भीष्म-वध पर्व — जगत्को सृष्टिको कथा

Bhishma said Thereupon that almighty Divinity the Lord of the lords of people, thus replied to Brahma in a soft and sonorous voice.

“I have come to know, O sire, all that you desire, through my Yoga power. It will be even as you desire”. Saying this he disappeared then and there.

Then the celestials, the sages, and the Gandharvas were all filled with great wonder; and urged by curiosity they then thus spoke to the Grandsire Brahma.

Who indeed is he, O master, that was even now adored by your illustrious self with bows and with humility, and who was eulogised in so high terms? We desire to hear about him.

Thus spoken to, the almighty Grandsire, thus replied to the celestials, the regenerate sages, the Gandharvas and every one else in soft and sweet words.

"O foremost of the celestials he who is designated That, he who is supreme, he who is existent at present, and will be so for all future periods, he who is the highest self, he who is called the soul of beings, and he who is the paramount Lord.

I was holding conversation even with his ever-contented self; that Lord of the universe has been entreated by me to show his grace on the earth.

To take his birth in the world of men and to be known as the son of Vasudeva (I entreated him saying): "For slaughtering the Asuras, do you take your birth on the face of the earth.

Those Daityas, and Danavas, and Rakshasas of dreadful appearance and of great might who were slain in battle, have been born among men.

For slaying them, the almighty Lord of great strength, being accompanied by Nara, shall wonder over the earth assuming a human form.

Those ancient and illustrious sages namely Nara and Narayana, are incapable of being vanquished in battle by even the gods united together.

Together, those two sages, Nara and Narayana, of immeasurable effulgence, will be born in the world of men, and they that are fools will not recognise them as such.

That Lord of the universe, whose son I Brahma am, that Vasudeva, the Paramount Lord of all the worlds should always be worshipped by you.

O you foremost of celestials, endued with great prowess and bearing the conch the discus and the mace, he should never be disregarded by you as a man.

He is the supreme mystery; he is the supreme shelter; he is the supreme Brahma, and he is the supreme glory.

He is undeteriorating, unmanifested and eternal. He is designated the Purusha, he is ever sung but never known by any body.

He is the supreme energy, his is the supreme felicity, he is the supreme truth. Thus has Vishvakarma sung.

Therefore the Lord Vasudeva of infinite prowess should never be disregarded as a man by the celestials and the Asuras headed by Indra himself.

That one of perverted understanding who, out of contempt, call Hrishikesha a man is said to be the vilest of all creatures.

He is spoken of as a great sinner who disregards Vasudeva for his having incarnated himself as a man.

Men speak of him as a great sinner, who does not know that Divine one, that should of the mobile and the immobile, that one of pure effulgence, that one bearing the mark of Srivatsa on his breast, that one from whose navel a lotus has sprung.

Disregarding that wearer of the diadem and the gem Kaustubha, that giver of assurance of safety to his friends and one of illustrious soul, a man becomes sunk in the dreadful mire of sin.

Every one, having known all these truths, should do obeisance, O best of the celestials, to Vasudeva that Lord of the fords of people”.

Bhishma said That almighty one (the Grandsire), having thus spoken to the gods and the sages in the days of yore, repaired to his own residence' leaving all creatures behind.

as Thereafter the celestials, together with the Gandharvas, the sages, and the Apsaras, having listened to that discourse delivered by Brahma, went to Heaven with joyful hearts.

It was this, O sire, that was heard by me from the sages of accomplished understanding when they were speaking of Vasudeva the ancient one, among their assembly.

O you conversant with the Shastras, I also heard this from Rama the son of Jamnadagni, from the highly intelligent Markandeya and also from Vyasa and Narada.

Having heard the truth about the subject, and having heard of Vasudeva the undeteriorating Lord of illustrious soul, the supreme Master of the Lords of people.

From whose self has sprung Brahma the father of all the universe, why should not men adore and worship that Vasudeva?

You have been, O sire, forbidden in days past, by the sages of accomplished understandings (who said to you), “Do not risk a battle with Vasudeva the wielder of the bow.

As also with the Pandavas, But out of folly, you could not comprehend my word; I do regard you therefore as a cruel Rakshasa; and you are encompassed in ignorance.

For this reason it is that you despise Govinda and Dhananjaya the son of Pandu; for what other man could despise the divine Nara and Narayana?

I therefore, O monarch, say to you that this one is eternal and undeteriorating pervading the whole universe, immutable, the ruler, the creator, the supporter and the truly existent.

That preceptor of the mobile and the immobile creations, that supreme Lord supports the triune world; he is the Warrior the Victory, the Victorious, and the Lord of all nature.

He is permeated, O king, with the quality of goodness and is free from the slightest tinge of the qualities of passion and dullness. Righteousness is where Krishna is; and victory is where righteousness is.

The sons of Pandu are, O king, supported by the supreme excellence of his Yoga of self; and, with certitude, victory will court them.

He it is who inspires the sons of Pandu with an intelligence that brings about their prosperity; he it is who charges them with strength in battle; he it is who ever protects them from danger.

This one is that eternal Deity that pervades all creatures, and is ever blessed. He, of whom you have asked me, is celebrated under the name of Vasudeva.

He is adored and served with restrained hearts alike by the Brahmanas, the Kshatriya, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras, each having distinguishing features of their own, and performing their own duties.

He it is , whom, at the end of the Dvapara Yuga and in the beginning of the Kali Yuga Samkarshana had eulogised in the manner of devotees.

It is that Vasudeva the creator of the universe who does repeatedly create, Yuga after Yuga, all the regions of the celestials and the mortals, all the sea-girt cities, and also all the regions of human habitation.