SECTION LXVI
"Bhishma said, 'Then that illustrious Deity, the Lord of the worlds,
replied unto Brahma in a soft deep voice, saying,--'Through Yoga, O sire,
all that is wished by you is known to me. It will be even as thou
wishest,--And saying this, he disappeared then and there. Then the gods,
Rishis, and Gandharvas, filled with great wonder and curiosity all asked
the Grandsire, saying,--'Who is that one, O Lord, that was worshipped by
thy illustrious self with such humility and praised in such high words?
We desire to hear,--Thus addressed, the illustrious Grandsire replied
unto all the Gods, the regenerate Rishis, and the Gandharvas, in sweet
words saying,--He who is called TAT, He who is Supreme, He who is
existent at present and who will be for all time, He who is the highest
Self, He who is the Soul of beings, and who is the great Lord, I was
talking even with His ever-cheerful self, the bulls among gods. The Lord
of the Universe was solicited by me, for the good of the Universe, to
take his birth among mankind in the family of Vasudeva. I said unto
him,--For the slaughter of the Asuras take your birth in the world of
men!--Those Daityas and Rakshasas, of fierce form and great strength,
that were slain in battle, have been born among men. Indeed, the
illustrious and mighty Lord, taking birth in the human womb, will live on
the Earth, accompanied by Nara. Those ancient and best of Rishis, viz.,
Nara and Narayana, are incapable of defeat in battle by even all the
celestials united together. Of immeasurable effulgence, those Rishis
viz., Nara and Narayana, when born together in the world of men, will not
be known (as such) by fools. He, from whose Self, I, Brahman, the Lord of
the whole Universe, have sprung that Vasudeva, that Supreme God of all
the worlds, is worthy of your adoration. Endued with great energy, and
bearing the conch, the discus, and the mace, he should never be
disregarded as a man, the best of deities. He is the Supreme Mystery, the
Supreme refuge, the Supreme Brahma, and the Supreme glory. He is without
decay, Unmanifest, and Eternal. He it is who hath been sung as Purusha,
though none can comprehend him. The divine Artificer hath sung of him as
the Supreme Energy, the Supreme Felicity, and the Supreme Truth.
Therefore, the Lord Vasudeva of immeasurable prowess should never be
disregarded as a man by all the Asuras and the gods with Indra at their
head. That person of foolish understanding is called a wretch, who, from
disregard, speaketh of Hrishikesa as only a man. People speak of him as
one labouring under darkness who disregardeth Vasudeva, that Yogin of
illustrious soul, for his entering into a human form. People speak of him
as one labouring under darkness who knoweth not that Divine personage,
that Soul of the mobile and the immobile creation, that one bearing the
auspicious wheel (on his breast), that one of dazzling effulgence, that
one from whose navel hath sprung the (primeval) lotus. He who
disregardeth that wearer of the diadem and the Kaustuva gem, that
dispeller of fears of his friends, that high-souled one, sinketh in thick
darkness. Having known all these truths duly, that Lord of the worlds,
viz., Vasudeva, should be adored by every one, the best of gods.'--
"Bhishma continued,--Having said these words unto those gods and Rishis
in days of yore, the illustrious Grandsire, dismissing them all, repaired
to his own abode. And the gods and the Gandharvas, and the Munis and the
Apsaras also, having listened to those words spoken by Brahman, were
filled with delight and repaired to heaven. Even this was heard by me, O
sire, from Rishis of cultured soul talking in their assembly, of
Vasudeva, that ancient one. And O you that are well-versed in
scriptures, I heard this from Rama, the son of Jamadagni, and Markandeya
of great wisdom, and Vyasa and Narada also. Having learnt all this and
heard of the illustrious Vasudeva as the Eternal Lord, the Supreme God of
all the worlds, and the great Master, from whom hath sprung Brahman
himself, the Father of the Universe, why should not that Vasudeva be
adored and worshipped by men? Forbidden wert you before, O sire, by
sages of cultured souls, (who said unto thee)--Never go to war with that
Vasudeva armed with bow as also with the Pandavas,--This, from folly,
thou couldst not apprehend. I regard you therefore, as a wicked Rakshsa.
Thou art, besides, enveloped in darkness. It is for this that you hatest
Govinda and Dhananjaya the son of Pandu, for who else among men would
hate the divine Nara and Narayana? It is for this, O king, that I say
unto you that this one is Eternal and Unfading, pervading the whole
Universe, Unchanging, the Ruler, Creator and Upholder of all, and the
truly Existent. He it is who upholdeth the three worlds. He is the
Supreme Lord of all mobile and immobile creatures, and He is the great
Master, He is warrior, He is Victory, He is Victor, and He is the Lord of
all nature. O king, He is full of goodness and divested of all the
qualities of Darkness and Passion. There, where Krishna is, there
righteousness is; and there is victory where righteousness is. It is by
the Yoga of his Supreme Excellence, and the Yoga of his Self, that the
sons of Pandu, O king, are supported. Victory, therefore, will surely be
theirs. He it is that always imparteth to the Pandavas and understanding
endued with righteousness, and strength in battle; and He it is that
always protecteth them from danger. He is the Eternal God, pervading all
beings, and ever blessed. He, of whom you had asked me, is known by
the name of Vasudeva. He it is whom Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas
and Sudras, having distinctive features of their own, humbly serve and
worship with restrained hearts and performing their own duties. He it is
who, towards the close of the Dwapara Yuga and the beginning of the Kali
Yuga, is sung of with Sankarshana, by believers with devotion. It is that
Vasudeva that createth, Yuga after Yuga, the worlds of the gods and the
mortals, all cities girt by the sea, and the region of human
habitation.--"
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 66 ---------------------
