"'Yudhishthira said, "If a man be a house-holder or a Brahmacharin, a
forest-recluse or a mendicant, and if he desires to achieve success, what
deity should he adore? How can he certainly acquire heaven and attain
that which is of the highest benefit (viz., Emancipation)? According to
what ordinances should he perform the homa in honour of the gods and the
Pitris? What is the region to which one goes when one becomes
emancipated? What is the essence of Emancipation? What should one do so
that one, having attained to heaven, would not have to fall down thence?
Who is the deity of the deities? And who is the Pitri of the Pitris? Who
is he that is superior to him, who is the deity of the deities and the
Pitri of the Pitris? Tell me all this, O Grandsire!"
"'Bhishma said, "O thou that art well acquainted with the art of
questioning, this question that thou hast asked me, O sinless one, is one
that touches a deep mystery. One cannot answer it with the aid of the
science of argumentation, even if one were to strive for a hundred years.
Without the grace of Narayana, O king, or an accession of high knowledge,
this question of thine is incapable of being answered. Connected though
this topic be with a deep mystery, I shall yet, O slayer of foes, expound
it to thee![1790] In this connection is cited the old history of the
discourse between Narada and the Rishi Narayana. I heard it from my sire
that in the Krita age, O monarch, during the epoch of the Self-born Manu,
the eternal Narayana, the Soul of the universe, took birth as the son of
Dharma in a quadruple form, viz., as Nara, Narayana, Hari, and the
Self-create Krishna.[1791] Amongst them all, Narayana and Nara underwent
the severest austerities by repairing to the Himalayan retreat known by
the name of Vadari, by riding on their golden ears. Each of those cars
was furnished with eight wheels, and made up of the five primal elements,
and looked exceedingly beautiful.[1792] Those original regents of the
world who had taken birth as the sons of Dharma, became exceedingly
emaciated in person in consequence of the austerities they had undergone.
Indeed, for those austerities and for their energy, the very deities were
unable to look at them. Only that deity with whom they were propitiated
could behold them. Without doubt, with his heart devoted to them, and
impelled by a longing desire to behold them, Narada dropped down on
Gandhamadana from a summit of the high mountains of Meru and wandered
over all the world. Possessed of great speed, he at last repaired to that
spot whereon was situated the retreat of Vadari. Impelled by curiosity he
entered that retreat at the hour of Nara's and Narayana's performing
their daily rites. He said unto himself.--'This is truly the retreat of
that Being in whom are established all the worlds including the deities,
the Asuras, the Gandharvas, the Kinnaras, and the great snakes! There was
only one form of this great Being before. That form took birth in four
shapes for the expansion of the race of Dharma which have been reared by
that deity. How wonderful it is that Dharma has thus been honoured by
these four great deities viz., Nara, Narayana, and Hari and Krishna! In
this spot Krishna and Hari dwelt formerly. The other two, however, viz.,
Nara and Narayana, are now dwelling here engaged in penances for the
object of enhancing their merit. These two are the highest refuge of the
universe. What can be the nature of the daily rites these two perform?
They are the sires of all creatures, and the illustrious deities of all
beings. Endued with high intelligence, what is that deity whom these two
worship? Who are those Pitris whom these two Pitris of all beings
adore?'--Thinking of this in his mind, and filled with devotion towards
Narayana, Narada suddenly appeared before those two gods. After those two
deities had finished their adoration to _their_ deities and the Rishis,
they looked at the celestial Rishi arrived at their retreat. The latter
was honoured with those eternal rites that are ordained in the
scriptures. Beholding that extraordinary conduct of the two original
deities in themselves worshipping other deities and Pitris, the
illustrious Rishi Narada took his seat there, well pleased with the
honours he had received. With a cheerful soul he cast his eyes then on
Narayana, and bowing unto Mahadeva he said these words.
"'"Narada said, 'In the Vedas and the Puranas, in the Angas and the
subsidiary Angas that art sung with reverence, thou art unborn and
eternal. Thou art the Creator. Thou art the mother of the universe. Thou
art the embodiment of Immortality and thou art the foremost of all
things. The Past and the Future, indeed, the entire universe has been
established on thee! The four modes of life, O lord, having the domestic
for their first, ceaselessly sacrifice to thee that art of diverse forms.
Thou art the father and the mother and the eternal preceptor of the
universe. We know not who is that deity or that Pitri unto whom thou art
sacrificing to-day!'
"'"The holy one said, 'This topic is one about which nothing should be
said. It is an ancient mystery. Thy devotion to me is very great. Hence,
O regenerate one, I shall discourse to thee on it agreeably to the truth.
That which is minute, which is inconceivable, unmanifest, immobile,
durable, destitute of all connection with the senses and the objects of
the senses, that which is dissociated from the (five) elements--that is
called the in-dwelling Soul of all existent creatures. That is known by
the name of Kshetrajna. Transcending the three attributes of Sattwa,
Rajas, and Tamas, that is regarded as Purusha in the scriptures. From Him
hath followed the unmanifest, O foremost of regenerate ones, possessed of
the three attributes of Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas. Though really
unmanifest, she is called indestructible Prakriti and dwell in all
manifest forms. Know that She is the source whence we two have sprung.
That all-pervading Soul, which is made up of all existent and
non-existent things, is adored by us. Even He is what we worship in all
those rites that we perform in honour of the deities and the Pitris.
There is no higher deity or Pitri than He. O regenerate one, He should be
known as our Soul. It is him that we worship. This course of duties
followed by men has, O regenerate one, been promulgated by Him. It is His
ordinance that we should duly perform all the rites laid down in respect
of the deities and the Pitris. Brahman, Sthanu, Manu, Daksha, Bhrigu,
Dharma, Yama, Marichi, Angiras, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha,
Parameshthi, Vivaswat, Shoma, he that has been called Karddama, Krodha,
Avak, and Krita,--these one and twenty persons, called Prajapatis, were
first born. All of them obeyed the eternal law of the Supreme God.
Observing all the rites, in detail, that were ordained in honour of the
deities and the Pitris, all those foremost of regenerate persons acquired
all those objects which they sought. The incorporeal denizens of Heaven
itself bow to that Supreme deity and through His grace they attain to
those fruits and that end which He ordains for them. This is the settled
conclusion of the scriptures that these persons freed from these seven
and ten attributes, (viz., the five senses of knowledge, the five senses
of action, the five vital breaths, and mind and understanding), who have
cast off all acts, and are divested of the five and ten elements which
constitute the gross body, are said to be Emancipate. That which the
Emancipate attain to as their ultimate end is called by the name of
Kshetrajna. He is regarded (in the scriptures) as both possessed of and
free from all the attributes. He can be apprehended by Knowledge alone.
We two have sprung from Him. Knowing him in that way, we adore that
eternal Soul of all things. The Vedas and all the modes of life, though
characterised by divergences of opinion, all worship Him with devotion.
It is He who, speedily moved to grace, confers on them high ends fraught
with felicity. Those persons in this world who, filled with His spirit,
become fully and conclusively devoted to Him, attain to ends that are
much higher, for they succeed in entering Him and becoming merged in his
Self. I have now, O Narada, discoursed to thee on what is high mystery
moved by the love I bear to thee for thy devotion to me. Indeed, in
consequence of that devotion which thou professest towards me, thou hast
succeeded in listening to this my discourse!'"'"