Vishnupurana 6.8: SECTION VIII
A Prose English Translation of Vishnupuranam 6.8
- Language
- English
SECTION VIII
6.8.p1
Parāçara said:—I have thus explained to you the third kind of worldly dissolution, that which is absolute and final which is liberation and resolution into eternal spirit. I have related unto you the primary and secondary creation, the families of patriarchs, the periods of the Manwantaras and the genealogical histories of the kings. I have described briefly to you, who were desirous of hearing it, the imperishable Vaishnava Purāna which destroys all sins, the most excellent of all sacred writings and the means of attaining the great end of man. If you have any thing else to ask, put the question and I will answer it.
6.8.p2
Maitkeya said:—"Holy preceptor, you have indeed said unto me all I wished to know and I listened to it with devoted attention. O great saint, all my doubts have been removed and my heart has been purified. By thy favour, I have been acquainted with the account of creation, preservation and destruction. I have also learnt from you of Vishnu in his collective fourfold form; his three energies; and the three modes of apprehending the object of contemplation. By thy favour I have acquired a thorough knowledge of all this and there is nothing else worthy to be known when it is once understood that Vishnu and his world are not mutually distinct. By your kindness, O great Muni, you have removed all my doubts since you have instructed in the duties of the several tribes and in other deities; the nature of active life and discontinuance of action and derivation of all that exists from works. And I have nothing else to enquire of you, O Venerable Brahmin; and pardon me, if by answering to my questions you have been fatigued in any way. Pardon me for the trouble I have given you through that amiable quality of the virtuous which makes no distinction between a disciple and a child".
6.8.p3
Parāçara said:—I have related to you this Purāna which is equally as sacred as the Vedas by hearing which all sins are expatiated. In this, have been described to you the primary and secondary creation, the families of the patriarchs, the Manwantaras, the regal dynasties; the celestials, Daityas, Gandharvas, serpents, Rākshasas, Yakshas, Vidhyidharas, Siddhas, and heavenly nymphs; ascetics, endowed with spiritual wisdom and practisers of devotion, the distinctions of four castes, and the actions of the most eminent amongst men; holy places on the earth, holy rivers and oceans, sacred mountains, and legends of the truly wise, the deities of the different tribes and observances enjoined in the Vedas. By hearing this, all sins are obliterated. In this also the glorious Hari has been revealed the cause of the creation, preservation and destruction of the world; the soul of all things and himself all things; by the repetition of whose name man is freed from all sins which fly to the wolves that are frightened by a lion. The repetition of his name with devout faith is the best remover of all sins, destroying them as fire purifies the metal from the dross. By the mere recollection of the name of Hari all the stains of Kali Yuga are removed and piety is increased. That Hari, who is all existing things, who is Hiranyagarbha, Indra, Rudra, the Adityas, the Aswins, the winds, the Kinnaras, the Vasus, the Sādhyas, Viswadevas the celestials, the Yakshas, serpents, Kikshasas, the Sidhas; Daityas, Gandharyas, Dānavas, nymphs, the stars, asterism, planets, the seven Rishis, the regents and warders of the quarters, men, Brāhmans and the rest, animals tame and wild, insects, birds, ghosts and goblins, trees, mountains, woods, rivers, oceans, legions living underneath the earth, the divisions of the earth and all perceptible object—he who is identical with all things, who knoweth all things, who is the form of all things being himself without form and who is everything from the mount Meru to an atom, he the glorious Vishnu and the destroyer of all sins, is described in this Purāna. The reward, which one obtains by hearing this Purāna, is equal to that obtained by the performance of a horse-sacrifice or by fasting at the holy places of Pryaga, Pushkara, Kurukshetra or Arbuda, Hearing this Purāna once only is as efficacious as offering oblations in a perpetual fire for one year.
6.8.p4
The man, who having controlled his passions, bathes at Mathurā on the twelfth day of the month of Jyeshtha and beholds the image of Hari, obtains a great reward and so does he who with his mind devoted to Kesava, recites this Purāna. The man, who bathes in the river Jamunā, on the twelfth lunation of the light fortnight of the month in which the moon is in the mansion Jyeshtha, and who fasts and worships Achyuta in the city of Mathurā, receives the recompense of an uninterrupted horse-sacrifice. Beholding the ancestors of some eminent amongst men, attaining prosperity by the pious observances of their descendants, another man's parents and their parents exclaim, "If any of our descendants, having bathed in the Jamunā and fasted, worships Govinda in Mathurā, in the light fortnight of Jyestha, he will secure for us an elevated position". Having worshipped Janārddana in the light fortnight of Jyeshtha a man of good birth will offer cakes to his fortunate ancestors in the Yamunā. By reading with devotion one section of this Purāna one can acquire the same merit which he will reap by bathing in the Yamunā during the light fortnight of Jyeshtha, by giving gifts to the manes and worshipping Janārddana with a devoted merit. Those who have fallen into the ocean of worldliness and been stricken with terror, may be liberated by reading this Purāna which frees one from bad dreams and imperfections.
6.8.p5
This Purāna was originally composed by the Rishi Nārāyana and was communicated by Brahmā to Ribhu; he described it to Pryabrata who again related it to Bhāguri. Bhāguri recited it to Tambamitra, and he to Dadicha, who gave it to Sāraswata. Bhrigu received it, who imparted it to Purukutsa and he taught it to Narmadā, The goddess gave it to the Nāga King, Dhritarashtra and to Purāna of the same race, by whom it was given to their king Vāsuki. He imparted it to Vatsa and he to Ashawtara from whom it successively proceeded the Kambala and Elapatra. When the ascetic Vedasiras descended to Pātāla, he there received the whole Purāna from the Nāgas and communicated it to Pramati. Pramati imparted it to the wise Jātukarna and he taught it to many other holy persons. By the blessing of Vasistha I have been acquainted with it and I have faithfully related it to you. O Maitreya, you will teach it at the end of the Kali age to Samika. Whoever hears this great mystery which removes the stain of Kali shall be freed from his sins. He who hears this every day acquits himself of his obligations to his manes, celestials and men. Hearing ten chapters of this Purāna one obtains the rare and great merit that a man acquires by the gift of a brown cow. He who hears the whole of this Purāna meditating on his mind, Achyuta, who is all things and of whom all things are made, who is the stay of the whole universe—the asylum of spirit; who is knowledge and that which is to be known; who is without beginning or end and the benefactor of the celestials—certainly obtains the reward which can be acquired by the uninterrupted celebration of the horse-sacrifice. He who recites and retains with faith this Purāna in the beginning, middle and end of which is described the glorious Achyuta, the lord of the universe in every stage—the master of all that is stationary or movable composed of spiritual knowledge acquires such purity as exists not in any world the eternal state of perfection which is Hari. The man who fixes his mind on Achyuta does not go to hell; he who meditates upon him considers even celestial bliss as an impediment; he, in whose mind he abides, thinks little of the region of Brahmā; for when present in the minds of those who are pure, he bestows upon them eternal freedom. What wonder is there that all sins shall be removed by chanting the name of this Vishnu? What else should be heard of but that Hari, whom, those devoted to acts worship with sacrifices continually as the god of sacrifice; whom those devoted to meditation contemplate as primary and secondary; composed of spirit; by obtaining whom man is not born, nor nourished nor subjected to death; who is both cause and effect; who as the progenitors receives the libations made to them; who, as the gods, accepts the offerings addressed to them, the glorious being who is without beginning or end; whose name is both Swāhā and Swadhā; who is the asylum of all spiritual power; in whom the limits of finite, things cannot be measured, and who, when he enters the ear destroys all sin.
6.8.p6
Salutation unto the first of gods, Purusottama who is without end and beginning, without growth and decay and death, who is substance that knows no change. Salutation unto that undecaying Purusha, Vishnu who assumed sensible qualities, who though pure became as if impure, assuming various shapes, who is gifted with divine wisdom and who is the lord of the preservation of all creatures. Salutation unto him who is the instrument of meditative wisdom and active virtue, who confers enjoyments upon human beings; who is identical with three-fold qualities; who is without any change and is the cause of the evolution of the world and who is without any birth or decay. Salutations unto him who is called heaven, air, fire, water, earth and who confers all objects that satisfy sense, who benefits mankind, and who is perceptible, subtle, and imperceptible. May that unborn eternal Hari, who is seen in manifold forms, whose essence consists of both nature and spirit, confer humanity that blessed condition which is without birth or decay.
6.8.p7
FINIS.
6.8.p8
This mystic monosyllable plays a prominent part in Sanskrit scriptural literature. Composed, according to some, of the letters a, u, and ma. signifying Brahmā, Creator; Vishnu, Preserver; and Siva, Destroyer;—it expresses the three in One; and is said to possess great power spiritually.—T.
6.8.p9
In this translation, such epithets as, although compounded of general terms, have through usage come to mean some particular individual, have been retained untranslated, their renderings being only appended in footnotes.—Vasudeva is Vasudeva's son, an appellation of Krishna; which, again, although the name of the most celebrated incarnation of Vishnu, means—dark blue or brown.—T.
6.8.p10
Pundarika-aksha—having eyes resembling the pale lotus.—T.
6.8.p11
Hrishika—organ of sense, and ica—lord. Hirshikesha—sovereign of the senses,—i.e. the cause of their action and abstention.—T.
6.8.p12
Vishnu means all-pervading.—T.
6.8.p13
The three cardinal qualities—goodness, passion and darkness.—T.
6.8.p14
Unformed Nature is designated by several epithets—Pradhana, Prakriti, Avyakta (unmanifested), etc.—T.
6.8.p15
Wealth is of eight kinds, viz., animā, laghimā, prāpti, prākamya, mahimā, içitwa, vaçitwa, and kāmāvaçāyitā.—Animā is the power of reducing one's self to the minutest proportions; laghimā is that of rendering one's self exceedingly light,—prāpti is the power of obtaining anything that is wished; prākamya is irresistibility of the Will; içitwa is supremacy; vaçitwa is the power of bringing all under sway; and Kāmāvaçāyitā is the power of suppressing desire.—T.
6.8.p16
A Purāna treats of these five subjects, viz., (1) the creation, (2) destruction and renovation of the world, (3) royal dynasties, (4) reigns of the Manus, and (5) geneologies.—T.
6.8.p17
The reigns of Manus.
6.8.p18
A kalpa is a day and night of Brahmā, consisting of 4,320,000,000 solar sidereal years, or years of mortals, measuring the duration of the world.—T.
6.8.p19
An order of saints.
6.8.p20
The text has puman—male beings.—T.
6.8.p21
An oblation of various ingredients offered by way of respect.—T.
6.8.p22
An arrangement of the text of the Vedas into short sentences; or a compilation.—T.
6.8.p23
Vasudeva is named from his residing in all objects and his endowing them with splendour. Moksha Dharma.—T.
6.8.p24
Vyakta and Avyakta—the names respectively of formed and unformed matter.—T.
6.8.p25
According to the Sankhya system, which the author follows in his cosmogony, prior to creation, the Universe existed in Nature like a mangoe tree existing latent in a mangoe-stone; and in the fullness of time, favored by the Primeval male and Time, the evolution of all was brought about.—T.
6.8.p26
Male being.—T.
6.8.p27
Followers of the Sankhya Philosophy hold that the equilibrium of the three principles or modes, is Prakriti—Primal nature.—T.
6.8.p28
"Here let us remind our readers of the argument by which we are led to conclude that the visible system (vyakta) is not the whole universe, and that there must be an invisible order of things (Avyakta) which will remain and possess energy when the present system has passed away. It is, moreover, very closely connected with the present system, inasmuch as this may be looked upon as come into being through its means". The italics are mine. Unseen Universe, p. 157.
6.8.p29
Emanation of Divinity.
6.8.p30
Or Buddhi—the Intellect. This is also called Mahat—the Great one. It is the substance or essence by which the soul obtains a knowledge of external things.—T.
6.8.p31
Ahankara is the substance or ens connected with thought Buddhi, in which consciousness inheres. It is the Mid-stuff of Prof. Clifford, assumed as the original ground of our being i.e. of all formal being.—T.
6.8.p32
Connected successively with goodness, passion and foulness.—T.
6.8.p33
Ahankara relating to foulness.
6.8.p34
Cardinal Point, Wind, Sun, Pracheta [regent of water], Acwini Kumara, Fire, Indra, Upendra, Krishna, Mitra, and Prajāpati.—T.
6.8.p35
"Mind" says Maudesley in Physiology of mind "used in the sense of substance or essence, and brain used in the sense of organ of mental function, are, at bottom, names of the same substance". In the system of Kapila, which the author follows, everything connected in function with sensuous objects, is as material as the objects themselves, being equally an emanation from Prakriti—T.
6.8.p36
As Hiranyagarbha.—T.
6.8.p37
Lit. the Great one—so consciousness or egoism is styled.—T.
6.8.p38
Vide ante.—T.
6.8.p39
The three gunas—generally translated qualities,—but more properly modes or principles—have a physical as well as a moral significance in the sacred literature of the Hindus. "They are not mere accidents of nature, but are of its essence and enter into its composition". Davis' Hindu Philosophy.—T.
6.8.p40
Vide ante.—T.
6.8.p41
This is an appellation of Vishnu, meaning, he who is worshipped. This Purana as the locus classicus of the Vaishnavas, recognises Vishnu as in one the Greater and the Destroyer, without assigning the function of destruction to Siva.—T.
6.8.p42
The hundred-hooded serpent, Sesha or Ananta, also conceived as a form of Vishnu himself.—T.
6.8.p43
The acts of human beings, etc., are also his property.
6.8.p44
A nimesha is the twinkling of an eye.
6.8.p45
Dwāpara and Kali.
6.8.p46
The division of the Yugas.
6.8.p47
A generic name of the Progenitors of mankind.
6.8.p48
I fail to perceive the sense of this, unless it meant as they have been created aforetime.—T.
6.8.p49
Lacs.
6.8.p50
One million.
6.8.p51
Ten millions.
6.8.p52
Manwantaras.
6.8.p53
Extending over as many Manwantaras.
6.8.p54
Persons practising a certain process entitled Yoga.
6.8.p55
The time of creation.
6.8.p56
A divine personage sprung from Brahmā.—T.
6.8.p57
A name of Vishnu.—T.
6.8.p58
This term, a common appellation of Krishna, is derived variously. Go—language [the language of the Vedas] and vinda—who knows; or go—heaven or a cow, and vid—to obtain,—by whom heaven is obtained, or who obtains felicity by protecting kine.—T.
6.8.p59
Madhava being one of the names of Krishna, Madhavi means related to Madhava.—T
6.8.p60
Oblation into fire with the utterence of Vashata.—T.
6.8.p61
The utterence of Om.—T,
6.8.p62
Another appellation of Krishna, from the root, hri—to take or seize. Hari possibly means he that takes men's hearts.—T.
6.8.p63
i.e. belonging to the Sama Veda, which used to be sung.—T.
6.8.p64
An appellation of Krishna, derived from Ka—Brahmā, and ica—Siva and va—who goes—i.e. one that goes before Brahmā and Siva, or from Kesa—hair, and va—who possesses—fair-haired.—T.
6.8.p65
Sacrificial stake.
6.8.p66
Hymns of the Rig Veda.—T.
6.8.p67
Hindu scriptures are broadly divided into (1) Sruti—audition; and (2) Smriti—reminiscence. The former corresponds to the Christian Revelation, and the other is tradition.—T.
6.8.p68
This approaches wonderfully the theory of Spontaneous creation, which is accepted by the out-and-out apostles of Modern Science—The most uncompromising advocates of Evolution could not outdo the Hindu sage of yore, in formulating their faith in (to give a Spencerian turn to the expression) the unknowable force, which, unintelligent itself, brings about this wonderful system of things instinct with infinite wisdom and love! Queer, however, would the classification read,—Parāçara, Darwin, Spencer, Huxley, Heckel, Tyndall, etc.—T.
6.8.p69
Ancestral manes.
6.8.p70
Tamas brings about love of one's own person, etc., moha produces a sense of authority over offspring, etc. mahamoha generates desire of sensual gratification, tamisra causes anger on any impediment coming in the way of enjoyment, and through andhatamisra one is led to conserve health and the good things of life.—T.
6.8.p71
Lit. the stream of beings living according to nature.—T.
6.8.p72
Some of these are physical, such as leprosy, deafness, blindness, inertia, dumbness, smellessness, impotence; some are mental and moral. It is, however, difficult for us of these times to see how beasts, &c. are more subject to these evils than human beings. The author may possibly have a meaning of his own, which, in the absence of adequate commentary, we fail to arrive at.—T.
6.8.p73
The stream of being, tending upwards.—T.
6.8.p74
Lit. soul-satisfying.—T.
6.8.p75
The first circumstance, remarks the commentator, is owing to the presence, the next, to that of passion.—T.
6.8.p76
Lit. the creation of the elements.
6.8.p77
i.e. pertaining to Indriyas—the organ of sense.
6.8.p78
From Prakriti—nature.
6.8.p79
Creation of the gods.
6.8.p80
An order of deities.
6.8.p81
i.e. relating to the excited condition of anything.
6.8.p82
This passage is very obscure. It is not clear how acts, whether fair or foul or indifferent, can apply to immobile objects, the very statement of whose name carries with it a negation of movement.—T.
6.8.p83
In Sanskrit tamas means darkness, along with the principle of foulness.
6.8.p84
Meaning, going before twilight.
6.8.p85
From Raksha—protect.
6.8.p86
From the verb ha leave.
6.8.p87
Serpents.
6.8.p88
Serpents.
6.8.p89
A fabulous animal, having eight legs, inhabiting the snowy mountainous regions.—T.
6.8.p90
Bos Gavus.
6.8.p91
A species of deer.
6.8.p92
i.e. belonging to village.—T.
6.8.p93
The most sacred hymn in all the Vedas, in praise of the Sun, as representing the Supreme Sun of the spiritual Universe.—T.
6.8.p94
Hymns of the Rig-Veda.
6.8.p95
A kind of sacrifice.
6.8.p96
A division of the Sama Veda, so named.
6.8.p97
A sacrifice.
6.8.p98
A division of the Vedas.
6.8.p99
Song of the Sama Veda.
6.8.p100
A part of the Sama Ved. Vrihat means great.
6.8.p101
A metre of the Sama Veda.
6.8.p102
Songs of the Sama Veda.
6.8.p103
A kind of Sacrifice.
6.8.p104
A kind of Sacrifice.
6.8.p105
Inferior spectres reveling in the morally foul and the physically filthy.—T.
6.8.p106
Horse-hipped beings.
6.8.p107
Horse-faced beings.
6.8.p108
A profound view, in imaginative vesture, of Heredity. The Author imparts a comprehensiveness and sublimity to the doctrine which is unsurpassed—T.
6.8.p109
A little liberty has been indulged in translating this sentence, at the construction of the original is involved and complicated.—T.
6.8.p110
subject to duality, i.e. came under the Law of Relativity, in the sense of Professor Bain. See Senses and Intellect.
6.8.p111
Rice of various kinds; of which eight only are enumerated by the authorities.
6.8.p112
A medicinal plant, and perfume, Panicum Italicum.
6.8.p113
A species of grain eaten by the lower people Paspalum Kora.
6.8.p114
A sort of panic, P. miliaceum.
6.8.p115
A sort of kidney bean:—phaseolus radiatus.
6.8.p116
Phaseolus mungo.
6.8.p117
A sort of pulse or lentil—Eroum Hirsutum; cassia alata.
6.8.p118
Dalichos biflorus.
6.8.p119
Cytius cajan.
6.8.p120
From grāma—village.
6.8.p121
From aranya—wood.
6.8.p122
Panicum mantacium. Also P. coloumn.
6.8.p123
Wild sessamum.
6.8.p124
Coix barbata.
6.8.p125
A fruit.
6.8.p126
i.e. the Wind-god.
6.8.p127
Ambrosia.
6.8.p128
A formula, embodying the name of Vāsudeva.
6.8.p129
viz. the upper, middle, and nether regions.
6.8.p130
Mildness
6.8.p131
Insolence
6.8.p132
Meek.
6.8.p133
Wild.
6.8.p134
White.
6.8.p135
Dark.
6.8.p136
Having an hundred forms.
6.8.p137
Sacrifice.
6.8.p138
Gift in sacrifice to Brahmanas.
6.8.p139
Veneration
6.8.p140
The goddess of wealth.
6.8.p141
Patience.
6.8.p142
Satisfaction.
6.8.p143
Nourishment.
6.8.p144
Intelligence.
6.8.p145
Act.
6.8.p146
Intellect.
6.8.p147
Bashfulness.
6.8.p148
Body.
6.8.p149
Success.
6.8.p150
Fame.
6.8.p151
Righteousness.
6.8.p152
Renown.
6.8.p153
Chaste.
6.8.p154
Birth.
6.8.p155
Memory.
6.8.p156
Gratification.
6.8.p157
Forgiveness.
6.8.p158
Reverence.
6.8.p159
Good-natured.
6.8.p160
Energy.
6.8.p161
This and the last are words uttered while one is offering oblations.
6.8.p162
Sexual desire.
6.8.p163
Lakshmi.
6.8.p164
Pride.
6.8.p165
Restraint.
6.8.p166
Satisfaction.
6.8.p167
Contentment.
6.8.p168
Nourishment.
6.8.p169
Greed.
6.8.p170
Intellect.
6.8.p171
Knowledge.
6.8.p172
Action.
6.8.p173
Punishment.
6.8.p174
Justice.
6.8.p175
Humility.
6.8.p176
Intellect.
6.8.p177
Apprehension.
6.8.p178
Body.
6.8.p179
Exertion.
6.8.p180
Felicity.
6.8.p181
Fame.
6.8.p182
Cheerfulness.
6.8.p183
Malice.
6.8.p184
Unrighteousness.
6.8.p185
Falsehood
6.8.p186
Wickedness.
6.8.p187
Fear.
6.8.p188
Hell.
6.8.p189
Illusion.
6.8.p190
Pain.
6.8.p191
Death.
6.8.p192
Tapa—lit. heat—here means the three kinds of pain,—natural, supernatural and that coming from spirits. The word tapa for pain refers to the physical phenomenon accompanying all pain—namely, heat in the part affected. And physical pain in any part of the body is invariably found to be accompanied with heat at that locality.—T
6.8.p193
Misery.
6.8.p194
Disease.
6.8.p195
Decrepitude.
6.8.p196
Grief.
6.8.p197
Thirst.
6.8.p198
Anger.
6.8.p199
The reader will readily perceive that all this is allegorical, although the allegory is by no means on all fours. The entire fabric, it may truly be said, of Hinduism is upreared upon an allegorical foundation; but the allegory having been missed, it has degenerated itself into a system of degrading superstition.—T.
6.8.p200
Clarified butter as offered in oblations to fire with cakes of ground barley meal that have been well steeped in it.—T.
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Linked texts (1)
- Viṣṇupurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit