अनुशासनिक पर्व — धर्म और अर्थ — परलोक में सुख कौन देता है; रुद्र और उमा की कथा

Narada said At the conclusion of Mahadeva's speech, loud roars were heard in the sky. Thunders bellowed, with flashes of lightning. The sky was covered with blue and thick clouds.

The god of the clouds then poured pure water like to what he does in the season of rains. A thick darkness appeared. The cardinal points could no longer be made out.

Then on that charming, sacred and eternal breast of that celestial, celestial, mountain, the assembled Rishis no longer saw the ghostly beings who associate with Mahadeva.

Soon, however, the sky cleared. Some of the Rishis started for the sacred waters, Others returned whence they came.

Seeing that wonderful and inconceivable spectacle, they become filled with surprise. They had heard the discourse, too, between Shankara and Uma with the same feelings.

Tliat Foremost of all Beings, of whom the great Shankara spoke to us on that mountain, are You. You are at one with Eternal Brahma.

Sometime before, Mahadeva burnt Himavat with his energy. You have shown us a similar wonderful spectacle. Indeed, we remember that by what we have seen today.

O Mighty-armed Janardana, I have thus, O Powerful One, recited to You the glory of that God of gods, viz., Him that is called Kapardin or Girisha.

Bhishma said Thus addressed by those hermits' Krishna, the delighter of Devaki, paid due honors to all those Rishis.

Filled with joy, those Rishis once more addressed Krishna, saying, O Destroyer of Madhu, do you repeatedly show yourself to us at all times.

0 Powerful One, Heaven itself cannot rejoice us so much as a sight of Yourself. Everything that was said by the illustrious Bhava is true.

O Crusher of enemies, we have told you all about that mystery. You are yourself acquainted with the truth of every subject. Since, however, asked by us; You were kind enough to ask us in return, we have, therefore, recited everything to You for only pleasing You. There is nothing in the three worlds that You do not know.

You are fully acquainted with the birth and origin of all things, indeed, with everything that works as a cause. On account of the lightness of our character, we cannot keep close any mystery.

Indeed, in Your presence, O Powerful One, we indulge in incoherencies from the lightness of our hearts. There is no wonderful thing which You do not know.

You know whatever is on Earth, and whatever is in the celestial region. We take our leave of You, O Krishna, for returning to our respective quarters. May You increase in intelligence and prosperity.

O Sire, You will soon get a son after you or even more distinguished than Yourself. He will be gifted with great energy and splendour. He will achieve great feats, and become possessed of power as great as Yours.

Bhishma said After this, the great Rishis bowed to that God of gods, that scion of Yadu's race, that Foremost of all Beings. They then went round Him and taking His leave, departed.

As regards Narayana, who is gifted with prosperity and blazing effulgence, He returned to Dwaraka after having duly observed that vow of His.

His wife Rukmini conceived, and on the expiration of the tenth month a son was born of her, gifted with heroism and honoured by all for his highly wonderful accomplishments.

He is at one with that Kama (Desire) which exists in every creature and which pervades every condition. Indeed, he moves within the hearts of both gods and demons.

This Krishna is that foremost of all persons. He gifted with the complexion of the clouds is that four-handed Vasudeva. Through affection He has taken up the cause of the Pandavas, and you also, you sons of Pandu, have attached yourselves to Him.

Achievements, Prosperity, Intelligence, and the Path that leads to the celestial region, are all there where this One, viz., the Illustrious Vishnu of three steps, is.

He is the thirty-three gods headed by Indra. There is no doubt in this. He is the one Ancient God. He is the Foremost of all gods. He is the refuge of all creatures.

He is without beginning and without destruction. He is unmanifest. He is the great Destroyer of Madhu. Gifted with mighty energy, He has taken birth (among men) for doing the purposes of the gods.

This Madhava is the expounder of the most difficult truths about Profit or Wealth, and He is also their achiever. O son of Pritha, the victory you have got over your enemies, your peerless achievements, the dominion you have acquired over the whole Earth, are all owing to having Narayana espoused your cause.

The fact of your having got the inconceivable Narayana for your protector and refuge, enabled you to become an Adhvaryu (chief sacrificer) for pouring multitudes of kings as libations on the burning fire of battle. This Krishna was your great sacrificial ladle resembling the all-destroying fire which appears at the end of the cycle.

Duryodhana, with his sons, brothers and kinsmen, was much to be pitied inasmuch as, moved by anger, he made war with Hari and the wielder of Gandiva.

Many sons of Diti, many foremost of Danavas, of huge bodies and vast strength, have died in the fire of Krishna's discus like insects in a forest fire.

How incapable then must human beings be of fighting against that Krishna, human beings who, O foremost of men, are shorn of strength and power.

As regards Jaya, he is a powerful Yogin resembling the all-destroying cyclefire in energy. Capable of drawing the bow equally with both hands, he is always in the van of fight. With his energy, O king, he has killed all the soldiers of Suyodhana.

Listen to me as I tell you what Mahadeva having the bovine bull for the emblem on his standard had recited to the ascetics on the breast of Himavat. His utterances form a Purana.

The advancement or greatness, energy, strength, prowess, power, humility, and family that are in Arjuna can form only a third part of the attributes of Krishna.

Who is there who can transcend Krishna in these attributes? Whether that is possible or not, listen. Peerless Excellence prevails where the illustrious Krishna is.

As for ourselves we are persons of little understanding. Dependent upon the will of others, we are highly unfortunate. Knowingly we betook ourselves to the eternal path of death.

You, however, are devoted to sincerity of conduct. Having formerly promised not to take your kingdom, you did not take it, desirous of keeping your promise.

0 king, you make too much of the destruction of your kinsmen and friends in battle. You should remember, however, O chastiser of enemies, that it is not fair to break a promise.

All those who have fallen on the field of battlc have really been killed by Time. Indeed, all of us have been killed by Time. Time is indeed, all powerful.

You are fully acquainted with the power of Time. Afflicted by time you should not grieve. Know that Krishna Himself otherwise called Hari, is that Time with bloodred eyes and with club in hand.

For these reasons, O son of Kunti, you should not grieve for your (slain) kinsfolk. Be always free, O delighter of the Kurus, from grief.

You have heard me sing the glory and greatness of Madhava. That is sufficient for making a good man understand Him.

Having heard the words of Vyasa, as also of the highly intelligent Narada, I have described to you the adorableness of Krishna. I have myself added, from my own knowledge, something to that account.

Indeed, I have described also on the Surpassing Power of Krishna as recited by Mahadeva, to that assembly of Rishis. I have also described to you the discourse too between Maheshvara and the daughter of Himavat, O Bharata.

He who will remember that discourse when coming out from a foremost person, he who will listen to it, and he who will recite it, is sure to acquire what is highly beneficial.

That man will find all his wishes fulfilled, Departing from this world he will ascend to the celestial region. There is no doubt in this.

That man who wishes to obtain what is beneficial for himself, should devote himself to Janardana.

O king of the Kurus, you should also remember those incidents of duty and virtue which were declared by Maheshvara.

If you act according to those precepts, if you carry the rod of punishment rightly, if you protect your subjects properly, you may be sure of attaining to the celestial.

You should, O king, protect your subjects always according to the dictates of virtue. The strong rod of punishment which the kings bear has been said to be the embodiment of his virtue or merit.

Hearing this discourse, fraught with righteousness, between Shankara and Uma, that I have recited before this pious assemblage, one should adore with respect that god having the bull for the device on his banner.

One who becomes even becomes even desirous of listening to that discourse, should adore Mahadeva with respect. Indeed, the person who wishes to obtain what is beneficial for him, should worship Mahadeva with a pure hcart.

This is the behest of the sinless and highsouled Narada. He has commanded such adoration of the great god. O son of Pandu, do you obey that command of Narada.

O powerful king, these are the wonderful incidents which took place on the sacred breast of Himavat about Vasudeva and Sthani, son of Kunti. Those events emanated from the very nature of those great deities.

Accompanied by the holder of Gandiva, Vasudeva practised eternal penances in the hermitage of Badari for ten thousand years.

Indeed, Vasudeva and Dhananjaya, having like lotus petals, practised severe austerities for three entire cycles. I have learnt this from Narada and Vyasa, O king.

The lotus-eyed and mighty-armed Vasudeva, while yet a child performed the great feat of killing Kansa for the relief of his kinsmen. eyes like

I dare not, O son of Kunti, enumerate the feats of this Ancient and Eternal Being, O Yudhishthira.

O son, Forsooth, high and great benefits will be reaped by you who have that foremost of all persons, viz., Vasudeva, for your friend.

I gricve for the wicked Duryodhana about even the next world to which he has gone. It was for him that the entire Earth has been depopulated with her horses and elephants.

Indeed, through the fault of Duryodhana, of Karna, of Shakuni, and of Dushasana as the fourthi, that the Kurus have died.

Vaishampayana said While that foremost of men, viz., the son of Ganga, spoke to him thus, the Kuru king (Yudhishthira) remained entirely silent in the midst of those great persons.

All the kings with Dhritarashtra amongst thein become stricken with wonder upon hearing the words of the Kuru grandfather. In their minds they adored Krishna and then turned towards him with hands clasped in respect.

The Rishis also headed by Narada, accepted and highly spoke of the words of Bhishma and approved of them joyfully.

These were the wonderful subjects recited by Bhishma which Yudhishthira with all his brothers heard with joy.

Sometime after, when king Yudhishthira saw that Bhishma who had given away profuse riches as presents to the Brahmanas in the sacrifices celebrated by him, had rested and become refreshed, the intelligent king once inore asked him as follows.