मोक्षधर्म पर्व — नारद धर्म के गृह में अवतीर्ण नारायण के दर्शन को जाते हैं; मुक्त पुरुषों के लक्षण

Bhishma said "Addressed by Narayana, that foremost of beings, in these words, Narada, the foremost of men, then said these words to Narayana for the behoof of the world.

Narada said Let that object be fulfilled for which you, O Self-born Being, have taken birth in four forms in the house of Dharma! I shall now go for seeing your original nature.

I always adore my elders. I have never given out the secrets of others. O lord of the universe, I have studied the Vedas carefully. I have practised austere penances. I have never spoken a falsehood.

As laid down in the scriptures, I have always protected the four that should be protected. I always treat impartially friends and enemies. Wholly and surely given to Him, that first of gods, viz., the Supreme Soul, I incessantly worship Him.

Having purified my soul by these specially meritorious acts, why shall I not succeed in seeing that Infinite Lord of the universe?-Hearing these words of Parameshthi's son, Narayana, that protector of the scriptures, said to him, saying,-Go, O Narada!—Before sending him away, however, the great god adored the celestial Rishi with those rites and ceremonies which have been laid down in the scriptures by himself. Narada also duly honoured the ancient Rishi Narayana. After such honours had been exchanged, the son of Parameshthi left that spot.

Endued with high Yoga-power, Narada suddenly soared into the sky and reached the summit of the mountains of Meru. Proceeding to a secluded spot on that summit, the great ascetic took rest for a short time.

He then caste his eyes towards the northwestern direction and saw an exceedingly wonderful spectacle. Towards the north, in the ocean of Milk, there is a large island named the White Island.

The learned say that its distance from the mountains of Meru is greater than thirty-two thousands Yojanas. The inhabitants of that realin have no senses. They live without food. Their eyes are winkless. They always send forth excellent perfumes.

Their complexions are white. They are purged off of all sins. They blast the eyes of those sinners that look at them. Their bones and bodies are as hard as adamant. They consider honour and dishonour equally. They all look as if they are of divine origin. All of them are endued with auspicious marks and great strength.

Their heads seem to be like umbrellas. Their voices are deep like that of the clouds. Each of them have four testes. The soles of their feet have hundreds of lines. They had sixty white teeth, and eight small ones. They had many tongues. With those tongues they seemed to lick the very Sun whose face is turned towards all sides.

Indeed, they seemed to be capable of devouring that great god from whom has originated the entire universe, the Vedas, the duties, and the ascetics possessing the quality of tranquillity.

Yudhishthira said are “O grand-father, you have said that those beings have no senses, that they do not eat anything for maintaining their lives; that their eyes are winkless, and that they always emit excellent perfumes. I ask, how were they born? What also is the superior end which they acquire?

O chief of Bharata's race, the characteristics of those men that become liberated the same as those by which the inhabitants of the White Island are distinguished?

Do you remove my doubts! The curiosity I feel is very great. You are the repository of all histories and narratives. As regards ourselves, we entirely depend on you for knowledge and instruction.

Bhishma said "This narrative, O king, which I have heard from my father, is extensive. I shall now recite it to you. Indeed, it is considered as the cream of all narratives.

There was, in days of yore, a king on Earth, Uparichara, by name. He was known to be the friend, of Indra the king of gods. He was devoted to Narayana called also by the name of Hari.

He used to discharge all the duties laid down in the scriptures. Ever devoted to his father, was always ready for action. He acquired sovereignty of the world on account of a boon he had obtained from Narayana.

Following the Satvata ritual that had been declared in days of yore by the Sun himself, king Uparichara used to adore the God of gods, and after his worship was over, to adore the Grandfather of the universe.

After adoring the departed manes, he adored the Brahmanas. He then divided the offerings among those who depended on him. With the remnant after serving those, the king satisfied his own hunger. Given to truth, the king abstained from doing any injury to any creature.

With his entire soul, the king was devoted to that God of gods, viz., Janardana, who is without beginning and middle and end, who is Creator of the universe, and who is without decay of any sort.

Seeing the devotion to Narayana of that destroyer of foes, the divine king of the gods himself shared with him his own seat and bed.

His kingdom and riches and wives and animals were all considered by him as obtained from Narayana. He, therefore, offered all his belongings to that great god.

Adopting the Satvata ritual, king Uparichara, with concentrated soul, used to perform all his sacrificial acts and observances, both optional and obligatory.

Many foremost Brahmanas, well conversant with the Pancharatra ritual, used to eat before all others the food offered to the god Narayana in the palace of that illustrious king.

As long as that destroyer of enemies continued to rule his kingdom piously, no falsehood ever escaped his lips and no evil thought ever entered his mind.

With his limbs he never perpetrated even the slightest crime. The seven celebrated Rishis, viz., Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vashishtha, who passed by the name of Chitra-shikhandins, uniting together on the breast of that foremost of mountains, viz., Meru, promulgated an excellent work on duties and observances which were consistent with the four Vedas. The contents of that work were uttered by seven mouths, and fomed the best compendium of human duties and obsevances. Known, as already stated, by the name of ChitraShikhandins, those seven Rishis form the seven elements, and the Self-born Manu, who is the eighth in the number, formed original Nature. These eight keep up the universe, and it was these eight who promulgated the treatise referred to.

With their senses and minds under complete subjugation and ever given to Yoga, these eight ascetics, with concentrated souls, fully know the Past, the Present and the Future, and are devoted to the Religion of Truth.

This is good, This is Brahma,—-This is highly beneficial,-reflecting thus in their minds, those Rishis created the worlds, and the science of morality and duty that governs those worlds.

In that work the authors discoursed on Religion and Profit and Pleasure, and subsequently on Liberation also. The various restrictions and limitations were also laid down in it for the Earth as also for Heaven.

They wrote that work after having adored with penances the powerful and illustrious Narayana called also Hari, for a thousand divine years, in company with many other Rishis.

Pleased with their penances and adoration, Narayana ordered the goddess of speech, viz., Sarasvati, to enter into the bodies of those Rishis. The goddess, for the behoof of the worlds, did what she ordered.

On account of the entrance of the goddess of speech into their bodies, those Rishis, well conversant with penances, succeeded in composing that foremost of works in respect of words, senses and reason.

Having composed that work sanctified with the syllable OM, the Rishis first of all read it to Narayana, who heard them from kindness.

The illustrious and bodiless Narayana became highly pleased with what he heard. That foremost of all Beings then addressed those Rishis in an incorporeal voice and said,-Excellent is this work that you have composed containing a hundred thousand verses. The duties and observances of all the worlds will originate from this your work.

Perfectly following the four Vedas, viz., the Yajushes, the Richs, the Samans, and the Atharvans of Angiras, this work of yours will be an authority in all the worlds with regard to both Work and Renunciation.

According to the authority of the scriptures I have created Brahman from the attribute of Grace, Rudra from my anger, and yourselves, ye Brahmanas, as representing the elements.

The Sun, and the Moon, Wind, and Earth, and Water and Fire, all the stars and planets and constellations, all else that is called by the name of creatures, and utterers of Brahma, all live and act in their respective spheres and are all respected as authorities. This work which you have composed shall be regarded by all persons, as a work of the highest authority. This is my order. Guided by this treatise, the Self-created Manu himself will declare to the world its duties and observances.

When Ushanas and Brihaspati will be born, they also will promulgate their respective work on morality and religion, guided by and quoting from this your work.

After the publication of his work by the Self-born Manu and of that by Ushanas, and after the publication of the work also by Brihaspati, this science composed by you will be acquired by king Vasu. Indeed, you foremost of twice-born ones, that king will acquire this knowledge of this work from Brihaspati.

Filled with all good thoughts, that king will become deeply devoted to me. Guided by this work, he will perform all his religious deeds and observance.

Verily, this work composed by you will be the foremost of all works on morality and religion. Excellent as it is, this work is full of instructions for acquiring both Riches and Religious merit, and is full of mysteries.

For the publication of this treatise, you will be progenitors of an extensive family! King Uparichara also will become endued with greatness and prosperity.

Upon the death, however, of that king, this eternal work will disappear from the world. I all this.

Having said these words to all those Rishis, the invisible Narayana left them and went to some place that was not known to them.

Then those progenitors of the world, those Rishis who conferred their thoughts on the worldly ends, duly promulgated that work which is the eternal origin of all duties and observances.

Subsequently, when Brihaspati was born in Angiras's family in the golden age, those seven Rishis charged him with the task of tell you promulgating their work which was consistent with the Upanishads and the several branches of the Vedas.

The themselves who were upholders of the universe and the first promulgators of duties and religious observances, then went to the place they chose, determined to practise penances." promulgating their work which was consistent with the Upanishads and the several branches of the Vedas.

The themselves who were upholders of the universe and the first promulgators of duties and religious observances, then went to the place they chose, determined to practise penances."