The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 7.172: dvisaptatyadhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ

7.172.1

saṃjaya uvāca |
tatprabhagnaṃ balaṃ dṛṣṭvā kuntīputro dhanaṃjayaḥ |
nyavārayadameyātmā droṇaputravadhepsayā || 1 ||

"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding that force broken, Kunti's son, Dhananjaya, of immeasurable soul, proceeded against Aswatthaman from desire of slaying him. Those troops then, O king, rallied with effort by Govinda and Arjuna, stayed on the field of battle. Only Vibhatsu, supported by the Somakas and the Matsyas, shot his arrows at the Kauravas and checked their onset. Quickly approaching Aswatthaman, that great bowman having the mark of the lion's tail on his banner, Arjuna addressed him, saying, 'Show me now the might thou hast, the energy, the knowledge, and the manliness, that are in thee, as also thy affection for the Dhartarashtras and thy hatred for us, and the high mettle of which thou art capable. Even Prishata's son, that slayer of Drona, will quell thy pride today. Come now and encounter the Panchala prince, that hero resembling the Yuga fire and like the Destroyer himself with Govinda. Thou hast displayed thy pride in battle, but I shall quell that pride of thine.'

7.172.2

tataste sainikā rājannaiva tatrāvatasthire |
saṃsthāpyamānā yatnena govindenārjunena ca || 2 ||

7.172.3

eka eva tu bībhatsuḥ somakāvayavaiḥ saha |
matsyairanyaiśca saṃdhāya kauravaiḥ saṃnyavartata || 3 ||

7.172.4

tato drutamatikramya siṃhalāṅgūlaketanam |
savyasācī maheṣvāsamaśvatthāmānamabravīt || 4 ||

7.172.5

yā śaktiryacca te vīryaṃ yajjñānaṃ yacca pauruṣam |
dhārtarāṣṭreṣu yā prītiḥ pradveṣo'smāsu yaśca te |
yacca bhūyo'sti tejastatparamaṃ mama darśaya || 5 ||

7.172.6

sa eva droṇahantā te darpaṃ bhetsyati pārṣataḥ |
kālānalasamaprakhyo dviṣatāmantako yudhi |
samāsādaya pāñcālyaṃ māṃ cāpi sahakeśavam || 6 ||

7.172.7

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
ācāryaputro mānārho balavāṃścāpi saṃjaya |
prītirdhanaṃjaye cāsya priyaścāpi sa vāsaveḥ || 7 ||

"Dhritarashtra said, 'The preceptor's son, O Sanjaya, is possessed of might and worthy of respect. He beareth great love to Dhananjaya and the high-souled Dhananjaya also loveth him in return. Vibhatsu had never addressed Drona's son before in this way. Why then did the son of Kunti address his friend in such words?'

7.172.8

na bhūtapūrvaṃ bībhatsorvākyaṃ paruṣamīdṛśam |
atha kasmātsa kaunteyaḥ sakhāyaṃ rūkṣamabravīt || 8 ||

7.172.9

saṃjaya uvāca |
yuvarāje hate caiva vṛddhakṣatre ca paurave |
iṣvastravidhisaṃpanne mālave ca sudarśane || 9 ||

"Sanjaya said, 'Upon the fall of the youthful prince of the Chedis, of Vrihatkshatra of Puru's race, and of Sudarsana, the chief of the Malavas, who was well-accomplished in the science of arms, and upon the defeat of Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki and Bhima, and feeling great pain and touched to the quick by those words of Yudhishthira, and remembering a his former woes, O lord, Vibhatsu, in consequence of his grief, felt such wrath rise within him the like of which he had never experienced before. It was for this that like a vulgar person, he addressed the preceptor's son who was worthy of every respect, in such unworthy, indecent, bitter, and harsh language. Addressed, from wrath, in such harsh and cruel words by Partha, O king, Drona's son, that foremost of all mighty bowmen, became highly angry with Partha and especially with Krishna. The valiant Aswatthaman, then, staying resolutely on his car, touched water and invoked the Agneya weapon incapable of being resisted by the very gods. Aiming at all his visible and invisible foes, the preceptor's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, inspired with mantras a blazing shaft possessed of the effulgence of a smokeless fire, and let it off on all sides, filled with rage. Dense showers of arrows then issued from it in the welkin. Endued with fiery flames, those arrows encompassed Partha on all sides. Meteors flashed down from the firmament. A thick gloom suddenly shrouded the (Pandava) host. All the points of the compass also were enveloped by that darkness. Rakshasas and Pisachas, crowding together, uttered fierce cries. Inauspicious winds began to blow. The sun himself no longer gave any heat. Ravens fiercely croaked on all sides. Clouds roared in the welkin, showering blood. Birds and beasts and kine, and Munis of high vows and souls under complete control, became exceedingly uneasy. The very elements seemed to be perturbed. The sun seemed to turn. The universe, scorched with heat, seemed to be in a fever. The elephants and other creatures of the land, scorched by the energy of that weapon, ran in fright, breathing heavily and desirous of protection against that terrible force. The very waters heated, the creatures residing in that element, O Bharata, became exceedingly uneasy and seemed to burn. From all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, from the firmament and the very earth, showers of sharp and fierce arrows fell and issued with the impetuosity of Garuda or the wind. Struck and burnt by those shafts of Aswatthaman that were all endued with the impetuosity of the thunder, the hostile warriors fell down like trees burnt down by a raging fire. Huge elephants, burnt by that weapon, fell down on the earth all around, uttering fierce cries loud as the rumblings of the clouds. Other huge elephants, scorched by that fire, ran hither and thither, and roared aloud in fear, as if in the midst of a forest conflagration. The steeds, O king, and the cars also, burnt by the energy of that weapon, looked, O sire, like the tops of trees burnt in a forest-fire. Thousands of cars fell down on all sides. Indeed, O Bharata, it seemed that the divine lord Agni burnt the (Pandava) host in that battle, like the Samvarta fire consuming everything at the end of the Yuga.

7.172.10

dhṛṣṭadyumne sātyakau ca bhīme cāpi parājite |
yudhiṣṭhirasya tairvākyairmarmaṇyapi ca ghaṭṭite || 10 ||

7.172.11

antarbhede ca saṃjāte duḥkhaṃ saṃsmṛtya ca prabho |
abhūtapūrvo bībhatsorduḥkhānmanyurajāyata || 11 ||

7.172.12

tasmādanarhamaślīlamapriyaṃ drauṇimuktavān |
mānyamācāryatanayaṃ rūkṣaṃ kāpuruṣo yathā || 12 ||

7.172.13

evamuktaḥ śvasankrodhānmaheṣvāsatamo nṛpa |
pārthena paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ sarvamarmaghnayā girā |
drauṇiścukopa pārthāya kṛṣṇāya ca viśeṣataḥ || 13 ||

7.172.14

sa tu yatto rathe sthitvā vāryupaspṛśya vīryavān |
devairapi sudurdharṣamastramāgneyamādade || 14 ||

7.172.15

dṛśyādṛśyānarigaṇānuddiśyācāryanandanaḥ |
so'bhimantrya śaraṃ dīptaṃ vidhūmamiva pāvakam |
sarvataḥ krodhamāviśya cikṣepa paravīrahā || 15 ||

7.172.16

tatastumulamākāśe śaravarṣamajāyata |
vavuśca śiśirā vātāḥ sūryo naiva tatāpa ca || 16 ||

7.172.17

cukruśurdānavāścāpi dikṣu sarvāsu bhairavam |
rudhiraṃ cāpi varṣanto vinedustoyadāmbare || 17 ||

7.172.18

pakṣiṇaḥ paśavo gāvo munayaścāpi suvratāḥ |
paramaṃ prayatātmāno na śāntimupalebhire || 18 ||

7.172.19

bhrāntasarvamahābhūtamāvarjitadivākaram |
trailokyamabhisaṃtaptaṃ jvarāviṣṭamivāturam || 19 ||

7.172.20

śaratejo'bhisaṃtaptā nāgā bhūmiśayāstathā |
niḥśvasantaḥ samutpetustejo ghoraṃ mumukṣavaḥ || 20 ||

7.172.21

jalajāni ca sattvāni dahyamānāni bhārata |
na śāntimupajagmurhi tapyamānairjalāśayaiḥ || 21 ||

7.172.22

diśaḥ khaṃ pradiśaścaiva bhuvaṃ ca śaravṛṣṭayaḥ |
uccāvacā nipeturvai garuḍānilaraṃhasaḥ || 22 ||

7.172.23

taiḥ śarairdroṇaputrasya vajravegasamāhitaiḥ |
pradagdhāḥ śatravaḥ peturagnidagdhā iva drumāḥ || 23 ||

7.172.24

dahyamānā mahānāgāḥ petururvyāṃ samantataḥ |
nadanto bhairavānnādāñjaladopamanisvanān || 24 ||

7.172.25

apare pradrutāstatra dahyamānā mahāgajāḥ |
tresustathāpare ghore vane dāvāgnisaṃvṛtāḥ || 25 ||

7.172.26

drumāṇāṃ śikharāṇīva dāvadagdhāni māriṣa |
aśvavṛndānyadṛśyanta rathavṛndāni cābhibho |
apatanta rathaughāśca tatra tatra sahasraśaḥ || 26 ||

7.172.27

tatsainyaṃ bhagavānagnirdadāha yudhi bhārata |
yugānte sarvabhūtāni saṃvartaka ivānalaḥ || 27 ||

7.172.28

dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavīṃ senāṃ dahyamānāṃ mahāhave |
prahṛṣṭāstāvakā rājansiṃhanādānvinedire || 28 ||

'Beholding the Pandava army thus burning in that dreadful battle, thy soldiers, O king, filled with joy, uttered leonine shouts. Indeed, the combatants, desirous of victory and filled with joy, speedily blew thousands of trumpets, O Bharata, of diverse kinds. Darkness having enveloped the world during that fierce battle, the entire Pandava army, with Savyasachin, the son of Panda, could not be seen. We had never before, O king, heard of or seen the like of that weapon which Drona's son created in wrath on that occasion. Then Arjuna, O king, invoked into existence the Brahma weapon, capable of baffling every other weapon, as ordained by the Lotus-born (Brahma) himself. Within a moment that darkness was dispelled, cool winds began to blow, and all the points of the compass became clear and bright. We then beheld a wonderful sight, viz., a full Akshauhini (of the Pandava troops) laid low. Burnt by the energy of Aswatthaman's weapon, the forms of the slain could not be distinguished. Then those two heroic and mighty bowmen, viz., Kesava and Arjuna, freed from that darkness, were seen together, like the sun and the moon in the firmament. Indeed, the wielder of Gandiva and Kesava were both unwounded. Equipped with its banners and standards and steeds, with the Anukarsa unjoined; and with all the mighty weapons stored on it remaining uninjured, that car, so terrible to thy warriors, freed from that darkness, shone resplendent on the field. And soon there arose diverse sounds of life mingled with the blare of conchs and the beat of drums, from among the Pandava troops filled with joy. Both hosts thought that Kesava and Arjuna had perished Beholding Kesava and Arjuna, therefore (freed from darkness and the energy of that weapon) and seeing that reappear so quickly, the Pandavas were filled with joy, and the Kauravas with wonder. Unwounded and full of cheerfulness, those two heroes blew their excellent conchs. Indeed, seeing Partha filled with joy, thy soldiers became exceedingly melancholy. Seeing those two high-souled ones (viz., Kesava and Arjuna), freed (from the energy of his weapon) the son of Drona became very cheerless. For a moment he reflected, O sire, on what had happened. And having reflected, O king, he became filled with anxiety and grief. Breathing long and hot sighs, he became exceedingly cheerless. Laying aside his bow, then, the son of Drona speedily alighted from his car, and saying, 'O fie, fie! Every thing is untrue,' he ran away from the fight. On his way he met Vyasa, the abode of Saraswati, the compiler of the Vedas, the habitation of those scriptures, unstained by sin, and of the hue of rain-charged cloud. Beholding him, that perpetuator of Kura's race, standing on his way, the son of Drona with voice choked in grief, and like one exceedingly cheerless, saluted him and said, 'O sire, O sire, is this an illusion, or is it a caprice (on the part of the weapon)? I do not know what it is. Why, indeed, hath my weapon become fruitless? What breach (has there been in the method of invocation)? Or, is it something abnormal, or, is it a victory over Nature (achieved by the two Krishnas) since they are yet alive? It seems that Time is irresistible. Neither Asuras, nor Gandharvas, nor Pisachas, nor Rakshasas, nor Uragas, Yakshas, and birds, nor human beings, can venture to baffle this weapon shot by me. This fiery weapon, however, having slain only one Akshauhini of troops, hath been pacified. This exceedingly fierce weapon shot by me is capable of slaying all creatures.

7.172.29

tatastūryasahasrāṇi nānāliṅgāni bhārata |
tūrṇamājaghnire hṛṣṭāstāvakā jitakāśinaḥ || 29 ||

7.172.30

kṛtsnā hyakṣauhiṇī rājansavyasācī ca pāṇḍavaḥ |
tamasā saṃvṛte loke nādṛśyata mahāhave || 30 ||

7.172.31

naiva nastādṛśaṃ rājandṛṣṭapūrvaṃ na ca śrutam |
yādṛśaṃ droṇaputreṇa sṛṣṭamastramamarṣiṇā || 31 ||

7.172.32

arjunastu mahārāja brāhmamastramudairayat |
sarvāstrapratighātāya vihitaṃ padmayoninā || 32 ||

7.172.33

tato muhūrtādiva tattamo vyupaśaśāma ha |
pravavau cānilaḥ śīto diśaśca vimalābhavan || 33 ||

7.172.34

tatrādbhutamapaśyāma kṛtsnāmakṣauhiṇīṃ hatām |
anabhijñeyarūpāṃ ca pradagdhāmastramāyayā || 34 ||

7.172.35

tato vīrau maheṣvāsau vimuktau keśavārjunau |
sahitau saṃpradṛśyetāṃ nabhasīva tamonudau || 35 ||

7.172.36

sapatākadhvajahayaḥ sānukarṣavarāyudhaḥ |
prababhau sa ratho muktastāvakānāṃ bhayaṃkaraḥ || 36 ||

7.172.37

tataḥ kilakilāśabdaḥ śaṅkhabherīravaiḥ saha |
pāṇḍavānāṃ prahṛṣṭānāṃ kṣaṇena samajāyata || 37 ||

7.172.38

hatāviti tayorāsītsenayorubhayormatiḥ |
tarasābhyāgatau dṛṣṭvā vimuktau keśavārjunau || 38 ||

7.172.39

tāvakṣatau pramuditau dadhmaturvārijottamau |
dṛṣṭvā pramuditānpārthāṃstvadīyā vyathitābhavan || 39 ||

7.172.40

vimuktau ca mahātmānau dṛṣṭvā drauṇiḥ suduḥkhitaḥ |
muhūrtaṃ cintayāmāsa kiṃ tvetaditi māriṣa || 40 ||

7.172.41

cintayitvā tu rājendra dhyānaśokaparāyaṇaḥ |
niḥśvasandīrghamuṣṇaṃ ca vimanāścābhavattadā || 41 ||

7.172.42

tato drauṇirdhanurnyasya rathātpraskandya vegitaḥ |
dhigdhiksarvamidaṃ mithyetyuktvā saṃprādravadraṇāt || 42 ||

7.172.43

tataḥ snigdhāmbudābhāsaṃ vedavyāsamakalmaṣam |
āvāsaṃ ca sarasvatyāḥ sa vai vyāsaṃ dadarśa ha || 43 ||

7.172.44

taṃ drauṇiragrato dṛṣṭvā sthitaṃ kurukulodvaha |
sannakaṇṭho'bravīdvākyamabhivādya sudīnavat || 44 ||

7.172.45

bho bho māyā yadṛcchā vā na vidmaḥ kimidaṃ bhavet |
astraṃ tvidaṃ kathaṃ mithyā mama kaśca vyatikramaḥ || 45 ||

7.172.46

adharottarametadvā lokānāṃ vā parābhavaḥ |
yadimau jīvataḥ kṛṣṇau kālo hi duratikramaḥ || 46 ||

7.172.47

nāsurāmaragandharvā na piśācā na rākṣasāḥ |
na sarpayakṣapatagā na manuṣyāḥ kathaṃcana || 47 ||

7.172.48

utsahante'nyathā kartumetadastraṃ mayeritam |
tadidaṃ kevalaṃ hatvā yuktāmakṣauhiṇīṃ jvalat || 48 ||

7.172.49

kenemau martyadharmāṇau nāvadhītkeśavārjunau |
etatprabrūhi bhagavanmayā pṛṣṭo yathātatham || 49 ||

[paragraph continues] For what reason then could it not slay Kesava and Arjuna, both of whom are endued with the attributes of humanity? Asked by me, O holy one, answer me truly. O great Muni, I desire to hear all this in detail.'

7.172.50

vyāsa uvāca |
mahāntametamarthaṃ māṃ yaṃ tvaṃ pṛcchasi vismayāt |
tatpravakṣyāmi te sarvaṃ samādhāya manaḥ śṛṇu || 50 ||

"Vyasa said, 'O highly significant is this matter that thou enquirest of me from surprise. I will tell thee everything; listen attentively. He that is called Narayana is older than the oldest ones. For accomplishing some purpose, that creator of the universe took his birth as the son of Dharma. On the mountain of Himavat he underwent the severest ascetic austerities. Endued with mighty energy, and resembling fire or the sun (in splendour), he stood there with arms upraised. Possessed of eyes like: lotus-petals, he emaciated himself there for sixty-six thousand years, subsisting all the while upon air alone. Once more undergoing severe austerities of another kind for twice that period, he filled the space between earth and heaven with his energy. When by those austerities, O sire, he became: like Brahma he then beheld the Master, Origin, and Guardian of the Universe, the Lord of all the gods, the Supreme Deity, who is exceedingly difficult of being gazed at, who is minuter than the minutest and larger than, the largest, who is called Rudra, who is the lord of all the superior ones, who is called Hara and Sambhu, who has matted locks on his head, who is the infuser of life into every form, who is the First cause of all immobile: and mobile things, who is irresistible and of frightful aspect, who is of fierce wrath and great Soul, who is the All-destroyer, and of large heart;

7.172.51

yo'sau nārāyaṇo nāma pūrveṣāmapi pūrvajaḥ |
ajāyata ca kāryārthaṃ putro dharmasya viśvakṛt || 51 ||

7.172.52

sa tapastīvramātasthe mainākaṃ girimāsthitaḥ |
ūrdhvabāhurmahātejā jvalanādityasaṃnibhaḥ || 52 ||

7.172.53

ṣaṣṭiṃ varṣasahasrāṇi tāvantyeva śatāni ca |
aśoṣayattadātmānaṃ vāyubhakṣo'mbujekṣaṇaḥ || 53 ||

7.172.54

athāparaṃ tapastaptvā dvistato'nyatpunarmahat |
dyāvāpṛthivyorvivaraṃ tejasā samapūrayat || 54 ||

7.172.55

sa tena tapasā tāta brahmabhūto yadābhavat |
tato viśveśvaraṃ yoniṃ viśvasya jagataḥ patim || 55 ||

7.172.56

dadarśa bhṛśadurdarśaṃ sarvadevairapīśvaram |
aṇīyasāmaṇīyāṃsaṃ bṛhadbhyaśca bṛhattaram || 56 ||

7.172.57

rudramīśānamṛṣabhaṃ cekitānamajaṃ param |
gacchatastiṣṭhato vāpi sarvabhūtahṛdi sthitam || 57 ||

7.172.58

durvāraṇaṃ durdṛśaṃ tigmamanyuṃ mahātmānaṃ sarvaharaṃ pracetasam |
divyaṃ cāpamiṣudhī cādadānaṃ hiraṇyavarmāṇamanantavīryam || 58 ||

who beareth the celestial bow and a couple of quivers, who is cased in golden armour, and whose energy is infinite, who holdeth Pinaka, who is; armed with thunderbolt, a blazing trident, battle axe, mace, and a large sword; whose eye-brows are fair, whose locks are matted, who wieldeth the heavy short club, who hath the moon on his forehead, who is clad in tiger-skin, and who is armed with the bludgeon; who is decked with beautiful angadas, who hath snakes for his sacred thread, and who is surrounded by diverse creatures of the universe and by numerous ghosts and spirits, who is the One, who is the abode of ascetic austerities, and who is highly adored by persons of venerable age; who is Water, Heaven, Sky, Earth, Sun, Moon, Wind and Fire, and who is the measure of the duration of the universe. Persons of wicked behaviour can never obtain a sight of that unborn one, that slayer of all haters of Brahmanas, that giver of emancipation. Only Brahmanas of righteous conduct, when cleansed of their sins and freed from the control of grief, behold him with their mind's eye. In consequence of his ascetic austerities, Narayana obtained a sight of that unfading one, that embodiment of righteousness, that adorable one, that Being having the universe for his form.

7.172.59

pinākinaṃ vajriṇaṃ dīptaśūlaṃ paraśvadhiṃ gadinaṃ svāyatāsim |
subhruṃ jaṭāmaṇḍalacandramauliṃ vyāghrājinaṃ parighaṃ daṇḍapāṇim || 59 ||

7.172.60

śubhāṅgadaṃ nāgayajñopavītiṃ viśvairgaṇaiḥ śobhitaṃ bhūtasaṃghaiḥ |
ekībhūtaṃ tapasāṃ saṃnidhānaṃ vayotigaiḥ suṣṭutamiṣṭavāgbhiḥ || 60 ||

7.172.61

jalaṃ divaṃ khaṃ kṣitiṃ candrasūryau tathā vāyvagnī pratimānaṃ jagacca |
nālaṃ draṣṭuṃ yamajaṃ bhinnavṛttā brahmadviṣaghnamamṛtasya yonim || 61 ||

7.172.62

yaṃ paśyanti brāhmaṇāḥ sādhuvṛttāḥ kṣīṇe pāpe manasā ye viśokāḥ |
sa tanniṣṭhastapasā dharmamīḍyaṃ tadbhaktyā vai viśvarūpaṃ dadarśa |
dṛṣṭvā cainaṃ vāṅmanobuddhidehaiḥ saṃhṛṣṭātmā mumude devadevam || 62 ||

7.172.63

akṣamālāparikṣiptaṃ jyotiṣāṃ paramaṃ nidhim |
tato nārāyaṇo dṛṣṭvā vavande viśvasaṃbhavam || 63 ||

Beholding that supreme Abode of all kinds of splendour, that God with a garland of Akshas round his neck, Vasudeva, with gratified soul, became filled with delight which he sought to express by words, heart, understanding, and body. Then Narayana worshipped that Divine Lord, that First cause of the universe, that giver of boons, that puissant one sporting with the fair-limbed Parvati, that high-souled Being surrounded by large bands of ghosts, spirits, that Unborn one, that Supreme Lord, that Embodiment of the unmanifest, that Essence of all causes, that One of unfading power. Having saluted Rudra, that destroyer of the Asura Andhaka, the lotus eyed Narayana, with emotion filling his heart, began to praise the Three-eyed one (in these words), 'O adorable one, O first of all the gods, the creator of everything (viz., the Prajapatis) who are the regents of the world, and who having entered the earth,--thy first work,--had, O lord, protected it before, have all sprung from thee. Gods, Asuras, Nagas, Rakshasas, Pisachas, human beings, birds, Gandharvas, Yakshas and other creatures: with the entire universe, we know, have all sprung from thee. Everything that is done for propitiating Indra, and Yama, and Varuna, and Kuvera and Pitris and Tvashtri, and Soma, is really offered to thee. Form and light, sound and sky, wind and touch, taste and water, scent and earth, time, Brahma himself, the Vedas, the Brahmanas and all these mobile objects, have sprung from thee.

7.172.64

varadaṃ pṛthucārvaṅgyā pārvatyā sahitaṃ prabhum |
ajamīśānamavyagraṃ kāraṇātmānamacyutam || 64 ||

7.172.65

abhivādyātha rudrāya sadyo'ndhakanipātine |
padmākṣastaṃ virūpākṣamabhituṣṭāva bhaktimān || 65 ||

7.172.66

tvatsaṃbhūtā bhūtakṛto vareṇya goptāro'dya bhuvanaṃ pūrvadevāḥ |
āviśyemāṃ dharaṇīṃ ye'bhyarakṣanpurā purāṇāṃ tava deva sṛṣṭim || 66 ||

7.172.67

surāsurānnāgarakṣaḥpiśācānnarānsuparṇānatha gandharvayakṣān |
pṛthagvidhānbhūtasaṃghāṃśca viśvāṃstvatsaṃbhūtānvidma sarvāṃstathaiva |
aindraṃ yāmyaṃ vāruṇaṃ vaittapālyaṃ maitraṃ tvāṣṭraṃ karma saumyaṃ ca tubhyam || 67 ||

7.172.68

rūpaṃ jyotiḥ śabda ākāśavāyuḥ sparśaḥ svādyaṃ salilaṃ gandha urvī |
kāmo brahmā brahma ca brāhmaṇāśca tvatsaṃbhūtaṃ sthāsnu cariṣṇu cedam || 68 ||

7.172.69

adbhyaḥ stokā yānti yathā pṛthaktvaṃ tābhiścaikyaṃ saṃkṣaye yānti bhūyaḥ |
evaṃ vidvānprabhavaṃ cāpyayaṃ ca hitvā bhūtānāṃ tatra sāyujyameti || 69 ||

Vapours rising from diverse receptacles of water, becoming rain-drops, which failing upon the earth, are separated from one another. When the time of the Universal dissolution comes those individual drops, separated from one another, once more unite together and make the earth one vast expanse of water. He that is learned, thus observing the origin and the destruction, of all things, understands thy oneness. Two birds (viz., Iswara and Jiva), four Aswatthas with their wordy branches (viz., the Vedas), the seven guardians (viz., the five essences or elements and the heart and the understanding), and the ten others that hold this city (viz., the ten senses that constitute the body), have all been created by thee, but thou art separate from and independent of them. The Past, the Future, and the Present, over each of which none can have any sway, are from thee, as also the seven worlds and this universe. I am thy devoted adorer,--be graceful unto me. Do not injure me, by causing evil thoughts to penetrate my heart. Thou art the Soul of souls, incapable of being known. He that knows thee as the Universal Seed, attaineth to Brahma. Desiring to pay thee respects, I am praising thee, endeavouring to ascertain thy real nature, O thou that art incapable of being understood by the very gods. Adored by me, grant me the boons I desire but which are difficult of acquisition. Do not hide thyself in thy illusion.'

7.172.70

divyāvṛtau mānasau dvau suparṇāvavākśākhaḥ pippalaḥ sapta gopāḥ |
daśāpyanye ye puraṃ dhārayanti tvayā sṛṣṭāste hi tebhyaḥ parastvam |
bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ bhavitā cāpyadhṛṣyaṃ tvatsaṃbhūtā bhuvanānīha viśvā || 70 ||

7.172.71

bhaktaṃ ca māṃ bhajamānaṃ bhajasva mā rīriṣo māmahitāhitena |
ātmānaṃ tvāmātmano'nanyabhāvo vidvānevaṃ gacchati brahma śukram || 71 ||

7.172.72

astauṣaṃ tvāṃ tava saṃmānamicchanvicinvanvai savṛṣaṃ devavarya |
sudurlabhāndehi varānmameṣṭānabhiṣṭutaḥ pratikārṣīśca mā mām || 72 ||

7.172.73

tasmai varānacintyātmā nīlakaṇṭhaḥ pinākadhṛk |
arhate devamukhyāya prāyacchadṛṣisaṃstutaḥ || 73 ||

"Vyasa continued, 'The blue-throated God, of inconceivable soul, that wielder of Pinaka, that divine Lord ever praised by the Rishis, then gave boons unto Vasudeva who deserved them all. The great God said, [paragraph continues] 'O Narayana, through my grace, amongst men, gods, and Gandharvas, thou shalt be of immeasurable might and soul. Neither gods, nor Asuras, nor great Uragas, nor Pisachas, nor Gandharvas, nor men, nor Rakshasas, nor birds, nor Nagas, nor any creatures in the Universe, shall ever be able to bear thy prowess. No one amongst even the celestials shall be able to vanquish thee in battle. Through my grace, none shall ever be able to cause thee pain by the weapon of thunderbolt or with any object that is wet or dry, or with any mobile or immobile thing. Thou shalt be superior to myself if thou ever goest to battle against me.' Thus were these boons acquired by Sauri in days of yore. Even that God now walketh the earth (as Vasudeva), beguiling the universe by his illusion. From Narayana's asceticism was born a great Muni of the name of Nara, equal to Narayana himself. Know that Arjuna is none else than that Nara. Those two Rishis, said to be older than the oldest gods, take their births in every Yuga for serving the purposes of the world. Thyself also, O thou of great heart, hast been born as a portion of Rudra, by virtue of all thy religious acts and as a consequence of high ascetic austerities, endued with great energy and wrath. Thou wert (in a former life) endued with great wisdom and equal to a god. Regarding the universe to consist only of Mahadeva, thou hadst emaciated thyself by diverse vows from desire of gratifying that God. Assuming the form of a very superior person, that blazes fourth with splendour, thou hast, O giver of honours, worshipped the great god with mantras, with homa, and with offerings. Thus adored by thee in thy former life, the great god became gratified with thee, and granted thee numerous boons, O learned one, that thou hadst cherished in thy heart. Like Kesava's and Arjuna's thy birth acts, and ascetic austerities are also superior. Like them, in thy worship, thou hast, in every Yuga, adored the great God in his Phallic form. Kesava is that devoted worshipper of Rudra who has sprung from Rudra himself. Kesava always worship the Lord Siva, regarding his Phallic emblem to be the origin of the universe. In Kesava is always present that knowledge, in consequence of which he views the identity of Brahman with the: universe and that other knowledge by which the Past, the Present and the Future, the near and the remote, are all seen, as if the whole are before his eyes. The gods, the Siddhas and the great Rishis, adore Kesava for obtaining that highest object in the universe, viz., Mahadeva. Kesava is the creator of everything. The Eternal Krishna should be adored with sacrifices. The Lord Kesava always worshippeth Siva in the Phallic emblem as the origin of all creatures. The God having the bull for his mark cherisheth greater regard for Kesava.'

7.172.74

nīlakaṇṭha uvāca |
matprasādānmanuṣyeṣu devagandharvayoniṣu |
aprameyabalātmā tvaṃ nārāyaṇa bhaviṣyasi || 74 ||

7.172.75

na ca tvā prasahiṣyanti devāsuramahoragāḥ |
na piśācā na gandharvā na narā na ca rākṣasāḥ || 75 ||

7.172.76

na suparṇāstathā nāgā na ca viśve viyonijāḥ |
na kaścittvāṃ ca devo'pi samareṣu vijeṣyati || 76 ||

7.172.77

na śastreṇa na vajreṇa nāgninā na ca vāyunā |
nārdreṇa na ca śuṣkeṇa trasena sthāvareṇa vā || 77 ||

7.172.78

kaścittava rujaṃ kartā matprasādātkathaṃcana |
api cetsamaraṃ gatvā bhaviṣyasi mamādhikaḥ || 78 ||

7.172.79

vyāsa uvāca |
evamete varā labdhāḥ purastādviddhi śauriṇā |
sa eṣa devaścarati māyayā mohayañjagat || 79 ||

7.172.80

tasyaiva tapasā jātaṃ naraṃ nāma mahāmunim |
tulyametena devena taṃ jānīhyarjunaṃ sadā || 80 ||

7.172.81

tāvetau pūrvadevānāṃ paramopacitāvṛṣī |
lokayātrāvidhānārthaṃ saṃjāyete yuge yuge || 81 ||

7.172.82

tathaiva karmaṇaḥ kṛtsnaṃ mahatastapaso'pi ca |
tejomanyuśca vidvaṃstvaṃ jāto raudro mahāmate || 82 ||

7.172.83

sa bhavāndevavatprājño jñātvā bhavamayaṃ jagat |
avākarṣastvamātmānaṃ niyamaistatpriyepsayā || 83 ||

7.172.84

śubhamaurvaṃ navaṃ kṛtvā mahāpuruṣavigraham |
ījivāṃstvaṃ japairhomairupahāraiśca mānada || 84 ||

7.172.85

sa tathā pūjyamānaste pūrvadevo'pyatūtuṣat |
puṣkalāṃśca varānprādāttava vidvanhṛdi sthitān || 85 ||

7.172.86

janmakarmatapoyogāstayostava ca puṣkalāḥ |
tābhyāṃ liṅge'rcito devastvayārcāyāṃ yuge yuge || 86 ||

7.172.87

sarvarūpaṃ bhavaṃ jñātvā liṅge yo'rcayati prabhum |
ātmayogāśca tasminvai śāstrayogāśca śāśvatāḥ || 87 ||

7.172.88

evaṃ devā yajanto hi siddhāśca paramarṣayaḥ |
prārthayanti paraṃ loke sthānameva ca śāśvatam || 88 ||

7.172.89

sa eṣa rudrabhaktaśca keśavo rudrasaṃbhavaḥ |
kṛṣṇa eva hi yaṣṭavyo yajñaiścaiṣa sanātanaḥ || 89 ||

7.172.90

sarvabhūtabhavaṃ jñātvā liṅge'rcayati yaḥ prabhum |
tasminnabhyadhikāṃ prītiṃ karoti vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ || 90 ||

7.172.91

saṃjaya uvāca |
tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā droṇaputro mahārathaḥ |
namaścakāra rudrāya bahu mene ca keśavam || 91 ||

"Sanjaya continued, 'Hearing these words of Vyasa, Drona's son, that mighty car-warrior, bowed unto Rudra and regarded Kesava as worthy of the highest regards. Having his soul under complete control, he became filled with delight, the marks whereof appeared on his body. Bowing unto the great Rishi, Aswatthaman then, casting his eyes on the (Kuru) army, caused it-to be withdrawn (for nightly rest). Indeed, when, after the fall of Drona, the cheerless Kurus retired from the field, the Pandavas also, O monarch, caused their army to be withdrawn. Having fought for five days and caused an immense carnage, that Brahman well-versed in the Vedas, viz., Drona, repaired, O king, to the region of Brahma!'."

7.172.92

hṛṣṭalomā ca vaśyātmā namaskṛtya maharṣaye |
varūthinīmabhipretya avahāramakārayat || 92 ||

7.172.93

tataḥ pratyavahāro'bhūtpāṇḍavānāṃ viśāṃ pate |
kauravāṇāṃ ca dīnānāṃ droṇe yudhi nipātite || 93 ||

7.172.94

yuddhaṃ kṛtvā dinānpañca droṇo hatvā varūthinīm |
brahmalokaṃ gato rājanbrāhmaṇo vedapāragaḥ || 94 ||