लोकपाल-सभाख्यान पर्व — ब्रह्मा की सभा का वर्णन

Narada said O child, I shall describe to you the assembly-hall of the Grandsire. Listen to it. O descendant of Bharata, None is capable of describing it saying, “It is such”.

O king, in the Deva Yuga of old, the illustrious deity, Aditya, came down from heaven and roamed at ease over the world of men.

O son of Pandu, having seen (before) the Sabha of the Self-created (Brahma), he roamed (on earth) in human form, wishing to see what could be seen here. On that occasion he spoke to me,

O best of the Bharata race, about that celestials Sabha (of the Grandsire) which is immeasurable and immaterial and which delights the heart of every creature by its splendour.

O best of the Pandavas, hearing the merits of that Sabha, I became desirous of seeing it. O king, I then spoke thus to Aditya.

"O illustrious one, I desire to see the sacred Sabha of the Grandsire. O exalted one, O lord of light, tell me by what ascetic penances, by what acts, by what charms, and by what rites, I may be able to see that sincleansing excellent Sabha."

O best of the Bharata race, hearing my words, the deity of one thousand eyes, the god of day (Aditya) replied, "Observe with mind rapt in meditation the Brahma-vow extending for a period of one thousand years." There upon I commenced that great vow on the breast of the Himalayas.

(When I completed my vow), then the illustrious and powerful and sinless Surya who knows no fatigue came and took me to the Sabha of Brahma.

O king, none is able to describe it by saying “It is such"; for it assumes an indescribable form with a moment.

O descendant of Bharata, it is impossible to indicate its dimensions or shape. I have never seen any this like it before.

O king, it ever contributes to the happiness of those that live within it. It is neither cold nor hot; hanger, thirst and all kinds of uneasiness disappear from one as soon as one enters into it.

It is made of brilliant gems of many kinds, it does not seem to be supported on any pillars, it knows no deterioration, it is eternal. That self effulgent Sabha seems to surpass the moon, the sun, and the fire by its numerous matchless and blazing celestials indications.

O king, in this (Sabha) sits the supreme deity, the Grandsire of all created things, having himself alone created everything, having himself alone created every thing by his own Maya. Daksha, Pracheta, Pulaha, Marichi, Lord Kashyapa,

Bhrigu, Atri, Vasishtha, Gautama, Angirasa, Pulastya, Kratu, Prahlada, Kardama, the Prajapati, Angirasa of the Atharva, Veda, the Balkhilyas, the Marichipas, Mind, Space Knowledge, Air, Heat water, Earth.

Sound, Touch, Form, Taste, Scent, Nature, the Modes, the Elemental and Prime causes of the world, O descendant of Bharata, (all these sit there).

The greatly effulgent Agastya, the great ascetic Markandeya, Jamadagni, Bharadvaja, Samvarata, Chyavana, the illustrious Durvasa, the pious Rishyashringa, the high souled Sanatkumara, who is a great ascetic and the preceptor of Yoga, Asita, Devala, Jaigishavya, learned in all truths, Rishabha, Ajitsatan, greatly resplendent Mani,

The Science of Healing with its eight branches, all these in their personified forms, O descendant of Bharata, wait there (in that assembly-hall). Moon with stars and constellations, sun with its rays.

Declaration of purpose in sacrifices, the Ritual principles, these illustrious and vow observing beings in their personified forms, and many others too numerous to mention, all wait upon Brahma. Artha Dharma, Kama, Joy, Aversion, Asceticism and Peace of Mind,

With them come the twenty seven different tribes of the Gandharvas and of the Apsaras and others also, and also the Lokapalas,

Shukra, Brihaspati, Budha, Angaraka, Shani, Rahu, and the other planets the Mantras, the special Mantras, Hasimaat, Vasumat, Adityas with Indra, the two Agnis,

The Vishvakarma, the Vasus, the Pitris, all kinds of sacrificial libations, the four Vedas, namely Rig, Sama, Yaju and Atharva, all Sciences and branches of learning,

Histories and all minor branches of learning, all the Vedangas, the Planets, the Sacrifices, the Soma, all the celestials,

Savitri, the seven kinds of Speech, Understanding, Patience, Memory, Wisdom, Intelligence, Fame, Forgiveness,

The hymns of the Sama Veda, the Science of hymns, various kinds of verses and songs, various commentaries with arguments, various dramas, poems and stories, abridged glosses, these and other holy worshipers of Brahma, all in their personified forms, O king, stay there,

O descendant of Bharata, O Yudhishthira, Kshanas, Lavas, Muhurattas (part of time), the day, the night, the fortnights, the months, the six seasons, the years, the Yugas, the four kinds of days. and nights, the eternal, indestructible, and undeteriorating, excellent Wheel of Time, the Wheel of Virtue, all of them stay there. Aditi, Diti, Danu, Shurasas, Vinata, Ira, Kalika, Shurabhidevi, Sarama, Gautami,

Prabha, Kadru, all these goddesses, the mothers of the celestials, Rudrani, Sree, Lakshmi, Bhadra,

Shashthi, the earth, Ganga, Hri, Svaha, Krita, Shura, Sachi, Pushti, Arundhati, Samvriti, Asha, Niyati, Srishti, Rati, these and other goddesses wait upon the Prajapati (Brahma).

The Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Marutas, the Ashvinis, the Vishvadevas, the Sadhyas, the Pitris, all possessing the speed of mind, (wait upon the Grandsire).

O best of men, know that there are seven classes of Pitris, of which four classes have embodied forms, the three remaining classes have no forms.

O descendant of Bharata, it is well known amongst men that the illustrious Vairajas, Agnishvattas and Garhapatyas (three classes of the Pitris) roam in heaven.

O king, the Sompas, the Ekashringas, the Chaturvedas, and the Kalas (the four classes of the Pitris) are always worshipped amongst the four orders of men (namely Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras).

Being first gratified by Soma, these (Pitris) gratify Soma next. All these Pitris wait upon the Prajapati.

They cheerfully worship the immeasurably effulgent Brahma. The Rakshasas, the Pishachas, the Danavas, the Guhyakas,

The Nagas, the birds, the various other animals, all other mobile and immobile great beings, worship the Grandsire.

The lord of the celestials, Purandara (Indra), Varuna, Kubera, Yama, Mahadeva with Uma (his wife), all often go there (to that Sabha).

O king of kings, Mahasena also worship the Grandsire, know, O king, that Narayana himself, the celestials Rishis, the Rishis named Balkhilyas, all beings born of females or not born of females, nay whatever else is seen in the three worlds, mobile and immobile, were all seen by me there in that assembly-hall (of Brahma).

O son of Pandu, eighty thousand Rishis who have gained complete control over their sexual passions, and fifty thousand Rishis who have begotten offspring were also seen by me there.

All the dwellers of heaven see him (Brahma) there at their pleasure, and worshipping him by bowing down their heads all go back to the place from which they come.

O king of men, the immeasurably intelligent Brahma, the Grandsire of all created things, the self-reacted Supreme Deity of immeasurable effulgence, is ever kind equally on all creatures, honours each as each deserves and gratifies with sweet speech gifts of wealth and other enjoyable things all those Devas, Daityas, the Nagas, the Yakshas, the Brahmanas, the birds, the Kaleyas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras and all other illustrious beings that come to him as his guests.

o descendant of Bharata, O child that charming Sabha is always being agitated with crowds of beings coming and going.

Filled with every splendour and worshipped by the Brahmarshis, that celestials Sabha, the dispeller of all fatigue and misery, looks extremely beautiful, it being brightened with the wealth of Brahma.

O best of kings, as your Sabha is matchless in the world of men, so is matchless in all the worlds that Sabha which was seen by me before.

O descendant of Bharata, I saw these Sabhas before in the region of the celestials. Your this Sabha is the foremost in the world of men.