भीष्म उवाच ततोऽतीते महाकल्पे उत्पन्नेऽङ्गिरसः सुते। बभूवुर्निर्वृता देवा जाते देवपुरोहिते॥
Bhishma said Then, upon the expiration of the great cycle, when the celestial priest Brihaspati was born in the family of Angiras, all the gods became very happy.
बृहद् ब्रह्म महच्चेति शब्दाः पर्यायवाचकाः। एभिः समन्वितो राजन् गुणैर्विद्वान् बृहस्पतिः॥
The words Vrihat, Brahma, and Mahat all carry the same significance. The celestial priest, O king, came to be called Brihaspati because he was gifted with all these accomplishments.
तस्य शिष्यो बभूवाग्यो राजोपरिचरो वसुः। अधीतवांस्तदा शास्त्रं सम्यक् चित्रशिखण्डिजम्॥
King Uparichara, otherwise called Vasu, became a disciple of Brihaspati and soon became the greatest of his disciples. Admitted as such, he began of study from his preceptor that science which was composed by the seven Rishis who were known by the name of Chitrashikhandins.
स राजा भावितः पूर्वं दैवेन विधिना वसुः। पालयामास पृथिवीं दिवमाखण्डलो यथा॥
With soul purified by sacrifices and other religious rites, he governed the Earth like Indra ruling the Heaven.
तस्य यज्ञो महानासीदश्वमेधो महात्मनः। बृहस्पतिरुपाध्यायस्तत्र होता बभूव ह॥
The illustrious king celebrated a great Horse-sacrifice in which his preceptor Brihaspati became the priest offering libation.
प्रजापतिसुताश्चात्र सदस्याश्चाभवंस्त्रयः। एकतश्च द्वितश्चैव त्रितश्चैव महर्षयः॥ धनुषाख्योऽथ रैभ्यश्च अर्वावसुपरावसू। ऋषिर्मेधातिथिश्चैव ताण्ड्यश्चैव महानृषिः॥ ऋषिः शान्तिर्महाभागस्तथा वेदशिराश्च यः। ऋषिश्रेष्ठश्च कपिल: शालिहोत्रपिता स्मृतः॥ आद्यः कठस्तैत्तिरिश्च वैषम्पायनपूर्वजः। कण्वोऽथ देवहोत्रश्च एते षोडश कीर्तिताः॥
The sons of Prajapati themselves, viz., Ekata, Dvita, and Trita became the priests watching the proceedings. There were others also who became Sadasyas in that sacrifice, viz., Dhanusha, Rajvya, Arvavasu, Paravasu, the Rishi Medhatithi, the great Rishi Tandya, the blessed Rishi Shanti, Vedashiras the foremost of Rishis, viz., Kapila, who was the father of Shalihotra, the first Kalpa, Tittiri the elder brother of Vaishampayana, Kanwa, and Devahotra, forming in all sixteen,
सम्भूताः सर्वसम्भारास्तस्मिन् राजन् महाक्रतौ। न तत्र पशुघातोऽभूत् स राजैवं स्थितोऽभवत्॥
In that great sacrifice, O king, all the necessary articles were collected. No animals were killed in it. The king had ordained it so.
अहिंस्रः शुचिरक्षुद्रो निराशीः कर्मसंस्तुतः। आरण्यकपदोद्भूता भागास्तत्रोपकल्पिताः॥
He was full of mercy. Of pure and liberal mind, he had renounced all desire, and was well-conversant with all rites. The necessary articles of that sacrifice were the productions of the forest.
प्रीतस्ततोऽस्य भगवान् देवदेवः पुरातनः। साक्षात् तं दर्शयामास सोऽदृश्योऽन्येन केनचित्॥
The ancient God of gods (viz., Hari), became highly pleased with the king on account of that sacrifice. Incapable of being seen by any one else, the great God appeared before his worshipper.
स्वयं भागमुपाघ्राय पुरोडाशं गृहीतवान्। अदृश्येन हृतो भागो देवेन हरिमेधसा॥
Accepting by taking its scent, the share offered to him he himself took up the Purodasha (clarified butter with cakes of powdered barley). The great God took up the offerings without being seen by any one.
बृहस्पतिस्ततः क्रुद्धः स्रुचमुद्यम्य वेगितः। आकाशं जन् स्रुचः पातै रोषादश्रूण्यवर्तयत्॥
At this, Brihaspati became angry. Taking up the ladle he hurled it violently at the sky, and began to shed tears in anger.
उवाच चोपरिचरं मया भागोऽयमुद्यतः। ग्राह्यः स्वयं हि देवेन मत्प्रत्यक्षं न संशयः॥
Addressing king Uparichara he said,-Here, I place this as Narayana's share of the sacrificial offerings! Forsooth, he shall take it before my eyes.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच उद्यता यज्ञभागा हि साक्षात् प्राप्ताः सुरैरिह। किमर्थमिह न प्राप्तो दर्शनं स हरिविभुः॥
Yudhishthira said In the great sacrifice of Uparichara, all the gods appeared in their respective forms for partaking of the sacrificial offerings and were seen by all. Why is it that the powerful Hari only acted otherwise by invisibly taking his share?
भीष्म उवाच ततः स तं समुद्भूतं भूमिपालो महान् वसुः। प्रसादयामास मुनि सदस्यास्ते च सर्वशः॥
Bhishma said When Brihaspati yielded to anger, the great king Vasu and all his Sadasyas sought to pacify the great Rishi.
ऊचुश्चैनमसम्भ्रान्ता न रोषं कर्तुमर्हसि। नैष धर्मः कृतयुगे यस्त्वं रोषमचीकृथाः॥
With cool heads, all of them said to Brihaspati,-You should not yield to anger. In this golden age, this anger to which you have yielded should not be the characteristic of any one.
अरोषणो ह्यसौ देवो यस्य भागोऽयमुद्यतः। न शक्यः स त्वया द्रष्टुमस्माभिर्वा बृहस्पते॥
The great god for whom the share of the sacrificial offerings was designed by you, is himself free from anger! He is incapable of being seen either by ourselves or by you, O Brihaspati.
यस्य प्रसादं कुरुते स वैतं द्रष्टुमर्हति। एकतद्वितत्रिताश्चोचुस्ततश्चित्रशिखण्डिनः॥
Only he can see Him to whom He becomes gracious!—Then the Rishis Ekata, Dvita, and Trita, who were all conversant with the science of morality and duties compiled by the seven Rishis, addressed that assembly and began the following narration.
वयं हि ब्रह्मणः पुत्रा मानसाः परिकीर्तिताः। गताः निःश्रेयसार्थं हि कदाचिद् दिशमुत्तराम्॥
We are the sons of Brahman, begotten by his will. Once on a time we went to the north for the acquisition of our highest good.
तप्त्वा वर्षसहस्राणि चरित्वा तप उत्तमम्। एकपादाः स्थिताः सम्यक् काष्ठभूताः समाहिताः॥
Having practised penances for thousands of years and acquired a great ascetic merit, we again stood on only one foot like fixed rods of wood.
मेरोरुत्तरभागे तु क्षीरोदस्यानुकूलतः। स देशो यत्र नस्तप्तं तपः परमदारुणम्॥
The country where we practised these austerest of penances, lies to the north of the mountains of Meru and on the shores of the ocean of milk.
कथं पश्येम हि वयं देवं नारायणात्मकम्। वरेण्यं वरदं तं वै देवदेवं सनातनम्॥ कथं पश्येम हि वयं देवं नारायणं त्विति। अथ व्रतस्यावभृथे वागुवाचाशरीरिणी॥ स्निग्धगम्भीरया वाचा प्रहर्षणकरी विभो।
The object we had in mind was how to see the divine Narayana in his own form. Upon the termination of our penances and after we had performed the final ablutions, we heard an incorporeal voice, O powerful Brihaspati, deep like that of the clouds and exceedingly melodious and filling the heart with joy.
सुतप्तं वस्तपो विप्राः प्रसन्नेनान्तरात्मना॥ यूयं जिज्ञासवो भक्ताः कथं द्रक्ष्यथ तं विभुम्।
The voice said You Brahmanas, you have performed well these penances with cheerful souls! Devoted to Narayana, you try to know how you may succeed in seeing that god of great power.
क्षीरोदधेरुत्तरतः श्वेतद्वीपो महाप्रभः॥ तत्र नारायणपरा मानवाश्चन्द्रवर्चसः।
On the northern shores of the ocean of milk there is an island called White Island. The men that dwell in that island have complexions as white as the rays of the Moon and that are devoted to Narayana.
एकान्तभावोपगतास्ते भक्ताः पुरुषोत्तमम्॥ ते सहस्रार्चिषं देवं प्रविशन्ति सनातनम्।
Worshippers of that foremost of all Beings, they are devoted to Him with their whole minds. They all enter that eternal and illustrious god of a thousand rays.
अनिन्द्रिया निराहारा अनिष्पन्दाः सुगन्धिनः॥ एकान्तिनस्ते पुरुषाः श्वेतद्वीपनिवासिनः। गच्छध्वं तत्र मुनयस्तत्रात्मा मे प्रकाशितः॥
They are shorn of senses. They do not live on any sort of food. Their eyes are winkless. Their bodies always emit a sweet smell. Indeed, the inhabitants of White Island believe and adore only one God. Go there, ye ascetics, for there I have revealed myself.
अथ श्रुत्वा वयं सर्वे वाचं तामशरीरिणीम्। यथाख्यातेन मार्गेण तं देशं प्रतिपेदिरे॥
All of us, hearing these invisible words, proceeded by the way said to the country described.
प्राप्य श्वेतं महाद्वीपं तच्चित्तास्तद्दिदृक्षवः। ततोऽस्मदृष्टिविषयस्तदा प्रतिहतोऽभवत्॥
Eagerly desirous of seeing Him and our hearts full of Him, we reached that large island called White Island. Arrived there, we could see nothing. Indeed our vision was blinded by the energy of the great god and accordingly we could not see Him.
न च पश्याम पुरुषं तत्तेजोहृतदर्शनाः। ततो नः प्रादुरभवद् विज्ञानं देवयोगजम्॥
At this, the idea, due to the grace of the great God Himself, sprung in our minds that one who had not practised sufficient penances could not soon see Narayana.
न किलातप्ततपसा शक्यते द्रष्टुमञ्जसा। ततः पुनर्वर्षशतं तप्त्वा तात्कालिकं महत्॥ व्रतावसाने च शुभान् नरान् ददृशिरे वयम्।
Under the influence of this idea we once more began to practise some severe austerities, suited to the time and place, for a hundred years. Upon the termination of our vows, we saw a number of men of auspicious marks.
श्वेतांश्चन्द्रप्रतीकाशान् सर्वलक्षणलक्षितान्॥ नित्याञ्जलिकृतान् ब्रह्म जपतः प्रागुदङ्मुखान्।
All of them were white and looked like the Moon and were erdued with every sort of blessedness. Their hands were always joined in prayer. The faces of some were turned towards the North and of some to East. They were engaged in silently meditating on Brahma.
मानसो नाम स जपो जप्यते तैर्महात्मभिः॥ तेनैकाग्रमनस्त्वेन प्रीतो भवति वै हरिः।
The recitation performed by those great persons was a mental Yapa. On account of their hearts, having been entirely fixed upon Him, Hari became highly gratified with them.
याभवन्मुनिशार्दूल भाः सूर्यस्य युगक्षये॥ एकैकस्य प्रभा तादृक् साभवन्मानवस्य ह।
The effulgence that came out of the persons of those men resembled, O foremost of ascetics, the splendours which the sun assumed when the time comes for the dissolution of the universe.
तेजोनिवासः स द्वीप इति वै मेनिरे वयम्॥ न तत्राभ्यधिकः कश्चित् सर्वे ते समतेजसः।
Indeed, we thought that that Island was the seat of all Energy. All the denizens were perfectly equal in energy. There was no superiority or inferiority there among them.
अथ सूर्यसहस्रस्य प्रभां युगपदुत्थिताम्॥ सहसा दृष्टवन्तः स्म पुनरेव बृहस्पते।
We then suddenly saw once more a light arise that seemed to be the concentrated effulgence of a thousand Sons, O Brihaspati.
सहिताश्चाभ्यधावन्त ततस्ते मानवा दुतम्॥ कृताञ्जलिपुटा हृष्टा नम इत्येव वादिनः।
The denizens in a body, ran towards that light, with hands joined in reverential attitude, full of joy, and uttering the one word Salutation.
ततो हि वदतां तेषामश्रौष्म विपुलं ध्वनिम्॥ बलिः किलोपहियते तस्य देवस्य तैनरैः।
We then heard a very loud noise uttered by all of them together. It appeared that those men were engaged in offering a sacrifice to the great God.
वयं तु तेजसा तस्य सहसा हृतचेतसः॥ न किंचिदपि पश्यामो हतचक्षुर्बलेन्द्रियाः।
As regards ourselves, we were suddenly deprived of our senses by his Energy. Shorn of vision and strength and all the senses, we could not behold or feel anything.
एकस्तु शब्दो विततः श्रुतोऽसमाभिरुदीरितः॥ जितं ते पुण्डरीकाक्ष नमस्ते विश्वभावन।
We only heard a loud sound uttered by the collected denizens. It said,-Victory to you, O you have eyes like lotus petals! Salutation to you, O Creator of the universe.
नमस्तेऽस्तु हृषीकेश महापुरुषपूर्वज॥ इति शब्दः श्रुतोऽस्माभिः शिक्षाक्षरसमन्वितः।
Salutation to you, O Hrishikesha, O foremost of Beings, O First-born! This was the sound we heard, uttered distinctly and in accordance with the rules of orthoepy.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे वायुः सर्वगन्धवहः शुचिः॥ दिव्यान्युवाह पुष्पाणि कर्मण्याश्चौषधीस्तथा।
Meanwhile, a fragrant and pure breeze blew, carrying perfumes of celestial flowers, and of certain herbs and plants that were necessary on the occasion.
तैरिष्टः पञ्चकालज्ञैर्हरिरेकान्तिभिर्नरै॥ भक्त्या परमया युक्तैर्मनोवाक्कर्मभिस्तदा।
Those men, gifted with great devotion, having hearts full of reverence, conversant with the ordinances laid down in the Pancharatra, were then adoring the great god with mind, word, and deed.
नूनं तत्रागतो देवो यथा तैर्वागुदीरिता॥ वयं त्वेनं न पश्यामो मोहितास्तस्य मायया।
Forsooth, Hari appeared in that place whence the sound we heard originated. As regards ourselves, stupefied by His illusion, we could not behold Him.
मारुते संनिवृत्ते च बलौ च प्रतिपादिते॥ चिन्ताव्याकुलितात्मानो जाता: स्मोऽङ्गिरसां वर।
After the breeze has ceased and the sacrifice had been over, our hearts became stricken with anxiety, O foremost one of Angiras's race.
मानवानां सहस्रेषु तेषु वै शुद्धयोनिषु॥ अस्मान् न कश्चिन्मनसा चक्षुषा वाप्यपूजयत्।
As we stood among those thousands of men all of whom were of pure birth, no one honoured us with a glance or a nod.
तेऽपि स्वस्था मुनिगणा एकभावमनुव्रताः॥ नास्मासु दधिरे भावं ब्रह्मभावमनुष्ठिताः।
Those ascetics, all of whom were cheerful and filled with devotion and who were all are practising the Brahma-frame of mind, showed no feeling for us.
ततोऽस्मान् सुपरिश्रान्तां स्तपसा चातिकर्शितान्॥ उवाच स्वस्थं किमपि भूतं तत्राशरीरकम्।
We had been greatly tired. Our penances had einaciated us. At that time, a bodiless Being addressed us from the sky and said to us
देव उवाच दृष्टा वः पुरुषाः श्वेताः सर्वेन्द्रियविवर्जिताः॥ दृष्टो भवति देवेश एभिर्दृष्टैद्विजोत्तमैः।
These white men, who are divested of all external senses, competent to see (Narayana). Only those foremost of twice-born persons whom these white men honoured with their looks, can see the great God.
गच्छध्वं मुनयः सर्वे यथागतभितोऽचिरात्॥ न स शक्यस्त्वभक्तेन द्रष्टुं देवः कथंचन।
Go hence, ye Munis, to the place from where you have come! That great Deity is incapable of being ever seen by one who has no devotion.
कामं कालेन महता एकान्तित्वमुपागतः॥ शक्यो द्रष्टुं स भगवान् प्रभामण्डलदुर्दशः। महत् कार्यं च कर्तव्यं युष्माभिर्द्विजसत्तमाः॥
Incapable of being seen on account of his dazzling effulgence, that illustrious Deity can be seen only by those person who succeed, in course of long time, in devoting themselves wholly and solely to Him. O foremost of twiceborn ones, you have a great duty to perform.
इतः कृतयुगेऽतीते विपर्यासं गतेऽपि च। वैवस्वतेऽन्तरे विप्राः प्राप्ते त्रेतायुगे पुनः॥ सुराणां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं सहाया वै भविष्यथा
After the expiration of this the golden age, when the Treta age comes in course of the Vivasvat cycle, a great calamity will befall the world. You Munis, you shall then have to help the gods.
ततस्तदद्भुतं वाक्यं निशम्यैवामृतोपमम्॥ तस्य प्रसादात् प्राप्ताः स्मो देशमीप्सितमञ्जसा।
no Having heard this wonderful words that were sweet as nectar, we soon returned to the place we desired, through the favour of that great Deity.
एवं सुतपसा चैव हव्यकव्यैस्तथैव च॥ देवोऽस्माभिर्न दृष्टः स कथं त्वं द्रष्टुमर्हसि।
When with the help of even such austere penances of offerings devoutly given in sacrifices, we could not see the great Deity, how, indeed, can you except to see Him so easily?
नारायणो महद्भूतं विश्वसृग्धव्यकव्यभुक॥ अनादिनिधनोऽव्यक्तो देवदानवपूजितः।
Narayana is a Great Being. he is the Creator of the universe. He is worshipped in sacrifices with offerings of clarified butter and other food dedicated with the help of Vedic Mantras. He has no beginning and end. He is Unmanifest. Both the gods and the Danavas adore Him.
एवमेकतवाक्येन द्वितत्रितमतेन च॥ अनुनीतः सदस्यैश्च बृहस्पतिरुदारधीः। समापयत् ततो यज्ञं दैवतं समपूजयत्॥
Induced by these words spoken by Ekata and approved by his companions, viz., Dvita and Trita, and solicited also by the other Sadasyas, the great Brihaspati terminated that sacrifice after duly offering the accustomed adorations to the gods.
समाप्तयज्ञो राजापि प्रजां पालितवान् वसुः। ब्रह्मशापाद् दिवो भ्रष्टः प्रविवेश महीं ततः॥
Having completed his great sacrifice, king Uparichara, also, began to rule his subjects piously. At last, renouncing his body, he ascended to heaven. After sometime, through the curse of the Brahmanas, he dropped down from those happy regions and sank deep into the bowels of the Earth.
स राजा राजशार्दूल सत्यधर्मपरायणः। अन्तर्भूमिगतश्चैव सततं धर्मवत्सलः॥
King Vasu, O foremost of kings, was always devoted to the true religion. Although sunk deep into the bowels of the Earth, his devotion to virtue did not decrease.
नारायणपरो भूत्वा नारायणजपं जपन्। तस्यैव च प्रसादेन पुनरेवोत्थितस्तु सः॥
Ever devoted to Narayana, and ever reciting sacred Mantras having Narayana for their god, he once more ascended to heaven through Narayana's favour.
महीतलाद् गतः स्थानं ब्रह्मणः समनन्तरम्। परां गतिमनुप्राप्त इति नैष्ठिकमञ्जसा॥
Getting up from the bowels of the Earth, king Vasu, on account of the very highest end that he attained, proceeded to a spot which is even higher than the region of Brahman himself.”