"Vaisampayana said, 'Having heard these words of Nara and Narayana, the
Rishi Narada became filled with devotion towards the Supreme Being.
Indeed, with his whole soul he devoted himself to Narayana. Having
resided for a full thousand years in the retreat of Nara and Narayana,
having beheld the immutable Hari, and heard the excellent discourse
having Narayana for its topic, the celestial Rishi repaired to his own
retreat on the breast of Himavat. Those foremost of ascetics viz., Nara
and Narayana, however continued to reside in their delightful retreat of
Vadari, engaged in the practice of the severest austerities. Thou art
born in the race of the Pandavas. Thou art of immeasurable energy. O
perpetuator of the race of the Pandavas, having listened to this
discourse on Narayana from the beginning, thou hast certainly been
cleansed of all thy sins and thy soul has been sanctified. His is neither
this world nor the world hereafter, O best of kings, who hates instead of
loving and reverencing the immutable Hari. The ancestors of that person
who hates Narayana, who is the foremost of deities, and is otherwise
called Hari, sink into hell for eternity. O tiger among men, Vishnu is
the soul of all beings. How, then, can Vishnu be hated, for in hating him
one would hate one's own self. He who is our preceptor, viz., the Rishi
Vyasa, the son of Gandhavati, has himself recited this discourse unto us
on the glory of Narayana, that glory which is the highest and which is
immutable. I heard it from him and have recited it to thee exactly as I
heard it, O sinless one. This cult, with its mysteries and its abstract
of details, was obtained by Narada, O king, from that Lord of the
universe, viz., Narayana himself. Even such are the particulars of this
great cult. I have, before this, O foremost of kings, explained it to
thee in the Hari-Gita, with a brief reference to its ordinances.[1892]
Know that the Island-born Krishna, otherwise called Vyasa, is Narayana on
Earth. Who else than he, O tiger among kings, could compile such a
treatise as the Mahabharata? Who else than that puissant Rishi could
discourse upon the diverse kinds of duties and cults for the observance
and adoption of men? Thou hast resolved upon performing a great
sacrifice. Let that sacrifice of thine proceed as determined by thee.
Having listened to the diverse kinds of duties and cults, let thy
Horse-sacrifice go on.'"
Sauti continued, "That best of kings, having heard this great discourse,
began all those rites that are laid down in the ordinance, for the
completion of his great sacrifice. Questioned by thee, O Saunaka, I have
duly recited to thee and all these Rishis that are denizens of the
Naimisha forest, that great discourse having Narayana for its topic.
Formerly Narada had recited it to my preceptor in the hearing of many
Rishis and the sons of Pandu and in the presence of Krishna and Bhishma
also.[1893] The Supreme deity Narayana is the Lord of all the foremost of
Rishis, and of the three worlds. He is the upholder of Earth herself of
vast proportions. He is the receptacle of the Srutis and of the attribute
of humility. He is the great receptacle of all those ordinances that
should be practised for attaining to tranquillity of heart, as also of
all those that go by the name of Yama. He is always accompanied by the
foremost of regenerate persons. Let that great deity be thy refuge. Hari
ever does what is agreeable and beneficial to the denizens of heaven. He
is always the slayer of such Asuras (as become troublesome to the three
worlds). He is the receptacle of penances. He is possessed of great fame.
He is the slayer of the Daityas known by the name of Madhu and Kaitabha.
He is the ordainer of the ends that are attained to by persons acquainted
with and observant of scriptural and other duties. He dispels the fears
of all persons. He takes the foremost of those offerings that are
dedicated in sacrifices. He is thy refuge and protection. He is endued
with attributes. He is freed from attributes. He is endued with a
quadruple form. He shares the merits arising from the dedication of tanks
and the observance of similar religious rites. Unvanquished and possessed
of great might, it is He that always ordains the end approachable by the
Soul alone, of Rishis of righteous deeds. He is the witness of the
worlds. He is unborn. He is the one ancient Purusha. Endued with the
complexion of the Sun, He is the Supreme Lord, and he is the refuge of
all. Do all of you bow your heads unto Him since He who sprang from the
waters (viz., Narayana himself) bends his head unto Him.[1894] He is the
origin of the universe. He is that Being who is called Amrita. He is
minute. He is the refuge upon whom all things depend. He is the one Being
to whom the attribute of immutability attaches. The Sankhyas and Yogins,
of restrained souls, hold Him who is eternal in their understandings."