thou bring about our destruction at a place on earth which is not filled with water (34-35). O foremost of gods, slain by thee we shall become thy sons who vanquishes us in battle" (35).
Catching these two demons with his arms in battle Nārāyana assailed them. Thereat Madhu and Kaitava met with death (37). Thus killed those two Dāityas were saturated with water. Their two bodies were then fused into one. And then churned by the waves of the water they began to discharge fat. The water was covered with fat.
O sinless one, thereupon they disappeared and the Lord Nārāyana again engaged in the work of creation (38-39). On account of my being covered with the fat of the demons Madhu and Kaitava I have passed by the name of Medini. I have become the eternal universe by the power of the lotus-navelled deity (40).