"'"'The Rishis said, "O wielder of Pinaka, O tearer of the eyes of Bhaga, O
thou that art worshipped by all the universe, we desire to hear the glory
of Vasudeva."
"'"'Maheswara said, "Hari is superior to the Grandsire himself. He is the
Eternal Purusha. Otherwise called Krishna, he is endued with the
splendour of gold, and shines with effulgence like a second sun.
Possessed of ten arms, he is endued with great energy, and is the slayer
of the foes of the gods. Having a whorl on his breast, he has curly locks
of hair on his head. He is worshipped by all the deities. Brahman has
risen from his abdomen. I have sprung from his head, All the luminaries
in the firmament have sprung from his hair. From the bristles on his body
have sprung all the gods and Asuras. From his body have sprung the Rishis
as also all the eternal worlds. He is the veritable abode of the
Grandsire and the abode of all the gods besides. He is the Creator of
this whole Earth, and He is the Lord of the three worlds. He is also the
Destroyer of all creatures mobile and immobile. He is verily the foremost
of all the deities. He is their master. He is the chastiser of all foes.
He is possessed of omniscience. He exists in everything. He is capable of
going everywhere. He is of universal extent (pervading as he does
everything). He is the Supreme Soul. He is the urger of all the senses.
He covers the universe. He is the Supreme Lord. There is nothing in the
three worlds that is superior to him. He is Eternal. He is the slayer of
Madhu, and is otherwise called Govinda. The giver of honours, He will
cause all the kings of Earth to be slain in battle, for achieving the
purposes of the deities, taking birth in a human form. The deities,
abandoned by Him, are unable to accomplish their purposes on earth.
Without obtaining him as their leader they cannot do anything. He is the
leader of all creatures and is adored by all the gods[582]. Within the
abdomen of this Master of the gods who is ever devoted to the
accomplishment of their purposes, of this one who is identical with
Brahma and who is always the refuge of the regenerate Rishis, resides
Brahma (the Grandsire). Indeed, the latter dwells happily in Hari's body
which is the abode. I myself, that am called Sarva, also reside happily
in that happy abode of mine. All the deities too reside in happiness in
His body. Endued with great effulgence, he has eyes that resemble the
petals of the lotus. Sri dwells within Him and He dwells always
associated with her. The bow called Saranga and the discus (called
Sudarsana) are his weapons, together with a sword. He has the enemy of
the snakes (viz., Garuda) sitting on his standard. He is distinguished by
excellent conduct, by purity (of both body and mind), by self-restraint,
by prowess, by energy, by the handsomest form, by tallness and
well-proportioned limbs, by patience, by sincerity, by affluence, by
compassion, by excellence of form, and by might. He shines, endued with
all celestial weapons of wonderful form and make. He has Yoga for his
illusion. He is possessed of a thousand eyes. He is free from every stain
or fault. He is high-minded. He is endued with heroism. He is an object
of pride with all his friends. He is dear to all his kinsmen and
relatives and they are dear to him. He is endued with forgiveness. He is
free from pride or egotism. He is devoted to the Brahmanas and is their
leader. He dispels the fears of all persons afflicted with fear. He
enhances the joys of all his friends. He is the refuge of all creatures.
He is ever engaged in protecting and cherishing the distressed. Possessed
of a thorough acquaintance with all the scriptures, and every kind of
affluence, He is worshipped by all beings. Conversant with all duties,
He is a great benefactor of even enemies when they seek His protection.
Conversant with policy and endued with policy, He is an utterer of Brahma
and has all His senses under perfect control. For doing good to the
deities, Govinda will take birth in the race of the high-souled Manu.
Verily, endued with high intelligence, He will take birth in the
auspicious and righteous race of that Prajapati. Manu will have a son of
the name of Anga. After Anga will come Antardhaman. From Antardhaman will
spring Havirdhaman, that lord of all creatures, free from every stain.
Havirdhaman will have an illustrious son of the name of Rachinavarhi. He
will have ten sons having Prachetas for their first. Prachetas will have
a son named Daksha who will be regarded as a Prajapati. Daksha will beget
a daughter who will be named Dakshayani. From Dakshayani will spring
Aditya, and from Aditya will spring Manu. From Manu will spring a
daughter named Ila and a son to be named Sudyumna. Ila will have Vudha
for her husband, and from Vudha will spring Pururavas. From Pururavas
will spring Ayu. From Ayu will spring Nahusha, and Nahusha will beget a
son named Yayati. From Yayati will spring a mighty son of the name of
Yadu, Yadu will beget Kroshtri. Kroshtri will beget a mighty son to be
named Vrijinivat. From Vrijinivat will spring Ushadgu the unvanquished.
Ushadgu will beget a son of the name of Chitraratha. Chitraratha will
have a younger son of the name of Sura. Indeed, in the race of these
mighty men, of energy celebrated over all the world, possessed of
excellent conduct and diverse accomplishments, devoted to the performance
of sacrifices and pure in behaviour,--in the pure race honoured by the
Brahmanas, Sura will take his birth. He will be a foremost Kshatriya,
endued with great energy, and possessed of great fame. Sura, that giver
of honours, will beget a son, the spreader of his race, of the name of
Vasudeva, otherwise called Anakadundhuvi. Vasudeva will have a son of the
name of Vasudeva. He will have four hands. He will be exceedingly
liberal, and will honour the Brahmanas greatly. Identical with Brahma, he
will like and love the Brahmanas, and the Brahmanas will like and love
him, that scion of Yadu's race will liberate many kings immured in the
prison of the ruler of the Magadhas, after vanquishing that ruler named
Jarasandha in his capital buried among mountains. Endued with great
energy, he will be rich with the jewels and gems of all the rulers of the
earth. Indeed, in energy he will be unrivalled on earth, possessed of
great prowess, he will be the king of all kings of the earth. Foremost
among all the Surasenas, the puissant one, residing at Dwaraka, will rule
and protect the whole earth after vanquishing all her lords, conversant
as he will be with the science of polity. Assembling together, do ye all
adore Him, as ye adore the Eternal Brahman, with speech, floral wreaths,
and excellent incense and perfumes. He who wishes to see me or the
Grandsire Brahma should first see the illustrious Vasudeva of great
puissance. If He is seen I am seen, as also the Grandsire Brahman, that
foremost of all the gods. In this I do not deem there is any difference.
Know this, ye Rishis of ascetic wealth! That person with whom the
lotus-eyed Vasudeva becomes gratified, all the deities with Brahma
amongst them will also become gratified with. That man who will seek the
protection of Kesava will succeed in earning great achievements and
victory and Heaven. He will be an instructor in religion and duties, and
will earn great religious merit. All persons conversant with religion
and duties should, with great alacrity, bow down unto that Lord of all
the gods. By adoring that puissant one, one will acquire great merit.
Endued with great energy, that god, with the desire of benefiting all
creatures, created millions of Rishis for the sake of righteousness.
Those millions of Rishis, thus created by that great Ordainer are now
residing on the mountains of Gandhamadana, headed by Sanatkumara and
engaged in the observance of penances. Hence, ye foremost of regenerate
ones, that foremost of all eloquent persons, the righteous Vasudeva
should be adored by all. The illustrious Hari, the puissant Narayana, is
verily, the foremost of all beings in Heaven. Adored, he adores, and
honoured he honours; unto them that make offerings to him, he makes
offerings in return. Worshipped, he worships in return, if seen always,
he sees the seers always. If one seeks His refuge and protection, He
seeks the seeker as his refuge in return. Ye foremost of all righteous
ones, if adored and worshipped, He adores and worships in return. Even
this is the high practice of the faultless Vishnu. Even this is the vow
that is practised by all righteous people, of that first of all deities,
that puissant Lord of all creatures. He is always worshipped in the
world. Verily, that Eternal Being is worshipped by even the deities.
Those persons that are devoted to Him with the steadiness of a vow become
liberated from calamity and fear in proportion to his devotion. The
regenerate ones should always worship Him in thought, word, and deed. The
son of Devaki should be seen by them with reverence and in order to see
Him with reverence they should address themselves to the performance of
penances. Ye foremost of ascetics, even this is the path that I show unto
you. By beholding Him, ye will have behold all the foremost of deities. I
too bow my head in reverence unto that Lord of the universe, that
Grandsire of all the worlds, that mighty and vast boar. By beholding Him
one beholds the Trinity. Ourselves, i.e., all the deities, reside in Him.
He will have an elder brother who will become known over all the world as
Vala. Having a plough for his weapon, in form he will look like a white
hill. In fact, he will be endued with might capable of uplifting the
whole earth. Upon the car of that divine person a tall palmyra,
three-headed and made of gold, will form his proud standard. The head of
that mighty-armed hero, that Lord of all the worlds, will be shaded by
many high-souled snakes of vast bodies. All weapons of attack and defence
will also come to him as soon as he will think of them. He is called
Ananta (Infinite). Verily, that illustrious one is identical with the
immutable Hari. Once on a time the mighty Garuda, the son of Kasyapa, was
addressed by the deities in these words, 'Do thou, O puissant one, see if
this one has any end!' Though possessed of great energy and might,
Garuda, however, failed to find out the end of this illustrious one who
is identical with the Supreme Soul. Supporting the whole earth on his
head, he resides in the nether regions. He roves through the universe as
Sesha, filled with great joy. He is Vishnu. He is the illustrious Ananta.
He is the supporter of the earth. He that is Rama is Hrishikesa. He that
is Achyuta is Ananta, the bearer of the earth. Both of those foremost of
all creatures are celestial and endued with celestial prowess. One of
them is armed with the discus and the other with the plough. They deserve
every honour and should be seen. I have, through my kindness for you,
have thus declared to you the nature of Vasudeva. Even this, ye ascetics
possessed of wealth of penances, is Righteousness. I have declared all
this to you so that ye may, with reverence and care, worship Krishna,
that foremost one of Yadu's race."'"'"