Souti said:—I shall now relate to you the story of the birth of Vrishnis from the very beginning about which the pious disciples of Vyasa, Vaishampāyana was accosted by Janamejaya (10). Hearing the complete history of the descendants of Bharata, the highly wise Janamejaya, born in their race, said to Vaishampāyana (11).
Janemejaya said:—You described before in full and I heard the story of Mahābhārata full of many meanings and Historical accounts (12). Therein you mentioned the names and deeds of many mighty car-warriors and heroes of the Vrishni and Andhaka families (13). O foremost of the twice born, you have described briefly and fully their many excellent deeds (14). Though this ancient story has been recounted again and again, still I have not been satiated with it. The Pāndavas and Vrishnis are related to each other; you are competent enough to describe their families and you have with your own eyes seen everything. Therefore, O you having asceticism for your wealth, do you describe their family at length (15–16). I wish to know who were born in which families. Therefore, O great ascetic, beginning with the Patriarch and recollecting their previous creations, do you describe truly everything at length (17).
Souti said:—Having been welcomed and accosted by him, the high-souled ascetic of rigid austerities described in full the whole story from the very beginning (18).
Vaishampayana said:—Listen, O king, to the sacred theme, as narrated by me, heavenly, destructive of sins, wonderful and abounding in various meanings and sacred stories (19). He, who circulates this story or listens to it constantly, multiplies his own family and is spoken high of in the celestial region (20). This universe, permeated by Isvara (God), emanated from Pradhāna Purusha who is the unmanifest cause, eternal and identical with the existent and non-existent (21). Know him, O monarch, as Brahmā (Creator) of incomparable energy, the creator of all beings and ever devoted to Nārāyana (Vishnu) (22). From Mahat has emanated Ahankara; from the latter the five subtle elements have sprung and from them the grosser elements: thus the eternal work of creation is carried on.[8] Hear, I shall relate as I have heard and as I think, of the long extending genealogies of families increasing the glory of their fore-fathers (23–24). The account of these pious men of everlasting glory always gives fruit and leads to the multiplication of race and attainment of heaven (25). On account of this theme being fruitful and because you are competent to hear it and are pure I shall relate, to you, beginning with the family of Vrishnis the most excellent creation of beings (26).
Thereupon desirous of creating various creatures the Divine Self-sprung (Brahmā) at first created waters and then created seeds therein (27). The waters are designated as Nārā for they are the offspring of Nara. The deity first rested thereon and is therefore called Nārāyana (28). The egg, lying in the waters, assumed golden hue—from that sprang Brahmā, of his own accord and he is (therefore) called Self-sprung (29). Having lived there for many years the divine Hiranyagarbha divided the egg into two and they were called the heaven and earth (30). The Lord created Akāsa or space between the two portions and in the waters he created the floating earth and the ten quarters (31). There-upon desirous of creating the Patriarchs or lords of creation he created time, mind, speech, passion, anger and desire (32). The highly effulgent deity then created his seven mind-born sons—Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vashistha. (33). These seven have been ascertained as Brāhmanas in the Puranas. These seven created by Brahmā, are like Nārāyana himself (34). There-upon Brahmā created Rudra born of his anger and Sanat Kumar, the predecessor of those born before (35). O descendant of Bharata, these seven and Rudra engaged in the work of creation. Skanda and Sanat Kumar sustained the energy of creation (36). Their seven great families consisted of Yakshas, Pishachas, the celestials and others who all performed heavenly deeds and created progeny and were adorned with Kaçyapa and other leading saints (37). He then created lightning, thunderbolt, the straight and bent rainbows, the rangers of the sky and clouds (38). He, then for the successful celebration of Paynas, created Riks, Yuyush and Sāman; he then created the gods from his mouth and the ancestral manes from his breast (39). He then engendered human beings from his organ of generation and from his hips the Asuras, Sādhyas and other classes of gods. This we have heard (40). From the body of the Patriarch Vashishtha when he was desirous of creating progeny, sprang the various kinds of elemental creations (41). When the progeny, created by his mind, did not multiply he divided his own body into two and with the half he created man (42). With the other half he created woman and through her he engendered various kinds of progeny. He resides enveloping the heaven and earth with his own glory (43). Vishnu created a universal form which again created a Purusha: You should know him as Manu and his regeme is known as Manwantara (44). The second creation of Washishtha is called Manwantara. The great Virat Purusha created the progeny. He is the creation of Nārāyana and his progeny are not born in any sex (45). Having known this primaeval creation a man gains longevity, fame, wealth, progeny and his wished-for region (46).
| [6] | The head of the family of Rishis of the same name. |
| [7] | Two clans representing two royal families of ancient India. |
| [8] | According to Sankhya Mahat is the intellect. It is the intellectual principle which appertains to individual beings. Ahankara is self consciousness or the consciousness of ego. The five subtle elements are Akasa or ether, air, fire, water and earth. By them are produced the four kinds of grosser elements such as Viviparous born from the womb as man and other animals; oviparous, or born of the egg as birds, fishes and serpents; those engendered by heat and damp as insects and worms; and those springing from the earth—as vegetables, trees &c. |
CHAPTER II. THE ORIGIN OF MEN: THE BIRTH OF DAKSHA.
Vaishampayana said:—When the work of his creation of progeny was complete the Patriarch Vashishtha obtained Shatarupā, not born of a woman, as his spouse (1). While he resided covering the etherial region, he created Shatarupā, O monarch, by his greatness and Yoga power (2). Having carried on rigid austerities for a million of years she obtained her husband of burning asceticism (3). That Purusha, O my child, is called Swayambhuva Manu. His own Manwantara in this world consists of seventy-one Yugas (4). The Universal Purusha begat on Shatarupā a son by name Veera who begat on Kāmyā two sons by name Pryavrata and Uttānapāda (5). Kāmyā, the daughter of the Patriarch Kardama, gave birth to four sons, O you of large arms, namely Samrāt, Kukshi, Virāt, and Prabhu. Obtaining Pryavrata as her husband she gave birth to them (6) The Patriarch Atri adopted Uttānapāda as his son. Sunritā gave birth to four sons through Uttānapāda (7). The youthful daughter of Dharma was known as Sunritā. She originated from a horse sacrifice and that pure damsel was the mother of Dhruva (8). The Patriarch Uttanapāda begat on Sunritā, four sons by name, Dhruva, Kirtiman, Ayushmān, and Vasu (9). O descendant of Bharata, O monarch, with a view to obtain the great Brahman, Vishnu, Dhruva carried on hard austerities for three thousand celestial years (10). Being propitiated the Patriarch Brahmā conferred on him a permanent region, peerless on earth, in the front of the region of the seven Rishis (11). Beholding his great prosperity and greatness the preceptor of the gods and demons, (Ushanā) sang the following hymn (12). "Oh, wonderful is his energy of asceticism, knowledge of scriptures and prowess, placing whom before them the seven Rishis are living (13)". From Dhruva were born Shlishthi, Bhavya and Shumbha. Shlishthi begat on Suchayā seven sinless sons (14). They were Ripu, Ripunjaya, Pushpa, Vrikala and Vrikatejā. Ripu begat on Vrihati, a son, gifted with all energies, by the name of Chākshusha (15). The noble Chākshusha begat Muni on Pushkarini, a mother of heroes and the daughter of the Patriarch Aranya (16). O foremost of Bharatas, Muni begat ten highly powerful sons on Nadvalā, the daughter of the Patriarch Vairaj (17), Uru, Puru, Shata dyumna, Tapaswi, Satyavān, Kavi, Agnistut and Atirātra; and Sudyumna was the ninth (18). The tenth was Abhimanyu; these were the sons of Nadvalā. Uru begat on Agneyi six highly powerful sons-Anga, Sumanas, Swati, Kratu, Angiras and Gaya (19). Anga begat only one son on Sunithā, by name Vena. By the irregularities of Vena (the Rishis) were highly irritated (20). For creating progeny the Rishis churned his right arm. When Vena's right arm was churned by the ascetics, therefrom originated Prithu (21). Seeing him the Rishis said in delight, "This highly powerful one will delight his subjects and will attain to fame (22)". As if burning all with his energy he took his birth with a bow and a coat of mail. Born first in the race of Kshatriyas, Vena's son Prithu protected this earth (23). That lord of the earth was the first born of those who are sprinkled with water at the Rajshuya sacrifices. For him were born Suta and Magadha, experts in singing the glories of kings (24). O descendant of Bharata, to give livelihood to his subjects by him the earth was milched for corns in the company of the gods, Rishis, the ancestral manes, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Apsarās, serpents, Guyakas, creepers and mountains (25–26). When milched the earth gave wished-for milk in their respective vessels; by it they maintain their lives (27). Two sons, conversant with religion, were born to Prithu, Antardhi and Pālita. Antardhi begat Havirdhāna on Shikhandin (28). Havirdhana begat on Agneyidhishanā six sons—Prāchina varhis, Sukra, Gaya, Krishna, Vraja and Ajina (29). Thus O monarch, Prāchinavarhis, gifted with great spiritual power, was born of Havirdhāna. He was a great Patriarch and multiplied the progeny (30). O Janamejaya, the tips, of the Kuça grass in his sacrificial ground, were directed towards the east and they covered the entire earth. And therefore he was celebrated by the name of Prāchinavarhis (31). Having carried on great austerities that king espoused Savarnā the daughter of the ocean, who gave birth to ten sons for Prāchinavarhis who were all called Prachetas and had mastered the science of archery (32–33). Observing the same religion and lying in the waters of the ocean they carried on great austerities for ten thousand years (34).