उशनोवाच नमस्तस्मै भगवते देवाय प्रभविष्णवे। यस्य पृथ्वीतलं तात साकाशं बाहुग्रोचरः॥
Ushana said I bow to that divine and illustrious and powerful Being who holds this Earth with the sky in his arms.
मूर्धा यस्य त्वनन्तं च स्थानं दानवसत्तम। तस्याहं ते प्रवक्ष्यामि विष्णोर्माहात्म्यमुत्तमम्॥
I shall speak to you of the pre-eminent greatness of that Vishnu whose head, O best of the Danavas, is that Infinite place.
तयोः संवदतोरेवमाजगाम महामुनिः। सनत्कुमारो धर्मात्मा संशयच्छेदनाय वै॥
While they were thus talking with each other there came to them the great sage Sanatkumara of pious soul for the purpose of removing their doubts.
स पूजितोऽसुरेन्द्रेण मुनिनोशनसा तथा। निषसादासने राजन् महार्हे मुनिपुङ्गवः॥
Adored of the king of Asuras and the sage Ushanas, that foremost of sages sat down on a rich seat.
तमासीनं महाप्रज्ञमुशना वाक्यमब्रवीत्। ब्रूह्यस्मै दानवेन्द्राय विष्णोर्माहात्म्यमुत्तमम्॥ एष चाक्षिपते काले
After the highly wise Kumara had been seated, Ushanas said to him,-Describe to this king of the Danavas the pre-eminent greatness of Vishnu.
सनत्कुमारस्तु ततः श्रुत्वा प्राह वचोऽर्थवत्। विष्णोर्माहात्म्यसंयुक्तं दानवेन्द्राय धीमते॥
Hearing these words, Sanatkumara said to the following, fraught with grave sense, upon the pre-cminent greatness of Vishnu to the intelligent king of the Danavas.
शृणु सर्वमिदं दैत्य विष्णोर्माहात्म्यमुत्तमम्। विष्णौ जगत् स्थितं सर्वमिति विद्धि परंतप॥
Listen, O Daitya, to everything regarding the greatness of Vishnu. Know, O destroyer of foes, that the entire universe depends on Vishnu.
सृजत्येष महाबाहो भूतग्रामं चराचरम्। काले विसृजते पुनः॥
O you of mighty arms, it is He who creates all creatures mobile and immobile. In course of Time it is He, again, who withdraws all things and in Time it is He who once more sends them from Himself.
अस्मिन् गच्छन्ति विलयमस्माच्च प्रभवन्त्युत। नैष ज्ञानवता शक्यस्तपसा नैव चेज्यया। सम्प्राप्तुमिन्द्रियाणां तु संयमेनैव शक्यते॥
Into Hari all things merge at the universal dissolution, and from Hiin all things again come forth. Men having scriptural learning cannot get him by such lore. Nor can He be acquired by Penances, nor by Sacrifices. The only means by which He can be acquired is by controlling the Senses.
बाह्ये चाभ्यन्तरे चैव कर्मणोर्मनसि स्थितः। निर्मलीकुरुते बुद्ध्या सोऽमुत्रानन्त्यमश्नुते॥
Not that sacrifices are absolutely useless towards such an end. For a person, by relying upon both external and internal acts, and upon his own mind, can purify (them) by his own understanding. By such means, one can enjoy Infinity in the world.
यथा हिरण्यकर्ता वै रूप्यमग्नौ विशोधयेत्। बहुशोऽतिप्रयत्नेन महताऽऽत्मकृतेन ह॥ तद्वज्जातिशतैर्जीवः शुद्ध्यतेऽनेन कर्मणा। यत्नेन महता चैवाप्येकजातौ विशुद्ध्यते॥
As a goldsmith purifies the dross of his metal by repeatedly putting it into the fire with very great efforts of his own, similarly Individual Soul succeeds in purifying himself by his course through hundreds of births. Some one may be seen to purify himself in only one life by great efforts.
लीलयाल्पं यथा गात्रात् प्रमृज्यादात्मनो रजः। बहुयत्नेन महता दोषनिर्हरणं तथा॥
As one should with care remove stains from his body before they become thick, similarly one should with great efforts, wash off his sins.
यथा चाल्पेन माल्येन वासितं तिलसर्षपम्। न मुञ्चति स्वकं गन्धं तद्वत् सूक्ष्मस्य दर्शनम्॥
By mixing only a few flowers with them, grains of sesame cannot be made to renounce their own smell. Similarly, one cannot, by purifying his heart only a little, succeed in seeing the Soul.
तदेव बहुभिर्माल्यैर्वास्यमानं पुनः पुनः। विमुञ्चति स्वकं गन्धं माल्यगन्धे च तिष्ठति॥
When, however, those grains are perfumed repeatedly with the help of a large quantity of flowers, it is then that they cast off their own smell and assume that off the flowers with which they are mixed.
एवं जातिशतैर्युक्तो गुणैरेव प्रसङ्गियु। बुद्ध्या निवर्तते दोषो यत्नेनाभ्यासजेन ह॥
Similarly, faults, in the form of attachments to all our environments, are removed by the understanding in course of many lives, with the help of a large quantity of the quality of goodness, and by means of efforts born of practice.
कर्मणा स्वनुरक्तानि विरक्तानि च दानव। यथा कर्मविशेषांश्च प्राप्नुवन्ति तथा शृणु।॥
Listen, O Danava, by what means creatures attached to acts and those unattached to them get at the causes bringing on their respective states mind.
यथावत् सम्प्रवर्तन्ते यस्मिस्तिष्ठन्ति वा विभो। तत् तेऽनुपूर्व्या व्याख्यास्ये तदिहैकमनाः शृणु॥
Listen to me with rapt attention. I shall in their due order, describe to you, O powerful Danava, as to how creatures follow action and how they give up action.
अनादिनिधनः श्रीमान् हरिर्नारायणः प्रभुः। देवः सृजति भूतानि स्थावराणि चराणि च॥
The Supreme Lord creates all creatures mobile and immobile. He is beginingless and endless. Unendued with attributes and endless. Unendued with attributes of any sort, he assumes attributes. He is the universal Destroyer, the Refuge of all things, the supreme Ordainer, and pure Intelligence.
स वै सर्वेषु भूतेषु क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च। एकादशविकारात्मा जगत् पिबति रश्मिभिः॥
In all creatures it is He who lives as the mutable and the immutable. It is He who, having eleven modifications for His essence, drinks this universe with His rays.
पादौ तस्य महीं विद्धि मूर्धानं दिवमित्युत। बाहवस्तु दिशो दैत्य श्रोत्रमाकाशमेव च॥
Know that the Earth is His feet. His head is formed by Heaven. His arms, O Daitya, are the several points of the horizon. The intermediate space is His ears.
तस्य तेजोमयः सूर्यो मनश्चन्द्रमसि स्थितम्। बुद्धिर्ज्ञानगता नित्यं रसस्त्वप्सु प्रतिष्ठितः॥
The light of His eye is the Sun, and His mind is in the Moon. His Understanding lives always in Knowledge, and His tongue is in Water.
भ्रुवोरन्तरास्तस्य ग्रहा दानवसत्तम। नक्षत्रचक्रं नेत्राभ्यां पादयोर्भूश्च दानव॥
O best of Danavas, the Planets are in the midst of His brows. The stars and constellations originate, from the light of His eyes. The Earth is in His feet, O Danava.
रजस्तमश्च सत्त्वं च विद्धि नारायणात्मकम्। सोऽऽश्रमाणां फलं तात कर्मणस्तत् फलं विदुः॥
Know also that the qualities of Rajas, Tamas, and Sattva are of Him. He is the fruit of all the modes of life, and He it is who should be known as the fruit of all religious acts.
अकर्मणः फलं चैव स एव परमव्ययः। छन्दांसि यस्य रोमाणि ह्यक्षरं च सरस्वती॥
The Highest and Immutable, He is also the fruit of abstention from all work. The Chcchandas are the hair on His body, and Pranava is His word.
बह्वाश्रयो बहुमुखो धर्मो हृदि समाश्रितः। स ब्रह्म परमो धर्मस्तपश्च सदसच्च सः॥
The various orders (of men) and the modes of life are His refuge. His mouths are many. duty is put in his heart. He is Brahma, He is the highest Righteousness; He is existent and He is non-existent.
श्रुतिशास्त्रग्रहोपेतः षोडशविक् क्रतुश्च सः। पितामहश्च विष्णुश्च सोऽश्विनौ स पुरंदरः।
He is Shruti. He is the scriptures. He is Sacrificial vessels. He is the sixteen sacrificial priests. He is all the Sacrifices. He is the Grandfather (Brahman), He is Vishnu. He is the two Ashvins, and he is Purandara.
मित्रोऽथ वरुणश्चैव यमोऽथ धनदस्तथा॥ ते पृथग्दर्शनस्तस्य संविदन्ति तथैकताम्। एकस्य विद्धि देवस्य सर्वं जगदिदं वशे॥
He is Mitra, He is Varuna, He is Yama, He is Kuvera—the lord of riches. Although the Ritwijas seem to see Him as separate, He is, however, known to them as one and the same. Know that this entire universe is under the control of One divine Being.
नानाभूतस्य दैत्येन्द्र तस्यैकत्वं वदत्ययम्। जन्तुः पश्यति विज्ञानात् ततो ब्रह्म प्रकाशते॥
The Veda that is in the soul, O king of Daityas, regards the unity of various creates. When a living creature realizes this unity on account of true knowledge, he is then said to attain to Brahma.
स्तिष्ठन्ति जीवाः प्रचरन्ति चान्ये। प्रजाविसर्गस्य पारिमाण्यं वापीसहस्राणि बहूनि दैत्य॥
The period of time during which one creation exists or owing which it ceases to exist is called a Kalpa. Living creatures exist for a thousand millions of such Kalpas, Immobile creatures also exists for an equal time. The period for which a particular creation exists is measured by many thousands of lakes, O Daitya!
वाप्यः पुनर्योजनविस्तृतास्ताः क्रोशं च गम्भीरतयावगाढाः। आयामतः पञ्चशताश्च सर्वाः प्रत्येकशो योजनतः प्रवृद्धाः॥
Conceive a lake that is one Yojana in width, one Krosha is depth, and five hundred Yojanas in length. Imagine many thousands of such lakes.
वाप्या जलं क्षिप्यति वालकोट्या त्वन्हा सकृच्चाप्यथ न द्वितीयम्। तासां क्षये विद्धि परं विसर्ग संहारमेकं च तथा प्रजानाम्॥
Try then to dry up those lakes by taking from them, only once a day, as much water as may be taken up with the end of a single hair. The number of days that would be necessary to drying them up perfectly by this process forins the period that is required by the life of one creation from its beginning to the time of its destruction.
षड् जीववर्णाः परमं प्रमाणं कृष्णो धूम्रो नीलमथास्य मध्यम्। राक्तं पुन: सह्यतरं सुखं तु हारिद्रवर्णं सुसुखं च शुक्लम्॥
The highest Evidence says that creatures have six colours, viz., Dark, Tawny, Blue, Red, Yellow, and White. These colours produced by mixtures in various degrees of are three qualities of Rajas, Tamas, and Sattva. Where Tamas prevents Sattva falls below the mark, and Rajas remains the same, the result is the colour called Dark. When Tamas prevails as before, but the relations between Sattva sand Rajas, are changed the result is the color called Tawny. When Rajas prevents, Sattva goes down, and Tamas remains the same, the result is the colour called Blue. When Rajas prevents as before and the proportion change between Sativa and Tamas, the result is the intermediate colour called Red. That colour is more agreeable. When Sattva prevents Rajas falls down and Tamas keeps on the same, the result is the colour called Yellow. It yields happiness. When Sativa prevails and the proportion is changed between Rajas and Tamas, the result is the colour called White. It yields great happiness.
परं तु शुक्लं विमलं विशोकं गतक्लमं सिद्ध्यति दानवेन्द्र। गत्वा तु योनिप्रभवाणि दैत्य सहस्रशः सिद्धिमुपैति जीवः॥
The White is the foremost colour, It is sinless on account of its being free from attachment and aversion. It is without grief, and free from the exertion necessary by desire for action. Hence, White, O king of Danavas, brings on Liberation. O Daitya, having undergone thousands of births derived through the womb, Individual Soul attains to success.
गतिं च यां दर्शनमाह देवो गत्वा शुभं दर्शनमेव चापि। गतिः पुनर्वर्णकृता प्रजानां वर्णस्तथा कालकृतोऽसुरेन्द्र।।
That success is the same end which the divine Indra declared after having studied many sacred scriptural books and which has for its essence the apprehension of the Soul. The end again that creatures obtain depends on their colour, and colour, in its turn, depends upon the character of the Time that sets in, O Daitya.
शतं सहस्राणि चतुर्दशेह परागतिर्जीवगणस्य दैत्य आरोहणं तत्कृतमेव विद्धि स्थानं तथा निःसरणं च तेषाम्॥
The stages of existence, O Daitya, through which individual soul must pass are not unlimited. They are fourteen hundreds of thousands in number. In consequence of them individual soul, ascends, stays, and falls down as the case may be.
कृष्णस्य वर्णस्य गतिर्निकृष्टा स सज्जते नरके पच्यमानः। स्थानं तथा दुर्गतिभिस्तु तस्य प्रजाविसर्गान् सुबहून् वदन्ति॥
The end that is acquired by an individual soul of dark colour is very low, for he becomes addicted to acts leading to hell and then has to rot in hell. The learned say that on account of his wickedness, the continuance of an individual is measured by many thousands of Kalpas.
शतं सहस्राणि ततश्चरित्वा प्राप्नोति वर्णं हरितं तु पश्चात्। स चैव तस्मिन् निवसत्यनीशो युगक्षये तपसा संवृतात्मा॥
Having passed many hundred thousands of years in that stage, Individual Soul then attains to the colour called Tawny. In that condition he lives in perfect helplessness. At last when his sins are spent his mind, shaking off all attachments, cherishes Renunciation.
स्तमो व्यपोहन् घटते स्वबुद्ध्या। स लोहितं वर्णमुपैति नीलान् मनुष्यलोके परिवर्तते च॥
When Individual Soul becomes endued with the quality of goodness, he then dispels everything connected with Darkness by the help of his intelligence, and exerts (for acquiring what is for his good). As the outcome of this, Individual Soul attains to the colour called Red. If the quality of goodness, however, be not acquired, Individual Soul then travels in a round of re-births in the world of men having attained to the colour called Blue.
स तत्र संहारविसर्गमेकं स्वधर्मजैर्बन्धनैः क्लिश्यमानः। ततः स हारिद्रमुपैति वर्ण संहारविक्षेपशते व्यतीते॥
Having attained to that end, and having been afflicted for the duration of one creation by the fetters of his own acts Individual Soul then attains to the colour called Yellow (or becomes a Deity). Existing in that condition for the period of a hundred creations, he then leaves it to return to it once more.
हारिद्रवर्णस्तु प्रजाविसर्गात् सहस्रशस्तिष्ठति संचरन् वै। अविप्रमुक्तो निरये च दैत्य ततः सहस्राणि दशापराणि॥ गतीः सहस्राणि च पञ्च तस्य चत्वारि संवर्तकृतानि चैवा विमुक्तमेनं निरयाच्च विद्धि सर्वेषु चान्येषु च सम्भवेषु॥
Having acquired the Yellow colour, Individual Soul exists for thousands of Kalpas, sporting as a Deity. Without, however, being emancipated, he has to live in hell, enjoying or enduring the fruits of his acts of past Kalpas and passing through nine and then thousand courses. Know that Individual Soul then becomes freed from the hell as represented heaven. Similarly Individual Soul escapes other births.
स देवलोके विहरत्यभीक्ष्णं ततश्च्युतो मानुषतामुपैति। संहारविक्षेपशतानि चाष्टौ मर्येषु तिष्ठत्यमृतत्वमेति।।४३। सोऽस्मादथ भ्रश्यति कालयोगात् कृष्णे तले तिष्ठति सर्वकृष्ट। स्तत्तेऽभिधास्याम्यसुरप्रवीर॥
Individual Soul sports for many long Kalpas in the world of Devas. Falling thence, he once more becomes a man. He then lives in that condition for the period of a hundred and cight Kalpas. He then attains once more to the a status of a Deity. If while born as a man he falls through Kala, he then sinks into the Dark colour and thus occupies the very lowest of all stages of existence. I shall tell you, now, O foremost of Asuras, how Individual Soul succeeds in bringing about his Liberation.
दैवानि स व्यूहशतानि सप्त रक्तो हरिद्रोऽथ तथैव शुक्लः। मष्टावरानच॑तमान्स लोकान्॥
Desirous of Liberation, Individual Soul relying upon seven hundred kinds of acts every one of which is permeated-by predominance of the quality of goodness, gradually passes through Red and Yellow and at last attains to White. Arrived here, Individual Soul travels through several most adorable regions which have the Eight wellknown regions of felicity beneath them, and all the while follows that pure and effulgent form existence which is Liberation,
अष्टौ च षष्टिं च शतानि चैव मनोनिरुद्धानि महाद्युतीनाम्। शुक्लस्य वर्णस्य परा गतिर्या त्रीण्येव रुद्धानि महानुभाव॥
Know that the Eight which are identical with the Sixty hundreds, are to those who are highly effulgent, only creations of the mind. The highest, object of acquisition with one who is of White colour, is that condition which is above the three other states of consciousness, viz., Wakefulness and Dream and Dreamless sleep.
संहारविक्षेपमनिष्टमेकं चत्वारि चान्यानि वसत्यनीशः। षष्ठस्य वर्णस्य परा गतिर्या सिद्धावसिद्धस्य गतक्लमस्य॥
As regards that Yogin who cannot renounce the joy that Yoga-power begets, he has to live (in one and the same body) for one hundred Kalpas in auspiciousness and after that in four other regions. Even that is the highest end of one belonging to the sixth colour, and who is Unsuccessful though crowned with Success, and who has gone above all attachments and passions.
सप्तोत्तरं तत्र वसत्यनीशः संहारविक्षेपशतं सशेषम्। तस्मादुपावृत्य मनुष्यलोके ततो महान् मानुषतामुपैति॥
That Yogin, again, who deviates from Yoga practices lives in the celestial region for a liundred Kalpas with the unspent residue of his pristine deeds and with the seven (viz., the five senses of knowledge and mind and understanding) purged of all stains on account of their predisposition towards the quality of goodness. After that period, such a person has 10 come to the world of men where he acquires great eminence.
तस्मादुपावृत्य ततः क्रमेण सोऽग्रेण संतिष्ठति भूतसर्गम्। स सप्तकृत्वश्च परैति लोकान् संहारविक्षेपकृतप्रभावः॥
Returning from the world of men, he departs for attaining to new forms of life that run higher and higher in the upwards scale. While engaged in this, he passes through seven regions for seven times, his power being always multiplied on account of his mental concentration and the re-awakening from it.
सप्तैव संहारमुपप्लवानि सम्भाव्य संतिष्ठति जीवलोके। ततोऽव्ययं स्थानमनन्तमेति देवस्य विष्णोरथ ब्रह्मणश्च। शेषस्य चैवाथ नरस्य चैव देवस्य विष्णोः परमस्य चैव॥
The Yogin who wishes for final Liberation suppresses by Yoga-knowledge the seven, and continues to live in the world of life, shorn of attachments, and taking those seven for certain means of grief, he renounces them and attains after wards to that state which is Indestructible and Infinite. Some, say that that is the region of Mahadeva; some of Vishnu; some, of Brahiman; some, of Cesha; some, of Nara; some, of the effulgent Intelligence; and some, of the All-pervading.
संहारकाले परिदग्धकाया ब्रह्माणमायान्ति सदा प्रजा हि। चेष्टात्मनो देवगणाश्च सर्वे ये ब्रह्मलोकेअपराः स्म तेऽपि॥
When universal dissolution sets in, those persons who have succeeded in completely destroying by knowledge their gross and subtle and casual bodies, always enter into Brahma. All their Senses also which have action for their essence and which are not at one with Brahma, merge into the same.
प्रजाविसर्गं तु सशेषकाले स्थानानि स्वान्येव सरन्ति जीवाः। निःशेषतस्तत्पदं यान्ति चान्ते सर्वे देवा ये सदृशा मनुष्याः॥
When the time of universal dissolution sets in, those Individual Souls who have acquired the position of Devas and who have an unspent residue of the fruits of acts to enjoy or endure, return to those stages of life in the subsequent Kalpa which had been theirs in the pristine one. This is owing to the likeness of every successive Kalpa to every previous one.
ये तु च्युताः सिद्धलोकात् क्रमेण तेषां गतिं यान्ति तथाऽऽनुपूर्व्या। जीवाः परे तद्बलतुल्यरूपाः स्वं स्वं विधिं यान्ति विपर्ययेण॥
Those again whose acts, at the time of universal dissolution, have been exhausted by enjoyment or endurance of their fruits, descending from heaven, are born among men, in the subsequent Kalpa, for without Knowledge one cannot dissipate his acts in even a hundred Kalpas. All superior Being again, gifted with similar powers and similar forms, revert to their respective destinies at a new creation after a universal dissolution, ascending and descending precisely in the same way as during the creation that is dissolved.
स यावदेवास्ति सशेषभुक् ते प्रजाश्च देव्यौ च तथैव शुक्ले। तावत् तदङ्गेषु विशुद्धभावः संमम्य पञ्चेन्द्रियरूपमेतत्॥
As regards, again, the person who knows Brahma, as long as he continues to enjoy and endure the unspent residue of his deeds of pristine Kalpas, it is said that all creatures and the two pure sciences live in his body. When his Intelligence becomes purified by Yoga, and when he prastises restraint, this perceptible universe appears to him as only his own fivefold senses.
शुद्धां गतिं तां परमां परैति शुद्धेन नित्यं मनसा विचिन्वन्। ततोऽव्ययं स्थानमुपैति ब्रह्म दुष्प्रापमभ्येति स शाश्वतं वै॥
Enquiring with a purified mind, individual soul attains to a high and pure end. Thence he attains to a spot which knows no destruction, and thence attains to eternal Brahma which is so difficult of acquisition.
इत्येतदाख्यातमहीनसत्त्व नारायणस्येह बलं मया ते॥
Thus, O you of great power, I have described to you the greatness of Narayana.
वृत्र उवाच एवं गते मे न विषादोऽस्ति कश्चित् सम्यक् च पश्यामि वच स्तथैतत्। श्रुत्वा तु ते वाचमदीनसत्त्व विकल्मषोऽस्म्यद्य तथा विपाप्मा॥
Vritra said I see, these your words are perfectly consonant with the truth. When this is so, I have no grief. Having heard your words, O you of great mental powers, I have become freed from sorrow and sin of every sort.
प्रवृत्तमेतद् भगवन् महर्षे महाद्युतेश्चक्रमनन्तवीर्यम्। विष्णोरनन्तस्य सनातनं तत् स्थानं सर्गा यत्र सर्वे प्रवृत्ताः। स वै महात्मा पुरुषोत्तमो वै तस्मिन् जगत् सर्वमिदं प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
O illustrious Rishi, O holy one, I see this wheel of Time, endued with great energy, of the most effulgent and Infinite Vishnu, has been set in motion. Eternal is that station from which all sorts of creation originate. That Vishnu is the Supreme Soul. He is the foremost of Beings. In Him this entire universe lives.
भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्त्वा स कौन्तेय वृत्रः प्राणान वासृजत्। योजयित्वा तथाऽऽत्मानं परं स्थानमवाप्तवान्॥
Bhishma continued Having said these words, O son of Kunti, Vritra renounced his life-breaths, uniting his soul (with the Supreme Soul), and attained to highest station.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अयं स भगवान् देवः पितामह जनार्दनः। सनत्कुमारो वृत्राय यत्तदाख्यातवान् पुरा॥
Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grandfather, whether this Janardana (Krishna) is that illustrious and powerful Lord of whom Sanatkumara spoke to Vritra in days of yore.
भीष्म उवाच मूलस्थायी महादेवो भगवान् स्वेन तेजसा। तत्स्थः सृजति तान् भावान् नानारूपान् महामनाः॥
Bhishma said The Highest Deity, gifted with six attributes is at the Root. Staying there, the Supreme Soul, with his own energy, creates all these various existent things.
तुरीयांशेन तस्येमं विद्धि केशवमच्युतम्। तुरीयार्धेन लोकांस्त्रीन् भावयत्येव बुद्धिमान्॥
Know that this Keshava who knows no decay from His eighth part. Gifted with the greatest Intelligence, it is this Keshava who creates the three worlds with an eighth portion.
अर्वाक् स्थितस्तु यः स्थायी कल्पान्ते परिवर्तते। स शेते भगवानप्सु योऽसावतिबलः प्रभुः। तान् विधाता प्रसन्नात्मा लोकांश्चरति शाश्वतान्॥
Coming immediately after Him who lies at the Bottom, this Keshava who is eternal, changes at the end of each Kalpa, He, however, who lies at the Root and who is gifted with great might and power lies in the waters when universal dissolution sets in Keshava is that Creator of pure Soul who passes through all the eternal words.
सर्वाण्यशून्यानि करोत्यनन्तः सनातनः संचरते च लोकान्। स चानिरुद्धः सृजते महात्मा तत्स्थं जगत् सर्वमिदं विचित्रम्॥
Infinite and Eternal as He is, He fills all space and passes through the universe. Freed as He is from all limitations such as the possession of attributes would imply, he allows himself to be invested with ignorance and awakened to Consciousness, Keshava of Supremne Soul creates all things. In Him rests this wonderful universe fully.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच वृत्रेण परमार्थज्ञ दृष्टा मन्येऽऽत्मनो गतिः। शुभा तस्मात् स सुखितो न शोचति पितामह॥
Yudhisthira said-O who are conversant with the highest object of knowledge, I think that Vritra behold before hand the excellent end that awaited him. It is for this, O grandfather, that he was happy and did not sucumb to grief.
शुक्ल: शुक्लाभिजातीय: साध्यो नावर्ततेऽनघ। तिर्यग्गतेश्च निर्मुक्तो निरयाच्च पितामह॥
He who is of White colour, who has taken birth in a pure or stainless family, and who has attained to the rank of a Saddhya, does not, O a sinless one, return. Such person, O grandfather, is freed from both hell and all intermediate stations,
हारिद्रवर्णे रक्ते वा वर्तमानस्तु पार्थिव। तिर्यगेवानुपश्येत कर्मभिस्तामसैर्वृतः॥
He, however, O king, who has acquired either the Yellow or the Red colour, is seen sometimes to be overwhelmed by darkness and fall among the order of Intermediate creatures.
वयं तु भृशमापन्ना रक्ता दुःखसुखेऽसुखे। कां गतिं प्रतिपत्स्यामो नीलां कृष्णाधमामथ॥
As regards ourselves, we are greatly afflicted and attached to objects which produce sorrow. Alas, what will be our end? Will it be the Blue or the Dark which is the lowest of all colours.
भीष्म उवाच शुद्धाभिजनसम्पन्नाः पाण्डवाः संशितव्रताः। विहृत्य देवलोकेषु पुनर्मानुषमेष्यथ॥
Bhishma said You are Pandavas! you have been born in a stainless family. You are of rigid vows. Having sported happily in the celestial regions, you shall return to the world of men.
प्रजाविसर्गं च सुखेन काले प्रत्येत्य देवेषु सुखानि भुक्त्वा। सुखेन संयास्यथ सिद्धसंख्यां मा वो भयं भूद् विमलाः स्थ सर्वे॥
Living happily as long as the creation lasts, all of you at the next new creation will be admitted among the gods, and enjoying all sorts of happiness you will at last be coloured among the Siddhyas! Let no fear be yours. Be you cheerful.