Arjuna said:—O Bharata, afterwards, having fed many hundreds of
Rishi-like Brāhmanas and taken his meals along with myself and other
members of the Vrishni and Bhoja races, Krishna discoursed on various
wonderful and divine topics (1–2). After the termination of Janārddana’s
discourse, I, filled with curiosity about what I had seen, approached
him and said:—"O lotus-eyed Krishna, how the water of the ocean came to
a stand-still? How was that dreadfully dense darkness dispelled with thy
discus? How didst thou enter into that bundle of effulgence? O lord, why
where the Brāhmana boys stolen by that effulgence. How was such a long
distance shortened? How could we go and come back within such a short
time O Keshava, do thou describe all these things duly to me (3–7)."
Vasudeva said:—In order to see me that great Purusha stole away the sons
of the Brāhmana thinking that for him I would go there and not otherwise
(8). O foremost of Bharatas, the great divine effulgence which you saw
there is nothing but me full of Brahma effulgence. That is my eternal
effulgent energy. That is my eternal great Prakriti, manifest and
unmanifest. Entering into her (understanding her nature) the great
Yogins attain to final liberation (9-10). Prakriti is the refuge of the
Sankhya Yogins and the ascetics. And she is the great Brāhmana. She
makes divisions in the universe (11). O Bhārata, know her as my creative
energy. I am that ocean of stilled water. I stilled her water (12). I am
those seven mountains and the pitch darkness begotten by mud which you
saw. I am the cloud-like darkness and its dispeller. I am the author of
elements and eternal religion. The moon, the sun, the huge mountains,
the rivers, the lakes, the four quarters are my four-fold souls. From me
have emanated the four Varnas and four Asramas. Know me as the author of
four-fold learning (13-16).
Arjuna said:—O lord, O divine master of all creatures, O Purusottama,
salutation unto thee. I wish to know thy true self and therefore have I
sought thy protection and put this question (17).
Vasudeva said:—O descendant of Bharata, O son of Pandu, from me have
emanated Brahman, Brāhmana, Tapas, truth and every other thing small or
great. O large-armed Dhananjaya, I am your favourite and you are my
favourite. And for this I tell you this or else I would not have done
so. O foremost of Bharatas, O son of Prithā, I am Rik, Yayush, Sāman and
Atharvan (18–19). The Rishis, the gods and the Yajnas are my energies.
From me have emanated earth, air, ether, water, the five luminous
bodies, the moon, the sun, day, night, fortnight, months, seasons,
_muhurttas_, _Kalā_ _Khana_, year, various _mantras_, the various
Shāstras, learnings and every other thing. O son of Kunti, creation and
destruction also proceed from me. My soul is real and unreal and I am
the pure _Brahman_ (20-23).
Arjuna said:—At that time Hrishikesh, out of his love for me, said this
to me and since then my mind is ever attached to Janārddana. I had heard
of Keshava’s power and saw this myself. There are more powerful deeds of
Janārddana than what I have just described at your request (24-25).
Vaishampāyana said:—Hearing those words the virtuous king Yudhisthira,
the foremost of Kurus, worshipped Purusottama Govinda, in his mind. At
that time Yudhisthira, all his brothers and the courtier kings were
filled with surprise (26-27).