SECTION CCXXVIII
"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O grandsire, the indications of future
greatness and future fall in respect of a person.'
"Bhishma said, 'The mind itself, blessed be thou, indicates the
premonitory symptoms of one's future prosperity and future fall. In this
connection is cited the old story of the discourse between Sree and
Sakra. Listen to it, O Yudhishthira! The great ascetic Narada, of energy
whose effulgence is as immeasurable as Brahma itself, with sins all
destroyed, capable of beholding through the prosperity of his penances
both this and the other world at once, and the equal of the celestial
Rishis in the region of the Creator, roved according to his pleasure
through the triple world. One day, rising up at dawn, he wished to
perform his ablutions, and for that purpose went to the river Ganga as
she issued out of the pass known by the name of Dhruva and plunged into
the stream.[858] At that time the thousand-eyed Indra also, the wielder
of the thunderbolt, and the slayer of Samvara and Paka, came to the very
bank where Narada was. The Rishi and the deity, both of souls under
perfect command, finished their ablutions, and having completed their
silent recitations, sat together. They employed the hour in reciting and
listening to the excellent narratives told by the great celestial Rishis
descriptive of many good and high deeds. Indeed, with concentrated
attention the two were engaged in such pleasant discourse on ancient
history.[859] While sitting there they beheld the rising Sun casting his
thousand rays right before him. Seeing the full orb, both of them stood
up and hymned his praises. Just at that time they beheld in the sky, in a
direction opposite to that of the rising star of day, some luminous
object, resplendent as blazing fire and that seemed to be a second star
of day. And they saw, O Bharata, that that luminous object was gradually
approaching towards them both. Riding upon Vishnu's vehicle adorned with
Garuda and Surya himself, that object blazed forth with unrivalled
splendour, and seemed to illumine the three worlds. The object they saw
was none other than Sree herself, attended by many Apsaras endued with
splendid beauty. Indeed, she looked like a large solar disc herself,
possessed of effulgence resembling that of fire. Adorned with ornaments
that looked like veritable stars, she wore a wreath that resembled a
garland of pearls. Indra saw that goddess called Padma having her
habitation in the midst of lotuses. Descending from her foremost of cars,
that unrivalled lady began to approach towards the lord of the three
worlds and the celestial Rishi Narada. Followed by Narada, Maghavat also
proceeded towards that lady. With joined hands, he offered himself up to
her, and versed as he was with all things, he worshipped her with
reverence and sincerity never surpassed. The adorations over, the lord of
celestials, O king, addressed Sree in the following words.'
"Sakra said, 'O thou of sweet smiles, who, indeed, art thou and for what
business hast thou come here? O thou of fair brows, whence dost thou come
and whither wilt thou proceed, O auspicious lady?'
"Sree said, 'In the three worlds full of the seeds of auspiciousness, all
creatures, mobile and immobile, strive with their whole hearts to win an
association with me. I am that Padma, that Sree decked with lotuses, who
sprang from the lotus that blooms at the touch of the rays of Surya, for
the prosperity of all creatures. I am called Lakshmi, Bhuti, and Sree, O
slayer of Vala! I am Faith, I am Intelligence, I am Affluence, I am
Victory, and I am Immutability. I am Patience, I am Success, I am
Prosperity. I am Swaha, I am Swadha, I am Reverence, I am Fate, and I am
Memory. I dwell at the van and on the standards of victorious and
virtuous sovereigns, as also in their homes and cities and dominions. I
always reside, O slayer of Vala, with those foremost of men, viz., heroes
panting after victory and unretreating from battle. I also reside for
ever with persons that are firmly attached to virtue, that are endued
with great intelligence, that are devoted to Brahma, that are truthful in
speech, that are possessed of humility, and that are liberal. Formerly, I
dwelt with the Asuras in consequence of my disposition of being bound by
truth and merit Seeing, however, that the Asuras have assumed adverse
natures, I have left then and wish to reside in thee.'
"Sakra said, 'O thou of fair face, in consequence of what behaviour of
the Asuras didst thou dwell with them? What didst thou see there for
which thou hast come hither, having deserted the Daityas and the Danavas?'
"Sree said, I attach myself steadfastly to those that are devoted to the
duties of their own order, to those that never fall away from patience,
to those that take a pleasure in walking along the path which leads to
heaven. I always reside with those that are distinguished for liberality,
for study of the scriptures, for sacrifices, for other scriptural rites,
and for worship of Pitris, deities, preceptors, seniors, and guests.
Formerly, the Danavas used to keep their abodes clean, to keep their
women under control, to pour libations on the sacrificial fire, to wait
dutifully on their preceptors, to restrain their passions, to be obedient
to the Brahmanas, and to be truthful in speech. They were full of faith;
they kept their wrath under control; they practised the virtue of
charity; they never envied others; they used to maintain their friends
and advisers, and their spouses; they were never jealous. Formerly, they
never assailed one another, filled with wrath. They were all contented
and never felt pain at the sight of other people's affluence and
prosperity. They were all charitable and economical; of respectable
conduct, and endued with compassion. They were excessively inclined to
grace, possessed of simplicity of conduct, steadfast in faith, and had
their passions under complete control. They used to keep their servants
and counsellors contented, and were grateful and endued with sweet
speech. They used to serve every one as each deserved in consequence of
his position and honour. They were endued with shame. They were of rigid
vows. They used to perform their ablutions on every sacred day. They used
to smear themselves properly with perfumes and suspicious unguents. They
were also to adorn their persons duly. They were observant of fasts and
penances, were trustful, and utterers of Vedic hymns. The Sun never rose
upon them while they lay asleep. They never outslept the moon. They
always abstained from curds and pounded barley. They used every morning
to look at clarified butter and other auspicious articles, and with
senses withdrawn they used to recite the Vedas and worship Brahmanas with
gifts. Their discourse was always virtuous, and they never accepted
gifts. They always went to sleep at midnight and never slept during the
day. They always used to take pleasure in showing compassion for the
distressed, the helpless, the aged, the weak, the sick, and women, and
enjoyed all their possessions by sharing these with them. They always
used to assume and comfort the agitated, the cheerless, the anxious, the
terrified, the diseased, the weak and emaciated, the robbed, and the
afflicted. They followed the dictates of virtue and never injured one
another. They were ready and well-disposed for action of every kind (that
deserved to be accomplished). They used to serve and wait with reverence
upon seniors and aged individuals. They duly worshipped Pitris, deities,
and guests, and ate every day what was left after gratifying these. They
were firmly devoted to truth and penances. None amongst them ate singly
any food that was good, and none had congress with other people's wives.
As regards compassion, they behaved towards all creatures as towards
their own selves. They never allowed the emission of the vital seed into
empty space, into inferior animals, into forbidden wombs, or on sacred
days. They were always distinguished for gifts, for cleverness, for
simplicity, for hopeful exertion, for humility, for friendliness, and for
forgiveness. And, O puissant one, truth, charity, penance, purity,
compassion, soft speeches and absence of animosity towards friends,--all
these were always in them. Slumber, procrastination, fretfulness, envy,
and want of foresight, discontent, melancholy, cupidity never assailed
them. In consequence of the Danavas having been distinguished for these
good qualities, I dwelt with them from the beginning of the creation for
many yugas together. Times were altered, and that alteration brought
about an alteration in the character of the Danavas. I saw that virtue
and morality deserted them and they began to own the sway of lust and
wrath. Persons, though themselves inferior in attainments, began to
cherish animosities towards seniors in age possessed of superior
qualifications, and while the latter, possessed of virtue and merit, used
to speak upon proper topics in the midst of assemblies, the former began
to ridicule or laugh at them. When reverend seniors in age came, the
younger individuals, seated at their ease, refused to adore the former by
rising up and saluting them with respect. In the presence of sires, sons
began to exercise power (in matters that concerned sires alone). They
that were not in receipt of wages accepted service and shamelessly
proclaimed the fact, Those amongst them that succeeded in amassing great
wealth by doing unrighteous and censurable deeds came to be held in
esteem.[860] During the night they began to indulge in loud screams and
shrieks. Their homa fires ceased to send bright and upward flames. Sons
began to lord it over sires, and wives dominated over husbands. Mothers,
fathers, aged seniors, preceptors, guests, and guides ceased to command
respect for their superior status. People ceased to bring up with
affection their own offspring but began to desert them. Without giving
away the defined portion in alms and reserving the fixed portion for
offering it unto the gods, every one ate what he had. Indeed, without
offering their goods to the deities in sacrifices and without sharing
them with the Pitris, the gods, guests, and reverend seniors, they
appropriated them to their own use shamelessly. Their cooks no longer
professed any consideration for purity of mind, deed, and word. They ate
what had been left uncovered. Their corn lay scattered in yards, exposed
to devastation by crows and rats. Their milk remained exposed, and they
began to touch clarified butter with hands unwashed after eating.[861]
Their spades, domestic knives, baskets, and dishes and cups of white
brass, and other utensils began to lie scattered in their houses. Their
housewives abstained from looking after these. They no longer attained to
the repairs of their houses and walls. Tethering their animals they
abstained from giving them food and drink.[862] Disregarding children
that only looked on, and without having fed their dependants, the Danavas
ate what they had. They began to prepare payasa and krisara and dishes of
meat and cakes and sashkuli (not for gods and guests) but for their own
slaves, and commenced to eat the flesh of animals not killed in
sacrifices.[863] They used to sleep even after the sun had risen. They
made night of their morns. Day and night disputes and quarrels waxed in
every house of theirs. They that were not respectable amongst them no
longer showed any respect for those that deserve respect while the latter
were seated in any place. Fallen off from their defined duties, they
ceased to reverence those that had betaken themselves to the woods for
leading a life of peace and divine contemplation. Intermixture of castes
freely commenced among them. They ceased to attend to purity of person or
mind. Brahmanas learned in the Vedas ceased to command respect among
them. Those again that were ignorant of Richs were not condemned or
punished. Both were treated on a footing of equality, those, that is,
that deserved respect and those that deserved no respect. Their servant
girls became wicked in behaviour, and began to wear necklaces of gold and
other ornaments and fine robes, and used to remain in their houses or go
away before their very eyes. They began to derive great pleasure from
sports and diversions in which their women were dressed as men and their
men as women. Those amongst their ancestors that were affluent had made
gifts of wealth unto deserving persons. The descendants of the donors,
even when in prosperous conditions, began to resume, for their unbelief,
those gifts. When difficulties threatened the accomplishment of any
purpose and friend sought the counsel of friend, that purpose was
frustrated by the latter even if he had any interest of the slightest
value to subserve by frustrating it. Amongst even their better classes
have appeared traders and dealers in goods, intent upon taking the wealth
of others. The Sudras amongst them have taken to the practice of
penances. Some amongst them have begun to study, without making any rules
for regulating their hours and food. Others have begun to study, making
rules that are useless. Disciples have abstained from rendering obedience
and service to preceptors. Preceptors again have come to treat disciples
as friendly companions. Fathers and mothers are worn out with work, and
have abstained from indulging in festivities. Parents in old age,
divested of power over sons, have been forced to beg their food of the
latter. Amongst them, even persons of wisdom, conversant with the Vedas,
and resembling the ocean itself in gravity of deportment, have begun to
betake themselves to agriculture and such other pursuits. Persons who are
illiterate and ignorant have begun to be fed at Sraddhas.[864] Every
morning, disciples, instead of approaching preceptors for making dutiful
enquiries for ascertaining what acts awaited accomplishment and for
seeking commissions which they are to discharge, are themselves waited
upon by preceptors who discharge those functions. Daughters-in-law, in
the presence of their husbands' mothers and fathers, rebuke and chastise
servants and maids, and summoning their husband's lecture and rebuke
them. Sires, with great care, seek to keep sons in good humour, or
dividing through fear their wealth among children, live in woe and
affliction.[865] Even persons enjoying the friendship of the victims,
beholding the latter deprived of wealth in conflagrations or by robbers
or by the king, have begun to indulge in laughter from feelings of
mockery. They have become ungrateful and unbelieving and sinful and
addicted to adulterous congress with even the spouses of their
preceptors. They have betaken themselves to eating forbidden food. They
have transgressed all bounds and restraints. They have become divested of
that splendour which had distinguished them before. In consequence of
these and other indications of wicked conduct and the reversal of their
former nature, I shall not, O chief of the gods, dwell among them any
longer. I have, therefore, come to thee of my own accord. Receive me with
respect, O lord of Sachi! Honoured by thee, O chief of the celestials, I
shall receive honour from all other deities. There, where I reside, the
seven other goddesses with Jaya for their eighth, who love me, who are
inseparably associated with me, and who depend upon me, desire to live.
They are Hope, Faith, Intelligence, Contentment, Victory, Advancement,
and Forgiveness. She who forms the eighth, viz., Jaya, occupies the
foremost place amongst them, O chastiser of Paka. All of them and myself,
having deserted the Asuras, have come to thy domains. We shall henceforth
reside among the deities who are devoted to righteousness and faith.
"After the goddess had said so, the celestial Rishi Narada, and Vasava,
the slayer of Vritra, for gladdening her, offered her a joyful welcome.
The god of wind,--that friend of Agni, then began to blow gently through
heaven, bearing delicious odours, refreshing all creatures with whom he
came into contact, and contributing to the felicity of every one of the
senses. All the deities (hearing the news) assembled together in a pure
and desirable spot and waited there in expectation of beholding Maghavat
seated with Lakshmi beside him. Then the thousand-eyed chief of the gods,
accompanied by Sree and his friend the great Rishi, and riding upon a
splendid car drawn by green horses, came into that assembly of the
celestials, receiving honour from all. Then the great Rishi Narada, whose
prowess was known to all the celestials, observing a sign that the
wielder of the thunderbolt made and which Sree herself approved of,
welcomed the advent of the goddess there and proclaimed it as exceedingly
auspicious. Heaven's firmament became clear and bright and began to
shower nectar upon the region of the self-born Grandsire. The celestial
kettle-drums, though struck by none, began to beat, and all the points of
the horizon, becoming clear, seemed ablaze with splendour. Indra began to
pour rain upon crops that commenced to appear each at its proper season.
No one then deviated from the path of righteousness. The earth became
adorned with many mines filled with jewels and gems, and the chant of
Vedic recitations and other melodious sounds swelled up on the occasion
of that triumph of the celestials. Human beings, endued with firm minds,
and all adhering to the auspicious path that is trod by the righteous,
began to take pleasure in Vedic and other religious rites and acts. Men
and gods and Kinnaras and Yakshas and Rakshasas all became endued with
prosperity and cheerfulness. Not a flower,--what need then be said of
fruits,--dropped untimely from a tree even if the god of wind shook it
with force. All the kine began to yield sweet milk whenever milked by
men, and cruel and harsh words ceased to be uttered by any one. They who,
from desire of advancement, approach before assemblies of Brahmanas, and
read this narrative of the glorification of Sree by all the deities with
Indra at their head, deities that are competent to grant every
wish,--succeed in winning great prosperity. These then O chief of the
Kurus, are the foremost indications of prosperity and adversity. Urged on
by thee, I have told thee all. It behoves thee to bear thyself according
to the instructions conveyed herein, understanding them after careful
reflection!'
