Mokshadharma Parva — The suspension of the Vedas. The disciples of Vyasa go down for sub-dividing them

"Hearing these words of their preceptor, Vyasa's disciples gifted with great energy, became filled with the joy and embraced one another.

Addressing one another, these said,-We will remember and act according to what has been said by our illustrious preceptor in view of our future well-being.

Having said this to one another with gladdened hearts, the disciples of Vyasa, who were consummate masters of words, once more addressed their preceptor and said,-If it pleases you, O powerful one we wish to get down from this mountain to the Earth, O great ascetic, for the object of sub-dividing the Vedas.

Hearing these words of his disciples, the powerful son of Parashara, replied them in these wholesome words which were fraught, besides, with virtue and profit.-You may go to the Earth or to the regions of the gods as ye like. You should always be careful, for the Vedas are such that they are always liable to be misunderstood.

Permitted by their preceptor of truthful speech, the disciples left him after going round him and bowing their heads to him.

Descending upon the Earth they celebrated the Agnishtoma and other sacrifices; and they began to officiate at the sacrifices of Brahinanas and Kshatriyas and Vaishyas.

Happily spending their days in the domestic mode of life, they were treated by the Brahmanas with great reverence. Possessed of great fame and prosperity, they were engaged in teaching and officiating in sacrifices.

After his disciples had departed, Vyasa remained in his hermitage, with only his son in his company. Passing his days in anxious thoughtfulness, and great Rishi, endued with wisdom, kept silent, sitting in a retired corner of the asylum.

At that time Narada of great ascetic merit came there for seeing Vyasa, and addressing him, said these words of sweet sound.

Narada said O twice-born Rishi of Vashistha's family, why are Vedic sounds silent now? Why are you sitting silent and alone, engaged in meditation like one engrossed in thought?

Alas, destitute of Vedic sound, this mountain has lost its beauty, as the Moon shorn of splendour when possessed by Rahu or covered with dust.

Though inhabited by the celestial Rishis, yet shorn of Vedic sounds, the mountain no longer appears beautiful now but resembles a village of Nishadas.

The Rishis, the gods, and the Gandharvas, too, no longer shine as before on account of being deprived of Vedic sound.

Hearing these words of Narada the Islandborn Krishna answered, saying,-0 Great Rishi, O you who are conversant with the sayings of the Vedas, all that you have said is agreeable to me, and you should say it to me! You are omniscient. You have seen everything. Your curiosity knows all things.

You know everything in the three words. Do you, then, Otwice-born Rishi, order me.0, tell me what I am to do.

Tell me, O twice-born Rishi, what should now be done by me. Separated from my disciples, my mind has become very dispirited.

Narada said The fault of the Vedas is the suspension of their recitation. The fault of the Brahmanas is their non-observance of vows. The Vahika race is the stain of the Earth. Curiosity is the fault of women.

Do you with your intelligent son recite the Vedas, and do you with the echoes of Vedic sounds remove the fears of the Rakshasas.

Bhishma continued Hearing these words of Narada, Vyasa, the best of all persons knowing duties and firmly devoted to Vedic recitation, became filled with joy and answered Narada, saying,-So be it.

With his son Shuka, be began to recite the Vedas in a loud sweet voice, observing all the rules of ortheopy and, as it were, filling the three worlds with that sound.

One day as father and son, who knew well the ordinances of duties, were engaged in reciting the Vedas, a violent wind arose as if moved by the gales that blow on the bosom of the ocean.

Understanding from this incident that the hour was not suited to sacred recitation, Vyasa immediately ordered his son to stop the recitation. Shuka, thus forbidden by his father, became filled with curiosity.

He asked his father saying,-0 twice-born one, whence is this Wind? You should tell me everything about the conduct of the Wind.

Hearing this question of Shuka, Vyasa became filled with wonder. He answered Shuka by telling him that that was an omen which showed that the recitation of the Vedas should be stopped.

You have acquired spiritual vision. Your mind too has, of itself, became purged off all impurities. You have been freed from the qualities of Darkness and Ignorance. You live now in the quality of Goodness.

You see now your Soul with your Soul as one sees his own shadow in a mirror. Staying yourself on your own Soul, do you reflect on the Vedas.

The path of the Supreme Soul is called the path of the gods. The path that is made up of the quality of Ignorance is called the path of Pitris. These are the two paths in the world hereafter. By one, people go to heaven. By the other people go to hell.

The winds blow, on the Earth's surface and in the sky. There are seven courses in which they blow. Listen to me as I describe them one after another.

The body has the senses. The senses are ruled over by the Sadhyas and many great beings of great strength. These gave birth to an invincible son named Samana.

From Samana originated a son calle Udana. From Udana originated Vyana. From Vyana arose Apana, and lastly from Apana originated the wind called Prana.

That invincible scorcher of all enemies, vis., Prana, became barren. I shall now recite to you the different functions of those winds.

The wind is the root of the various functions of all living creatures, and because living creatures are enabled to live by it, therefore is the wind called Prana (or life).

That wind which is the first in the above number and which is known by the name of Pravaha (Samana) drives, along the first course, masses of clouds born of smoke and heat. Passing through the sky, and coming into contact with the water in the clouds, that wind shows itself in effulgence among the darts of lightening.

The second wind, called Avaha blows with a loud noise. It is this wind that make Soma and the other luminaries rise and appear. Within the body that wind is called Udana by the wise.

That wind which drinks up water from the four oceans, and having sucked it up gives it to the clouds in the sky and which, having given it to the clouds, presents them to the gods of rain, is third in the number and known by the name of Udvaha.

That wind which supports the clouds and divides them into various parts which melts them for pouring rain and once more solidifies them, which is perceived as the sound of roaring clouds, which exists for the preservation of the world by itself assuming the form of the clouds, which carries the cars of all celestials along the sky, is known by the name of Samvaha. The fourth in the number, it is gifted with great strength so that it is capable of rending the very mountains.

That wind causes portends of many sorts and creates roaring sounds in the sky. It is known by the name of Vivaha. The fifth wind has great force and speed. It is dry and roots out and breaks down all trees. Existing with it, the clouds are called Valahaka.

The sixth wind carries all celestial waters in the sky and prevents them from falling down. Keeping the sacred waters of the celestial Ganga, that wind blows preventing them from having a downward course.

Obstructed by the wind from a distance, the Sun, which is really the root of a thousand rays, and which lights up the world, appears as a luminous body of but one ray.

Through the action of that wind, the Moon, after waning increases again till he shows his full disc. That wind is known, O foremost of ascetics, by the name of Parivaha.

That wind which takes away the life of all living creatures when the proper time comes, whose path is followed by Death and Surya's son Yama, which becomes the source of that immortality becomes the source of the immortality which is acquired by the Yogins of subtile sight who are always engaged in Yogameditation, by whose help the thousands of grandsons of Daksha, that lord of creatures, by his ten sons, succeeded in days of yore in reaching the ends of the universe, whose touch enables one to acquire Liberation by freeing himself from the obligation of returning to the world, that wind is called by the name of Paravaha. The foremost of all winds, it cannot be resisted by any body.

Wonderful are these winds all of whom are the sons of Diti. Capable of going everywhere and upholding all things, they blow all around you without being attached to you at any time.

This, however, is greatly wonderful, viz., that this foremost of mountains should thus be suddenly shaken by that wind which has begun to below.

This wind is the breath of Vishnu's nostrils. When moved with speed, it begins to blow with great vehemence at which the whole universe becomes agitated.

Hence, when the wind begins to blow with violence, persons knowing the Vedas do not recite the Vedas, The Vedas are a form of wind. If uttered with vehemence, the external wind becomes agitated.

Having said these words, the powerful son of Parashara ordered his son to go on with his Vedic recitation. He then left that place for plugging into the waters of the celestial Ganga." recite the Vedas, The Vedas are a form of wind. If uttered with vehemence, the external wind becomes agitated.

Having said these words, the powerful son of Parashara ordered his son to go on with his Vedic recitation. He then left that place for plugging into the waters of the celestial Ganga."