Always Grateful to Sree Veda Vyasa, Paramatma Himself.
Book: Srimad Bhagvatam Maha Puran
Gita Press
Skanda 2--Discourse X, Hoofdstuk 10.
Uit Gita Press.
De vorige week hebben wij ook gesproken over: de 10 onderdelen, die behandelen worden in de Srimad Bhagvatam.
Dit komt voor in:
Book 2
Discourse X, Hoofdstuk 10.
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De tien karakteristieke kenmerken van de Bhagavata
Sri Suka vervolgde: Sarga, Visarga, Sthana, Posana, de Utis, de Manvantara's, Isanukatha's, Nirodha, Mukti en Asraya; dit zijn de tien onderwerpen die in deze Bhagavata-Puran worden besproken (1)
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The ten characteristic features of the Bhagavata
Sri Suka continued: Sarga, Visarga, Sthana, Posana, the Utis, the Manvantaras, Isanukathas, Nirodha, Mukti and Asraya; these are the ten topics discussed in this Bhagavata-Puran (1)
Men of true knowledge aver that the first nine topics have been discussed in this Purana only in order to present a clear conception of the tenth or the last (viz., Asraya, i.e., the all supporting Brahma). This they have deduced in some cases from the actual words of the text itself and in other cases from their purport. (2)
The creation (in the reverse order) of the gross and subtle elements, the senses of perception and the organs of action, and the mind, the ego and the Mahat-tattva (the Principal of cosmic inteligence) due to disturbance in the equilibrium and the resultant transformation of the three Gunas or modes of Prakrti, brought about by the will of God, has been spoken of as ‘Sarga’, and the creation of animate and inanimate beings by Brahmā (himself born of the Cosmic Being) is called Visarga. (3)
The triumph of the Lord (as revealed by the fact that living beings create by Him keep within their bounds) is known by the name of 'Sthiti' and the Lord s grace on His devotees is termed as 'Posana'. Again, the virtuous conduct of the saintly Manus (presiding over the different Manvantaras) has been referred to by the term Manvantaras, while the latent desires of the various creatures, which lead to their bondage through interested action, are known as 'Ūtis'. (4)
Even so the life-accounts of the various manifestations of Śri Hari as well as of His saintly devotees, supplemented by various other stories, have been termed as ‘Iśa Kathās'. (5)
'Nirodha' means the withdrawal of the individual soul with all its qualifications or adjuncts into the Lord subsequent to His retirement (falling into Yoganidrā). And when the Jīva relinquishes its assumed character (doer-ship etc) realizes its true nature (Brahmahood), they call it 'Mukti or emancipation of the soul. (6)
Finally, that from which are known to proceed the creation, preservation and dissolution (of the universe) is what they call the 'Asraya', which is spoken of in the scriptures as he supreme Brahma or the supreme Spirit, Paramatma. (7)
The same perceiving subject (the individual soul) which identifies itself with the sense of perception also exists >n the form of the deities presiding over the senses of perception (the sun-god and others), while t physical body, which distinguishes the senses from the deities presiding over them, serves as the condition (Upadhi) of the individual soul. (8)
When it is clear that in the absence of anyone of these we cannot perceive the other two, it follows that He (God) who knows all these three is the 'Asraya' or support of all and this latter has no other support of all this latter has no other support that Himself(9)
When the aforesaid Cosmic Being emerged from the egg-shaped universe and stood apart, He began to look out for a foothold for Himself; and with this object in view that Being of pure intentions created the holy waters. (10)
Having evolved from the Supreme Person (also called 'Nara') these waters were known as 'Nara' (that which proceeds from Nara); since He lived on these waters of His own creation for a thousand (celestial) years, He became known as Narayana (He who resides in the 'Nara') ( 11 )
The gross elements (material of which this universe is made), Karma (the destiny of the Jivas), Time, the mutability of Matter and the Jivas exist only by His grace and cease to exist the moment He grows indifferent towards them. (12)
Awaking from His Yoganidrā(deep sleep), Lord Narayana,
who was all alone (till this moment), now sought to multiply Himself and by dint o His Maya (wonderful energy) split up His effulgent seed-body into three parts—the Adhidaiva, the Adhyātma and the Adhibhūta. Hear now (O Pariksit!) how the unitary energy of the Lord
came to be divided into three parts. (13-14)
When the Cosmic Being bestirred Himself, there arose from the space within His body the acuteness of the senses, strength of will and strength of body as well. And from these sprang up Prāna, the chief of all the vital airs. (15)
Just as the attendants of a king follow him, even so the senses in all living beings are active when this Prāna is active, but cease to be active the moment this Prāna becomes inactive. (16)
With the free movement of the Prāna the Cosmic Being was overcome with hunger and thirst; and the moment He felt inclined to eat and drink a mouth appeared in Him in the first instance. (17)
From the mouth came out the palate, in which the sense of taste was produced; and thence were evolved the different kinds of tastes, which are experienced by the sense of taste (as well as the deity presiding over the same). (18)
When the Cosmic Being felt inclined to speak, there emanated from His mouth the god of fire (the deity presiding over the organ of speech), the organ of speech itself and the act of speaking, which depends both on the organ of speech and the deity presiding over the same. Till then the Cosmic Being remained under water controlling His breath for a pretty long time. (19)
When, however, His breath sought an outlet and pressed forward, a pair of nostrils appeared in Him. And as He felt inclined to perceive smell, there appeared in His nose the olfactory sense as well as the wind-god (the deity presiding over the sense of smell), the bearer of smell. (20)
When there was darkness all about Him and He felt inclined to see Himself and other things, there appeared in Him a pair of eyes, the sun-god (the deity presiding over the sense of sight) and the sense of sight; and thence followed the perception of colour (the object of sight). (21)
On the Vedas proceeding to awaken Him (through hymns of praise addressed to Him) and on the Cosmic Being feeling inclined to hear them, there appeared in Him a pair of ears, the Digdevatās (the deities presiding over the four quarters as well as the auditory sense) as well as the auditory sense itself; and thence followed the perception of sound, the object of the auditory sense. (22)
When, again, the Cosmic Being felt inclined to experience the softness or hardness, lightness or heaviness and warmth or coolness of objects, there appeared in Him the skin (the seat of the tactile sense) and on the skin there arose the hair (the sense perceiving touch as well as the itching sensation), the trees (the deities presiding over the hair) as well as the wind-god (the deity presiding over the tactile sense). Nay, He was also covered all over His skin, within as well as without, by the tactile sense, when followed the perception of touch (the object of the tactile sense). (23)
As soon as the Cosmic Being felt inclined to perform various acts a pair of hands grew out of Him. In these hands there appeared the faculty of grasping things and even so Indra (the deity presiding over this faculty) as well as the act of grasping, which depends both on the faculty of grasping and the deity presiding over it. (24)
Even as the Cosmic Being felt inclined to walk according to His will a pair of feet grew out of Him and along with them appeared Lord Vishnu (the deity presiding over the feet) Himself as well as the faculty of locomotion, with the help of which people procure the materials for sacrifice. (25)
When the Cosmic Being craved for offspring, sexual enjoyment and immortality (heavenly bliss procurable through a pious married life) a penis grew out of Him and even so there appeared in Him the faculty of copulation, the god Prajapati (the deity presiding over this faculty) and the pleasure arising from sexual commerce, which depends both on the faculty of coition and the deity presiding over the same. (26)
On the Cosmic Being feeling the urge to void excrement there appeared in Him the anus and thereafter the faculty of defecation and then the god Mitra (the deity presiding over the organ of evacuation) as well as the act of defecation, which depends both on the faculty of evacuation and the deity presiding over it. (27)
When the Cosmic Being felt inclined to pass from one body to another and leave the former with that end in view, there appeared in Him the navel and in the navel sprang up the vital air called 'Apana' and then the god of death (the deity presiding over the 'Apana' air); and then came about the dissociation of Prana form Apana, i. e., death, which depends on both the 'Apana' airand the deity presiding over the same. (28)
On the Cosmic Being feeling inclined to take food and drink there appeared in Him the cavity of the abdomen, the intestines and the network of veins and arteries as well as seas (the deities presiding over the intestines) and rivers (the deities presiding over the blood vessels) and even so satisfaction and nutrition, the former of which depends on the intestines and the seas, and the latter on the veins and arteries and rivers. (29)
When the Cosmic Being felt inclined to contemplate on His own Maya (wonderful energy) there appeared in Him the heart and thereafter the mind, then the moon (the deity presiding over the mind) and last of all volition and desire, the two functions of the mind. (30)
From the elements of earth, water and fire were evolved the seven constituents of the body of the Cosmic Being, viz., the thick outer skin, the thin inner skin, flesh, blood, fat, marrow and bone; even so from ether, water and air sprang up His vital air. (31)
The senses of perception are all directed towards their objects, and the objects of sense are born of the Ego (the source of the elements). Mind is the seat of all morbid feelings; while Intellect reveals to us the reality of all objects. (32)
I have thus described to you the gross form of the Lord; it is enveloped outside by eight sheaths, viz., earth, water, fire, air, ether, the Ego, the Mahat- tattva (the principle of cosmic intelligence) and Prakrti (Primordial Matter). (33)
Beyond this is (the Lord's) most subtle form, which is unmanifest, unqualified, having no beginning, middle or end, eternal and outside the realm of mind and speech. (34)
Both the subtle and gross forms of the Lord, which I have described to you, are the creation of the Lord's Maya. Hence the wise refuse to accept either (for worship). (35)
The supreme Lord is really actionless; it is by His own Maya that He becomes active. Assuming the form of Brahma, He reveals Himself both in the form of word and what it denotes, and evolves many a name and form and activity. (36)
Prajapatis (lords of created beings), Manus, gods, Rsis (seers), the various classes of the manes, Siddhas, Caranas (celestial bards) and Gandharvas (celestial musicians), Vidyadharas (another class of demigods), Asuras (de¬ mons) and Guhyakas (Yaksas), Kinnaras (another class of celestial musicians), Apsaras (celestial nymphs), Nagas, serpents, Kimpurusas (another class of demigods) and snakes, Matrkas, Raksasas, Pisacas, Pretas, Bhutas and Vinayakas, Kusmandas, Unmadas and Vetalas, Yatudhanas and Grahas, birds and reptiles, beasts of prey and other animals, trees, mountains and all other names and forms in the universe, O king, are His. (37—39)
All other creatures, both animate and inanimate, whether viviparous, oviparous, sweat-born or sprouting from soil, and living either in water, on land or in the air, are the good, bad or mixed fruit of corresponding actions (done in the past). (40)
The predominance of Sattva (goodness), Rajas (passion) and Tamas (opacity or ignorance) is severally responsible for birth as a god, as a human being and as a denizen of hell or as a member of the sub-human species. Each of these three destinies is again sub-divided into three varieties according as each of the three Gunas is eclipsed by either of the other two Gunas (modes of Prakrti) or not. (41)
Having assumed the form of Visnu (who is all virtue) for the support and sustenance of the world, the same Lord preserves and sustains this universe by appearing from time to time in the guise of animals, men and gods. (42)
Again, when the time comes, the Lord appears as Rudra (the god of destruction) from the fire of universal destruction and dissolves this universe, once created by Himself, even as a blast blows away a mass of clouds. (43)
The Lord, who is possessed of inconceivable power, has been described as above (as the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe). The wise, however, should not regard Him only as such; for He is even beyond this description. (44)
The Supreme has no doership in relation to the creation and other activities connected with this universe. Sruti texts ascribe it to Him only with a view to denying it; for the same has been superimposed on Him by Maya.(45)
I have told you about the great Kalpa (cycle) connected with the appearance of Brahma as also about the other smaller Kalpas. The process of creation is the same in all the Kalpas, the only difference being that during a Mahakalpa (the Kalpa immediately
following a Mahapralaya or Final Dissolution) the whole process of creation begins anew (including even the transformation of Matter, from the evolution of Mahat down to the crystallization of the five elements); while in the other Kalpas (the Kalpas following a mg of Brahma) it is only the bodies of the animate and inanimate beings that are created anew (46)
I shall describe in full the measures of time (both gross and subtle), the duration o a Kalpa and its divisions later on (in Book III). Now hear the story of the Padma Kalpa. (47 )
Saunaka said : Suta, you told us how Vidura, who was the foremost of the Lord's devotees left his kith and kin, so very difficult to part with, and travelled on foot o all the sacred places on the earth's surface. (48)
Where did he come to have a talk with the sage Maitreya (the son of Kusaru) on spiritual topics, and what was the truth that he venerable sage taught to Vidura in response to the latter's queries ? (49)
Tell us all that story of Vidura, O gentle Suta, as also the circumstances in which he left his kinsmen and what led to his
return. (50)
Suta said: King Pariksit too asked this very question. I now proceed to reproduce to you the discourse that the great sage (Suka) gave in response to the king's queries. (51)
Thus ends the tenth discourse entitled "The Disposition of the limbs of the Cosmic Being" in Book Two of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita, a collection of eighteen thousand verses composed by the sage Veda vyasa.
