Yaksha Yuddha Parva — Seeing of Meru

Then, O tormentor of foes, when the sun rose, Dhaumya, on performing his devotions, visited the Pandavas, with Arstisena.

Having bowed down to the feet of Dhaumya and Arstisena, they then worshipped all the Brahmanas with joined hands.

Then the great sage Dhaumya, taking Yudhishthira by the right hand and looking towards the East, said this:

O Great king, covering the earth up to the sea reigns this Mandara, the prince of mountains.

O Pandava, this point, adorned with mountains, woods and forest, is protected by Indra and Vaisravana.

O child, it is said by the intelligent sages, acquainted with all duties, that this (region) is the abode of Mahendra and of king Vaisravana.

The twice-born ones and the righteous sages and the Siddhas and the Sadhyas and the celestials, worship the sun who rises from this point.

And that righteous king Yama, the lord of all living creatures, presides over yonder southern point, the path of the spirits of the departed.

This is Sanyamana, the abode of the lord of the departed souls, sacred, highly wonderful to look at and full of crowning bliss.

The intelligent ones denominate that prince of mountains Ashta, getting to which Savita ever observed the truth.

Similarly, dwelling in this prince of mountains and the mighty sea, king Varuna protects all creatures.

O highly fortunate one, illuminating the northern point, there stretches the powerful and auspicious (Mountains) Mahameru-the refuge to those holding communion with Brahma.

There the court of Brahma is (held) and remaining where the universal soul Prajapati created all that is mobile and immobile.

(This) Mahameru is the auspicious and blissful abode of Daksha and six others who are known as the mind-born sons of Brahma.

O child, here too the seven divine sages with Vasishtha at their head sit and rise again.

Behold that excellent summit of the Meru that bright region when the grandsire (Brahma) sits with the gods, happy in self-knowledge.

(And) next to the abode of Brahma appears the region of that original lord, the god Narayana who has neither beginning nor end and who is said to be the really first cause of the origin of the whole creation. Even the gods cannot behold that auspicious (place)) composed of all energies.

(And) by reason of its own splendour surpassing the sun or fire in lustre, the place of the high-souled Vishnu is not visible to the gods and the Danavas.

The abode of Narayana lies resplendent to the East of the Meru where the lord of all creatures, the self-existent cause of the universe.

Displaying all creatures, appears grand with excellent gracefulness. Even the Brahmarshis cannot have and admittance there; how can the Maharshis? O excellent of the Kurus, only Yatis can have access to it. Nor, O Pandava, can all the luminaries shine (by him).

Here the lord of incomprehensible soul reigns supreme. Here, on account of their souls being purified by pious deeds and devotion, the Yatis of rigid asceticism, approach Narayana (Hari). Those high-souled (beings) attaining to perfection by yoga and free from ignorance and pride,

Repairing thither and attaining to the selfexistent, high-souled and eternal god of gods. O Bharata, do not come back to this world.

O highly fortunate Yudhishthira, this place is eternal, without deterioration or end; because it is always the very life of that god.

O descendant of Kuru, the sun and the moon, through eternity, make their tour around this Meru every day.

O pure one, O great king, all the luminaries too turn round this prince of mountains in the self-same way.

The god Aditya too, the dispeller of darkness, attracting all the luminaries, goes round this (Meru).

That author of the day, Vibhavasu, having gone down and then having passed the evening, takes the excellent northern point.

O Pandava, that god Savita, bent on the welfare of all creatures, then coming near the Meru, again goes on his course facing the East.

Similarly, the divine moon moves with the stars (round this mountain) dividing the mouth into many sections when he arrives at the Parvas.

Thus crossing the Mahameru unerringly and nourishing all the creatures (the moon) goes back to the Mandara.

In a similar way, the god Aditya, the dispeller of darkness displaying the universe by his rays, moves round this unobstructed path.

When he takes the southern direction with a view to cause dew, then the cold weather comes upon all the creatures.

(Then) turning back, he, by his own energy, withdraws the energy from all beings both mobile and immobile.

In consequence of this perspiration, fatigue, drowsiness and lethargy comes upon men and all living beings always feel inclined to sleep.

Then the god Bhanumana coursing that unknown path (i.e. the firmament) gives birth to rains reviving (all) creatures.

And having nourished all (creatures) both mobile and immobile by the comfort caused by rain, wind and warmth, that one of mighty splendour resumes his (former) course.

Thus increasingly turning on the wheel of time and influencing all creatures, O Partha, Savita goes on his course.

O Pandava his course is unremitting and he never rests. And withdrawing the energy of (all) creatures, he gives it back.

O Bharata, the lord (sun), always imparting life and motion to all living creatures, creates day and night, Kala and Kashtha.