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PART III
MOTILAL BANARSIDASS
Delhi
Varanasi
Bangalore
Patna
Madras
CHAPTER FOUR
The Birth o f Laksmi
Bhisma said
1. I have heard that Laksmi was born in the white
ocean. How did you say that she was born of Khyati from
Bhrgu ?
2. How did the auspicious daughter of Daksa give up
her body ? And how was she conceived by Mena and born
as Uma ?
3. Why did the lord of lords take Himalaya's daughter
as his wife ? And why did he have hostility with Daksa ?
May the revered one tell this to me.
Pulastya said
4. 0 king, listen to this (account) since you have now
asked me. I have heard about this connection of Sri (with
Bhrgu and Khyati) from Brahma.
5-10. Durvasas, Atri's son, wandering over this earth,
saw a fragant, auspicious, garland in the hand of a
Vidyadhari. He solicited her for it (saying) : `Give it to
me. I shall place it in the mass of my matted hair'. Thus
the Vidyadhari was asked
by him. 0 king, being pleased, she then gave that garland
to him. Taking it, he tied it to his head for a long time,
and the brahmana looking like a mad ghost, said this
'I saw the Vidyadhari maiden, with stout, high breasts,
and having charm due to brilliant ornaments; and then
my mind gets perturbed today; and I am not skilled in
sex. So exhibiting my good fortune, I shall go somewhere
else'. 0 king, saying so, he wandered over the earth.
11-12. Taking from his own head that garland with
93. The lord, with lotus-like eyes and holding the disc
and mace, going to Bhrgu spoke courteously to him:
94. "Give the city to your daughter. Be gracious; give to
her both the key and the lock (of the city)." Being angry
Bhrgu said to him
95. "I will not give her the city. 0 god, it is not Laksmi's
city. I myself have fashioned it. Sir, I will not give it. Stop
censuring me."
96. Again the lord said to him : "Give the city to Laksmi.
By all means, 0 great sage, by my order you have to give it
up.
~,
97-98. Then, overcome with anger, Bhrgu too said to
Kesava: "O good one, due to your partiality for your wife,
you are now harassing me. 0 Madhusudana, you will have
ten births in the human world. You will experience many
agonies by separation from your wife."
99. Bhrgu, extremely angry, thus cursed him. The noble
Visnu too, cursed him back.
100. "0 best sage, you will not get the affection of your
children." Having (thus) cursed the sage, he went to the
world of Brahma.
101-103. Seeing him (i.e. Brahma), who was born from
the lotus, Kesava said : "Sir, this your son Bhrgu is very
irascible. Without any reason he has cursed me: 'You will
fiave ten births in the human world (as a human being),
and as a result of that (you will) (suffer from) miseries of
many kinds, (and have) suffering due to the separation
from your wife, which would destroy your might and
valour.' Leaving this world, I shall lie in the great ocean.
104-105. Invoke me for all divine missions". In order to
please Visnu, who was speaking thus, Brahma, the lord of
the world of gods, thus praised him: "You created this
world, and the lotus issued from (your) navel. I was born
there, and am your servant, 0 Kesava.
106. 0 lord, you are the protector of all the worlds, and
the creator of the universe. You should not leave the three
worlds. This alone is my wish.
107. With the desire for the well-being of the worlds, you
live for ten existences among human beings. You are the
independent author. Nobody is capable of cursing you.
108. Who is this Bhrgu ? How is it possible for him to
curse (you) ? Always honour the brahmanas; the
brahmanas are your own body.
109. Resort to light sleep (i.e. Visnu's sleep at the end
of a yuga) 0 lord; lie in the Milky Ocean. At the time of
performing a mission, I shall wake you up.
110-112. Sir, this Sakra, grown by your power and killer
of enemies, doing all your deeds as your secondary
incarnation, will protect the three worlds; he will obey
your order". Visnu, thus praised, said to Brahma : "I shall
do all that you ask me (to do) 0 lord." The lord (Visnu)
disappeared; Brahma did not notice it.
113. When lord Visnu had left, lord Brahma, the
grandsire of the worlds, the source of the worlds, again
created the world.
114. Seeing that, Narada, the best among those
conversant with speech, said (these) words: "The
supreme being, with a thousand heads, a thousand eyes,
a thousand feet, all-pervading, remained ten fingers
above the touch of the earth.
115. Since you are whatever is past and whatever is
future, therefore, 0 father, all this has come up from you,
and will come up from you.
116. From you has come up Sacrifice with everything,
such as the oblation, the ghee mixed with coagulated
milk, and the beasts of two kinds. .ks and Samans have
sprung up from you.
117. Sacrifices have come up from you, and also the
elephants; cows have sprung up from you, and also birds
and wild beasts.
118. From your mouth the brahmanas came up; the
kratriyas are born from you. The vai.fyas have been
born from your thighs and the .fudras have come up
129. Son, that is the fruit of your penance that you have
seen me now. Here, 0 Narada, seeing me would not be in
vain.
130. Therefore, ask for a boon of your liking. Everything
is accomplished, 0 son,when I am seen.
Narada said:
131. 0 sire, 0 lord of all beings, you remain in the heart
of everyone. Is, what is mentally desired by me, not
known to you ?
132. 0 lord, I have seen the creation of the world as
done by you. Therefore, seeing the gods, sages and
demons, curiosity has sprung up in me.
Pulastya said
133-134. God Brahma, the lord of heaven, father of
Narada, was pleased, and gave a boon to Narada: "You
are the best among the sages. Due to my favour you will
be fond of jesting and promoting discords, and you will
move freely in the heaven, on the earth and in the nether
region.
135. 0 sinless one, your ornaments will be, along with
the sacred thread, a cloth thrown over the back, and
hanging down the knees, a small umbrella, and a lute.
136. You will always obtain affection in the presence
of (i.e. from) Visnu, Rudra, and Sakra, and in the
regions of kings.
137. You will be the instructor of the castes. This is the
boon I have granted you, 0 sinless one. Live in heaven at
your sweet will with gods waiting upon you."
CHAPTER FIVE
Destruction of Daksa's Sacrifice
Bhisma said:
of his
religious merit; gets wealth by means of his merit; gets
birth as a result of his religious merit; and enjoyments
have their basis in religious merit. Therefore he is the
lord of the worlds, and. the best of the best. By him, the
intelligent one, these positions are given to all these.
That highest god has those virtues which even the tongue
of the Creator is unable to narrate.
58. The ashes, bones, skulls, residence in a cemetery,
the serpents like gonasa, evil spirits, . his attendants,
ghosts, fiends, Guhyakas are his ornaments.
59-64. He is the author and the creator; he guards the
quarters. By the favour of Rudra, Indra attained heaven.
If there is godhead in Rudra, if Siva is omnipotent; then
truly Sankara should destroy your sacrifice. If I have
some penance (to my credit), or if I have moral merit,
then by the fruit of that merit your sacrifice will perish. If
I am dear to the lord, if he will liberate me, then truly
your pride will come to an end."
Speaking thus, and contemplating the supreme spirit,
she burnt herself with the lustre residing in her body,
while the gods, demons, serpents, Gandharvas,
attendants and Guhyakas said: "Oh ! what is this, what is
this ?"
65. Then she, the angry one, cast her body on the bank
of the Ganges. That sacred place called Saunaka is on the
western bank of the Ganges.
66. Hearing that news, Rudra, extremely pained at the
loss of his wife, thought of destroying the sacrifice even
when the gods were watching it.
67. For the destruction of Daksa's sacrifice, the crores
of his attendants were ordered; and also the evil
demons, the followers of Gajanana, the spirits, ghosts
and fiends (were ordered).
gone?'-remained at Gangadvara.
93. Narada approached him who was overpowered by
grief. (He said) : "0 lord of gods, that Sat!, your wife, is
dead.
94. She, the knower of the Vedas and their
significance, has taken up another body as the daughter
of Himavat, born from the womb of Mena."
95. Having heard this, the lord saw her descending
into his meditation. Regarding himself blessed, the lord
then remained (there).
96. Attaining youth, the goddess married again. Thus,
0 Bhisma, I have told you how the Sacrifice perished in
olden times.
CHAPTER SIX
Birth of Devas, Daityas, Birds and
Serpents etc. Bhfsma said
1. 0 sire, tell me duly and in detail, about the birth of
gods, demons and of the Gandharvas, serpents and
goblins.
Pulastya spoke
2. The creation in ancient times is said to be effected by
volition, sight and touch; (but) the creation after Pracetasa
Daksa is effected by coitus.
3-4. Listen, 0 Kaurava, as to how he created (gods etc.)
When he was creating groups of gods, sages and serpents,
the world did not grow. So Daksa generated thousands of
sons on his young maid-servant.
5-6. Seeing those magnanimous ones (i.e. Daksa's
sons), desiring to create various kinds of beings, Narada
said to Daksa's sons who approached him:
"0 you best sages, knowing the entire measure of the
earth up and down, you should (proceed to) create with
discrimination."
7. Having heard these words, they went in all directions;
and even now have not returned as rivers from the sea.
8. When Haryavas had disappeared, Daksa Prajapati
again produced a thousand sons on Virini.
9-10. Those (sons) named Sabalasva gathered in the act
of creation. To them, who went after (i.e. approached)
Narada, the sage told as before:
"Having known the entire extent of the earth, and
coming back, you will especially undertake the creation."
11. They followed their brothers along the same path.
Since then a younger brother does not desire (to follow)
the path of the (elder) brother.
12-16. The one who follows, gets into trouble; therefore,
one should avoid it. When they too disappeared, Pracetasa
Daksa Prajapati generated sixty daughters on Virini. He
gave (in marriage) ten (daughters) to Dharma, and
thirteen to Kayapa, twenty-seven to Soma, and four to
Aristanemi, two to Bhrgu's son, two to intelligent Krsava,
and gave two to Angiras. Hear in detail the names of these
mothers of gods and the expanse of mankind from the
beginning: Arundhati, Vasu, Jim!, Lamba, Bhanu,
Marutvati, Sankalpa, Muhurta, Sadehya, and the beautiful
Viva.
17. These arc known to be the wives of Dharma. Know from
me their sons; Visvedevas were (the sons) of Visva, and
Sadhya gave birth to Sadhyas.
18. Marutvans were born of Marutvati, and Vasavas of
Vasu; Bhanus of Bhanu and Muhurtajas of Muhurta.
19. Those known as Ghosa were born of Lamba and
Nagavithis were born of Jami. Prthvitala and Sambhuta
were born of Arundhati.
20-23. Satnkalpas were born of Satinkalpa. Understand
(now) the progeny of Vasu. Gods, bright and pervading all
quarters, are called Vasus. Hear their names from me:
CHAPTER SEVEN
Description of Manu Periods
Bhisma said
1. How did Maruts, the sons of Diti, become dear to
gods, .and how did they have excellent intimacy with
gods?
Pulastya spoke
2. Formerly, in the war between the gods and the
demons, when, by Hari and gods, her sons and grandsons
were killed, Diti, afflicted with grief, went to the excellent
terrestrial globe.
3. At the great sacred place in Puskara, on the
auspicious bank of the Sarasvati, Diti the mother of the
Daityas, intent upon propitiating her husband, practised
a severe penance.
4-6. She, of a good vow, afflicted with old age and grief,
subsisting on fruit, performed fully, for a hundred years,
a penance, with vows like Krcchra-candrayana, for the
sages. Then she, tormented by penance, asked Vasistha
and others: "Tell me a vow that will remove my grief for
my sons and will cause good luck in this and the next
world".
7. Vasistha and others told (her) about the vow of the
full-moon night of Jyestha, due to the auspiciousness of
which she became free from the grief for her sons.
Bhisma said
8. 0 brahmana, I wish to hear about the vow of the full-
come there with great joy, made that rough (lady) full of
form
and beauty.
31. He persuaded her (to ask for) boons, and she chose
an excellent boon: "I desire a powerful, very lustrous,
magnanimous son, capable of killing all gods, to murder
Indra. "
32-34. Kagyapa uttered these words: "With this
(boon) I shall give you a powerful son who will kill
Indra; but, 0 you auspicious one, do this: 0 you of
beautiful breasts, I shall today perform the Apastamba
sacrifice for (obtaining) a son. Then I shall deposit my
semen (into you) after touching your breasts, O
auspicious one. 0 lady, you will have a son capable of
killing Indra."
35. Then he performed the Apastamba sacrifice with
(i.e. spending) great wealth for (obtaining) a son, and
hurriedly offered the oblation saying: `O enemy of
Indra, be (conceived)."
36. The gods fainted and the demons and the fiends
turned away their faces. Kagyapa then put the semen
into Diti, and again said to her:
37. "Your face is like the moon; your breasts resemble
the bilva-fruit (are stout). Your lips have the form of
corals and your complexion is very lovely.
38. Seeing you, 0 you lady of large eyes, I forget my
own body. Therefore, 0 lady, of charming hips, I have,
with my own hand (i.e. myself), deposited my seed into
your body.
39-41. You should, 0 lady, having an excellent face,
take care of this foetus in a penance-grove for one
hundred years. During pregnancy you should not eat in
the evening; you should not remain under, or go to the
roots of, trees. You should not resort to (i.e. handle)
the quarterelephants.
75. He made Suparna the lord of birds and
Uccaihsravas the lord of horses. He made lion the lord of
beasts, bull the lord of cows, and the fig tree with waving
leaves the lord of plants.
76. Then Brahma consecrated these as the lords of
quarters: He consecrated Suvarman, eminent as a foe, as
the lord of the eastern quarter.
77. Then he made him-Satikha by name-the lord of the
south. Brahma made Ketumanta the lord of the (western)
direction.
78. Then Prajapati made Hiranyaroman, the son of
Megha, the lord of the northern direction.
Even now, the lords of quarters always carrying upon
them (the responsibility of the protection of the earth)
protect the earth.
79. Along with these four, he first installed as the king
of the earth (a man) Prthu by name. When the period of
Manu named Caksusa was over, he made this (period) of
Vaivasvata (Manu) on the earth.
80. When the period of Manu by name Caksusa was
over, and when the period called Vaivasvata set in, he,
born in the solar family, became the king, with his
insignia, of this movable and immovable (creation).
Pulastya said:
81-82. 0 son of Kuru, listen, in short, with concentrated
and gracious mind, to all the periods of Manus and their
lives, the measure of a Kalpa, and the creation in it.
Formerly in the period of Svayambhuva Manu, there
were gods called Yama.
83-84. And also seven sages only like Marici and
others were said to be there. These ten increased the
Saravana
86. "Whatever called male enters our grove, all that,
within a radius of ten yojanas, will turn into a female."
87. Not knowing this convention, king Ila entered Saravana, (and) instantly became a woman, and the same
moment (his) horse turned into a mare.
88-91. And while in the female body, he forgot
everything that he did as a man; he became a slender lady
called Ila, having plump, raised and compact breasts,
raised hips and loins, having long and dark eyes like
lotus-leaves, having a face like the full moon, having
plump, raised and long arms, and dark, curly and fine
hair, of a charming face and talking sweetly and
indistinctly, of a slender shape, with a fair complexion,
and having thin, reddish, sprout-like nails, having bowlike eyebrows, and with a gait concealing (i.e. superior
to) that of a swan.
92-94. The beautiful young woman, wandering in the
forest, thought: `Who would be my father, or brother, or
mother here ? To which husband am I given ? For how
many years am I (living) on the earth ?' While thinking
(thus), she, a lady of an excellent complexion, was seen
by (Budha), the son of Soma, with his mind seized by the
figure of Ila. Budha, oppressed by love, tried to secure
her.
95-96. He, of a distinguished form, bald-headed,
entered the grove with a water-pot and a book, a
bamboo-stick in his hand, having a ring of kusa-grass
and a shovel, with a brahmana's form, having a tuft of
hair, reciting Veda, wearing earrings, accompanied by
young boys and having sacred fuel, flowers, kusa grass
and water.
97-100. At that time, having looked into it, he hastily