| Philosophy and Religion / Harivamsa |
Harivaṃśa
171. Krishna explains the mystery
ARJUNA said:—O Bharata, afterwards, having fed many hundreds of Rishi-like Brāhmanas and taken his meals along with myself and other members of the Vrishni and Bhoja races, Krishna discoursed on various wonderful and divine topics (1–2).
After the termination of Janārddana's discourse, I, filled with curiosity about what I had seen, approached him and said:-
"O lotus-eyed Krishna, how the water of the ocean came to a stand-still? How was that dreadfully dense darkness dispelled with thy discus? How didst thou enter into that bundle of effulgence?
O lord, why where the Brāhmana boys stolen by that effulgence. How was such a long distance shortened? How could we go and come back within such a short time? O Keshava, do thou describe all these things duly to me (3–7).”
VASUDEVA said:—Inorder to see me that great Purusha stole away the sons of the Brāhmana thinking that for him I would go there and not otherwise (8).
O foremost of Bharatas, the great divine effulgence which you saw there is nothing but me full of Brahma effulgence. That is my eternal effulgent energy.
That is my eternal great Prakriti, manifest and unmanifest. Entering into her (understanding her nature) the great Yogins attain to final liberation (9-10).
Prakriti is the refuge of the Sankhya Yogins and the ascetics. And she is the great Brāhmana. She makes divisions in the universe (11).
O Bhārata, know her as my creative energy. I am that ocean of stilled water. I stilled her water (12).
I am those seven mountains and the pitch darkness begotten by mud which you saw. I am the cloud like darkness and its dispeller.
I am the author of elements and eternal religion. The moon, the sun, the huge mountains, the rivers, the lakes, the four quarters are my four-fold souls.
From me have emanated the four Varnas and four Asramas. Know me as the author of four-fold learning (13-16).
ARJUNA said:-O lord, O divine master of all creatures, O Purusottama, salutation unto thee. I wish to know thy true self and therefore have I sought thy protection and put this question (17).
VASUDEVA said :-O descendant of Bharata, O son of Pandu, from me have emanated Brahman, Brāhmana, Tapas, truth and every other thing small or great.
O large-armed Dhananjaya, I am your favourite and you are my favourite. And for this I tell you this or else I would not have done so. O foremost of Bharatas, O son of Prithā, I am Rik, Yayush, Sāman and Atharvan (18–19).
The Rishis, the gods and the Yajnas are my energies. From me have emanated earth, air, ether, water, the five luminous bodies, the moon, the sun, day, night, fortnight, months, seasons, muhurttas, Kalā Khana, year, various mantras, the various Shāstras, learnings and every other thing.
O son of Kunti, creation and destruction also proceed from me. My soul is real and un real and I am the pure Brahman (20-23).
ARJUNA said:-At that time Hrishikesh, out of his love for me, said this to me and since then my mind is ever attached to Janārddana. I had heard of Keshava's power and saw this myself. There are more powerful deeds of Janārddana than what I have just described at your request (24-25).
VAISHAMPAYANA said:-Hearing those words the virtuous king Yudhisthira, the foremost of Kurus, worshipped Purusottama Govinda, in his mind. At that time Yudhisthira, all his brothers and the courtier kings were filled with surprise (26-27).
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