THE GARUDA PURANA 62 страница

If Visnu becomes one with his reflection jlva, then how can jiva remain dependent on Visnu.

14. Thus they explain the meaning of pratibimba. The difference between the two — reflected and reflection — is obvious therefore.

15. Krsna, Rama and others of equal cadre arc the emanations of basic reality. Though they manifest in different forms, they are not to be thought of as separate.

16-17. Those who are in search of reality should note a special point. Jivas are related to the root only partially. They stand as Jivas distinct from the root.

18. The knowledge of the root is essential. Those who are not aware of the root are asuras. They think that by illusion, the non-dual entity shows many forms as reflections in the mirror.

19. But this sort of thinking takes them to the region of pitch darkness.

The marks that distinguish Self from Supreme self are twofold: internal and external.

20. The external marks disappear as the material dissolves. The internal difference remains even in the state of release. If both the internal and external differences disappear ( there being non-dual brahman in existence), how can there be a difference due to reflection and the thing reflected?

2 1. The distinguishing mark of the self going to be released is consciousness or awareness (cit ). The distinguishing mark of the Self going to hell (region ofdarkness) is suffering 22. For the Jiva who is prone to migrate, the distinguishing mark is mixed ( cidrupa and dukkharupa ). The grass body is an external appendage for the seeker.

23. As the evil-minded asuras often cause distress, Visnu feels distressed on that account. Thus the nature of the lord being none other than distress itself, the lord acquires nature of reflection.

24. One should note the distinguishing mark of the lord’s reflection in the daityas.

25. Among the divine forms as that of Surya or of human forms as that of Sita, there is not in the least any difference internal or external.

26. He who ponders over the difference goes to hell. The image of an object or a person reflected in the mirror is always akin to the object or person reflected.

27. At the hour of dissolution, O best of birds, the Jivas in the form of lord’s reflection do not merge into lord.

28. Not even the slightest doubt be entertained, O son of Vinata, about the non-difference between reflection and the object reflected.

29-30. When the hour of dissolution arrives the lord sleeps in the ocean keeping Jivas in his belly, also the released souls, Brahma, Maruts, etc, as well as those going to be liberated, those present in hell, those who are likely to fall, those who are stationary, those who rotate on the wheel of life and death, those who are wild beasts, bears, etc. — Keeping all these in the belly the lord sleeps in waters for duration of a Kalpa. 1

31. Laksmi corresponds to knowledge embodied in the Vedas. She is nourished by devotion to Visnu. She exhibits devotion to Visnu by the movements of her body and offers homage to the lord.

32. There was nothing but Visnu and Laksmi as the creation came into being.

33. The goddess Laksmi served as a couch to the lord.

She was her lord’s abode. Among the females she was the first who praised the lord thus.

34. In your excellence, you exceed all. None is comparable to you, none excels you. You alone are the non-dual Brahma. The term is applicable neither to Brahma nor to Laksmi nor to Rudra nor to Brhaspati.

35. The term is applicable primarily to Visnu. It is secondarily applicable to Brahma, Rudra and others. Being the store-house of endless merits Visnu is called Brahma.

36. Other gods contain no fulness of merits, hence they are not called Brahma.

37-38. They are non-eternal in relation to space or time.

No problem could have arisen, were they found eternal in all respects. But the problem stands, for Brahma and other gods are not eternal due to the shortage of their merits.

Though I am comparable to lord Vasudeva, in respect of etemality in relation to time and space, I am not equal to him in the fulness of merit. The Vedas declare your manifold merits which in all authoritative texts remain uncontradicted.

Your merits are endless, some being manifest and some hidden.

1. Kalpa — A day of Brahma consisting of 1, 000 Yugas or fourteen Manvantaras, being a period of 432 million years of mortals.

39-43. Therefore, we are unable to evaluate your merits.

Neither I, nor Sarasvatl 1 2, Siva, Rudra, Sati, the daughter of Daksa, Parvati the daughter of Menaka or Mena, Indra, Indrani, Agni, Yama, Narada, Bhrgu, Vasistha, Ganesa, Bali, Virata, Bhuman 3, Sami, Kaseru, Kinnara, manes, gods, Gandharvas 3, Tusyas, kings and their proteges can praise your Virtue.

Brahma is inferior to me by crores of merits. Vayu being equal to Brahma is inferior to me by the same number.

The two are equal to each other in the matter of detachment, in their devotion to Visnu, in their courage, stability, life, strength, restraint and intellect from the origin to the dissolution of the universe. The two are inseparable in the exercise of their power or support.

44. The Vedas equate Visnu with Brahma in support of the universe. They declare Vayu as Jiva the life principle of the universe. Brahma cannot function as the creator without the support of Vayu.

45-46. Vayu cannot function without the support of Brahma. They support each other in activating the universe. Their mutual superiority can very well be evaluated by taking recourse to time.

When lord Brahma controlled the principle of intellect from activating material creation lying dormant in the universal egg, Vayu was unable to set it in motion. The evolution of the universe was the event of later date.

1. Sarasvali — the daughter of Brahma was born from his mouth.

Brahma fell in love with her. She tried her best to avoid him but found escape impossible. She yielded to his desire.

As a result a son called Virat was born to them. PE., p. 696.

2. Bh uman= Earth.

3. Gandharvas — a class of demi-gods, regarded as the singers or musicians of gods.

47. The honourable Sarasvati was born after Brahma had completed his one year. When ten years were completed, the honourable Vayu came into being. In the material world, Vayu is inferior to Visnu. But, their coordination docs not suffer by this inferiority.

48. Sarasvati was born after Brahma completed a year.

Sarasvati is therefore inferior to Visnu in respect of time. Vayu is much more inferior in the same respect.

49. After Vayu had completed a year Vak was born.

As it was born after, it perished early.

50. Sesa, the lord of snakes, Indra, and Rudra — the three are equal in knowledge, strength and spirit. Still they are inferior to each other in respect of time. They last for two thousand divine years.

51. Sesa, Rudra, Brahma and Vayu are of equal cadre and equal efficacy in the process of evolving the material creation. They are inferior to one another only in respect of time. But this inferiority should be totally ignored.

52. VarunI, Parvatl and Sauparna — the three were born after ten years. They should be treated at par with Sarasvati and Bharati.

53. Indra is superior to RudranI (wife of Rudra). This knowledge is always gainful. Possessed of this knowledge one is called the knower. He alone has the knowledge of the Vedas.

54. One who is ignorant of different traits of gods is not the knower of the Vedas. He is merely a Vedavadin, not a Veda-pathaka.

55. Whatever syllables of the Vedas are repeated by men of three castes, constitute the very names of Hari which are ever dear to him.

56. Hari is my master. I am a life-long slave of Hari.

Brahma and other gods are my life-long preceptors.

57. The Vedas declare Hari as the lord of all. He who learns the Vedas with this knowledge is the best of the twiceborn.

58. He alone is the knower of the Vedas. Other than him is only a Veda-vadin who carries the burden of the Vedas on his shoulders.

59-60. Men possessing knowledge of brahman (Supreme reality) and that of the supreme text (viz., the Vedas) speak to each other thus — Veda is water wherein abides Visnu. Men of teaching and other professions incur countless sins which out of compassion, he condones if they utter his three names.

61. The Supreme lord, when he observes that a guiltless person, with an honourable place in society, has committed a sinful deed, is extremely irritated and howls at him.

62. O Govinda, you can be realized only by means of true knowledge, not by any other means. You are of the nature of bliss. Rise, O Kesava and be favourable to me. O lord, you have the power to create as well as dissolve the Universe.

63. You generate Brahma and urge him to create the Universe. You generate Rudra and urge him to dissolve it.

You observe god Brahma, Sesa and the rest who are worthy of approach.

64. Rise up, O Hari, chat are ever watchful. Deprived of true knowledge and engrossed in worldly affairs from katpa to kalpa. I undergo tortuous pains of unbearable suffering, O lord.

65. O Hari, you are of the nature of consciousness (cit sakti). You throw sinful daityas and evil minded persons in the dungeon full of intense darkness. They say you are of the nature of suffering, O Hari, since you are distressed by that act of yours.

66. Rise, O Narayana, Vasudeva, Krsna, Acyuia, Madhava, Vaikuntha, lord of LaksmI, of compassionate nature.

Homage to you.

67. Rise, O lord of Madhu, lord ofSarasvati, Lord of Rudra, lord of Ambika, lord of the moon, lord of Saci, lord of the brahmins, lord of devotion, lord of cows, Rise, O lord.

68. You that are fond of sastras, rise up. You that are fond of Rk hymns rise up. You that are fond of Yajus rise up.

You that are a primary cause and fond of Saman, rise up. You that are the enemy of Mura 1 and fond of Atharva lore, rise up.

1. Mura - — the asura born to Kasyapa prajapati of his wife Danu. It was at this time that lord Krsna, the incarnation of Mahavisnu attacked Pragjyotisa, the capital city of Asura Naraka. Mura went to help his friend Naraka. In the fight that ensued, Naraka and Mura were slain by KrsnaPE. p. 511.

69. You that are of primeval form, you that are fond of prose, you that are of variegated form, you that are fond of praise, you that are lord of LaksmI, we please you with melodious song. Rise, O lord, rise immediately.

CHAPTER THREE.

Creation of the universe: Variations due to difference in Gunas Lord Krsna said:

1. God Visnu had a desire to create beings worthy of creation, to release beings worthy of release. Visnu ever cherishes such desires, though the expression of such desires is expressedly material.

2. Hari assumed a material form and swallowed darkness. That form of the lord they declare to be material. Those who do not know this enter the pitch dark region.

3. The incarnations of lord Visnu are perfect. Perfect is tha t supreme form. Perfection begets perfection.

4. Superiority and inferiority rest on personality, not on the facilities of Space and Time.

5. The Supreme lord is full. The Super-imposed universe is full. When the Super-imposed full is taken off that which remains is also full.

6. It has become a custom to say that he incarnates in the person of Krsna for lightening the burden of the earth.

There can be no dissolution of the world without his wishes.

7. Too much effort should not be made for realizing Self. Too much effort made for self-realization occasions trouble. Too much effort leads to certain disease, it is certain.

8. The teacher and the disciple should make common effort to know what it is possible to know. The teacher and the disciple who work together in that direction can rightly be called by those designations.

9. O son of Vinata, those who think upon the lord as Supreme Reality are the teacher and the taught in the right sense of the word.

10. They say there is no harm to cut jokes with the teacher, if the joke is simple enough.

11. If the disciple cuts joke with the teacher out of ridicule or rage, if the teacher makes an ironical remark — the disciple and the teacher go to hell where they stay as long as the moon and the stars shine in the sky.

The High-Souled red-eyed Hari, possessed of strong semen, deposited his energy in Maya consisting of three gunas with an auspicious force.

Gartida said:

12. O Hari, please tell us about the nature of your energy and its constituents. Is that energy the very nature of yours or is it a separate entity? Tell me, O lord, as you know the truth.

Lord Krsna said:

13. O son of Vinata, the energy which lord Hari deposited in Maya is the very nature of the lord. The wise who know the truth have declared thus.

14. They have also declared that the energy being material is a separate entity, like the lotus in the navel of Visnu.

This fact is not detrimental to the concept of the lord being full of energy, as the lord is the very form of knowledge.

15. Lord Vasudeva is of the nature of energy everywhere and in all times. O lord of birds, if he were not possessed of energy he would not be both Isvara and Purusa.

16. The people in general regard him as twofold: of the form of male and of the form of female. The two should not be considered to be separate entities, O lord of birds.

17. If the lord were separate from the female form, O lord of birds, how could the woman be his reflection.

18. Hence, the female is inseparable from the male form.

The two forms constitute the very nature of the lord. This should not be taken otherwise.

19. The neutral form is alien to his nature. It is the effect and not his real nature. It is not present in Hari, O lord of birds. Know that in the form of Hari there is reflected the form of Laksmi.

Garuda said:

20-21. The contact of a woman with a woman is futile.

So say the wise. The female form being the mirror, how can there be reflected another female form? How could the female form abide in the female form. What is the reason thereof.

Tell me, O lord.

Lord Krsna said:

22-23. Lord Visnu assumes different female forms, O lord of birds. How can it be possible that Laksmi (a female form herself) may not be reflected therein, since she, the eternal one, being inseparable from the lord is always at his service in her many forms.

24. Hence, it is the separation from her lord (and not her union with him) that can be the object of doubt on the part of the disciple.

O Garuda, lord Visnu can never remain without Laksmi who is ever devoted to his lotus-feet.

25. Those seeking for release should know that Laksmi can never remain without Visnu in any space or time.

26. Lord Visnu deposits energy in her to further growth of creation. The asuras hold that energy is the magical power of the lord. But they are fools who ignore reality and as a result enter the region of pitch darkness.

In fact what we call Maya is nothing but Prakrti (the primordial nature) invested with subtle form that is different from magic.

27. They should know that Laksmi is the very Self of Lord Visnu who deposits energy in her. The union of the two is not without a purpose.

28. She is beginningless, eternal and truthful. How can she be a fake, O lord of birds? Prakrti is eternal truth though not manifest in distinct form.

29. But if she be an empirical reality, how can she be eternal and if she be non-eternal, O lord of birds, how can she be the cause of creativity in her subtle form?

30. If she be the cause of creativity in the subtle form, who can be the cause of creativity in the gross form?

31. If you say: By the power of illusion, Visnu manifests himself in many forms. But when illusion disappears by knowledge, the universe (of various forms) is absorbed in Visnu. O lord of birds, hear, I shall produce an argument.

32. Hari, being omniscient, how can ignorance abide with him? As darkness cannot co-exist with the sun, there can be no ignorance co-existing with the lord.

33. Hence, the lord is not associated with Maya. If that were so, O lord of birds, how could we explain the difference between the omniscient lord and the lord of limited knowledge.

34. How could the Vedas declare the identity of the two who are of contrary nature. Not circumscribed by space and time, the creator of the universe is omnipotent and is above all sorrows.

35. The individual soul, on the other hand, is the creator of a small world, being prone to sorrows and afflictions of births. The two are contradictory in nature and appear to be distinct. Such is the power of illusion of the magician lord.

36. The devotees of Visnu and their followers are exempt from censure and reproach. He who bears malice to them cannot receive the pleasure of Visnu. Even in the state of release he cannot enjoy perfect bliss.

37. Those who perceive a difference between the Supreme and the subservient Self become subject to reproach and are overpowered by suffering and afflicted by affliction.

They enter the region of pitch darkness whence there can be no return.

38. O lord of birds, the primordial nature (Prakrti) is subtle in form. It has the nature of eternal truth as are the infinitesimal particles of space, time, air and other elements.

39-40. The seekers of eternal wisdom should know that the material objects consist of infinitesimal particles. You should know, O bird, that in the categories of the material objects there is a category called Visesa 1 of which the final Visesa is the paramanu. 2 Garuda said:

41. O Krsna, O Madhava, O lord of Satvatas, 3 you say that the ultimate particle of a substance is paramanu.

42. It is still not clear to me. The ultimate particle is indivisible (the other particles are divisible). That which is divisible cannot be ultimate particle. This view is invariable, so it appears to me.

Lord Krsna said:

43. There are experts who can perceive the divisible particles of a substance but not the ultimate particle.

44. The sages declare the ultimate particle to be Visesa.

Following the view of ancient sages, the philosophers Kanada 4 5

and Gautama, ® O lord of birds, have indorsed that the ultimate Visesa called Paramanu is indivisible.

45. The infinitesimal particles are divisible. Those who declare them indivisible are totally wrong in their view.

Therefore, O son of Vinata, 6 the particles are divisible in many parts.

1. ViScfa — a particular or an eternal distinguishing mark of each of the nine dravyas.

2. Paramanu — the thirteenth part of the atom of dust which is seen moving in the sun-beam:

3. Satvatas — a family of Yadava race whose founder was Yadu, son of King Yayati. King Satvata founded a branch of the Yadavas after his name. He had four sons: (1) Bhajin Bhajamana, (2) Devavrdha, (3)

Andhaka Mahabhoja and (4) Vrsni. Krsna, the celebrated hero of the Mahabharata was born in the Satvata- Vrsni family.

4. Kanada or Kartabhuj or Kartabhaksa — the names of the founder of the Vaisesika system, which may be said to be a doctrine of atoms.

5. Gautama — the propounder of the Nyaya system of philosophy. His Nyaya-Sutra is the earliest treatise on the subject.

6. Vinata — the mother of Aruna and Garuda and a wife of Kasyapa.

46. O lord of birds, the infinitesimal particles are divisible in many parts. There are, in the same way, many forms of lord Hari. These forms are divisible while the lord himself is indivisible.

47. That which is the subtlest of the subtle forms is also the greatest of the great. No characteristic difference should be traced among the forms of the lord who is of inconceivable form.

48-49. None else but the lord is eternal in respect of time, space and quality. The wise define the eternity of time as time not circumscribed by time, the eternity of space as space not circumscribed by space, the eternity of attribute as an attribute not circumscribed by attributes.

50. Thus, the lord is characterized by his threefold eternity. Though omnifarious or all-pervasive, he can still be circumscribed by space. His inconceivable and wondrous powers are manifest in the forms he takes for the welfare of the people.

51-53. In respect of attributes and time, there is no difference in the forms of the lord. Being all-pervasive though circumscribed by space, there is no difference even in the minutest form of the lord. Still he is divisible even in subtle parts. Such is the virtue of his supreme power.

54. Therefore, O Garuda, know that he incarnates in particular forms. His all-pervasive form (which does not incarnate) they call Narayana. 1

55. Thus, in all conditions and in all entirety, there is a fivefold classification of the different forms of the lord, viz., the eternal and non-eternal, the animate and inanimate and the lord circumscribed and not circumscribed by time, space and attributes. Lord Hari, the primeval Purusa of mighty power, deposited energy in the primordial nature called Maya 2 and produced creation characterized by three gunas, viz., sattva, rajas and tamas.

1. Narayana — An epithet of Visnu. The word is derived differently in the MS. 1. 10. See GP. p. 955, Fn. 5.

2. Prakrti or PradJiana — Primordial nature consisting of the three essential qualities sattva, rajas and tamas. It is distinguished from Purusa, the original source of the material world.

CHAPTER FOUR.

Gums and their nature: Imbalance and Equilibrium.

The lord said:

1. When the lord created the three gunas, their composite form being Prakrti 1, there sprang up Laksmi in her threefold form, viz., Sri, Bhu and Durga.

2. Sri was characterized by sattva, Bhu by rajas and Durga by tamas. Thus say the wise.

3. O lord of birds, one should not recognize any difference among Sri, Bhu, Durga — the three forms of Laksmi.

4. Those who recognize difference among the three, by virtue of three distinct gunas are thrown in the pitch dark regions.

Purusa assumed three forms: Visnu, Brahma and Siva, each containing the respective guna — sattva, rajas and tamas.

5. Visnu pervaded the universe to sustain people with sattva guna. He inspired Brahma to create beings with rajas guna.

6. Brahma created the universe with rajas guna. Hence, Brahma is the first creator and not Visnu.

Visnu inspired Rudra to annihilate the world with tamo guna.

7. Visnu, when he inspired Rudra, was called Rudra.

But Rudra and Visnu are not identical. Visnu is not identifiable with Brahma either.

8. Brahma and Rudra are pervaded by Visnu. This very knowledge leads one to release. It is never otherwise.

9. They should recognize the respective functions of the three: Brahma, Visnu and Rudra. Those who do not recognize the same go to terrific hells whence there is no return.

10. The eternal lord Visnu pervaded the gunas, and activated them for the purpose of creation.

1. Equilibrium of the three gunas — Sattva, Rajas and Tamas — is called Prakrti: sattva-rajas-tamasarh samvavastha prakrtih.

1 1. When the three gunas were activated there was evolved Mahat 1 out of the constituents of the three gunas.

12. Out of Mahat were evolved Brahma and Vayu. They were born twins after the lapse of a year since Mahat came into being.

13. Mahat being activated by rajas, the creation was evolved out of the gunas in the state of imbalance.

Garuda said:

14. O son of DevakI, you have explained to me the nature of creation evolved out of the gunas. I have gained by your grace the correct knowledge of the principle of Mahat in imbalance.

15-20. O lord, now explain to me the significance of the gunas in imbalance.

Lord Krsna said:

O lord of birds, before I explain to you the gunas in imbalance, I shall explain to you, first of all, what gunas in equilibrium would signify and before I do that O lord of birds, I shall explain to you the portion of the gunas in their material forms, ether, etc.

With the aggregate of tamas, O lord of birds, were joined the particles of rajoguna twice in proportion. With the aggregate of rajas, O son of Vinata, were joined the particles of sattva guna twice in proportion.

The gunas are evolved out of the primordial nature, they are not primary. Since forms of Prakrti are many and not categorizable, the gunas are secondary, not primary.

21. Thus I have explained to you, O lord of birds, the nature of the gunas, their number and the way how they function.

22. Of the three gunas, the sattva alone is pure. O Garuda, it is not mixed with rajas guna or tamas guna.

1. Mahat — In Samkhva philosophy the great principle Mahat (intellect) distinguished from manas the second of the twentyfivc principles recognized by the Sankhyas.

23. It is called kevala sattva, not that it is superior to other gunas but because it was the only existing guna at the beginning of Creation which got mixed with the rest at the time of dissolution.

24-25. O lord of birds, the sattva remains pure at all times ( except at dissolution). Those who think contrarily enter the lower regions of pitch darkness. O lord of birds, only the rajas and tamas are mixed gunas.

26. O lord of birds, they are mixed at the beginning and at the end of creation. With the aggregate of rajas, more than a hundred part of Sattva is mixed. O best of birds, it is not otherwise.

27-28. O son of Vinata, of the aggregated hundred parts of rajas one part is tamas. It is mixed with the aggregated part of rajas.

29. O dear, such is the position of the aggregated rajas mixed with tamas. In the aggregated tamas, there is mixed sattva, O son of Vinata.

30. O Garuda, sattva is mixed with tamas approximately more than the tenth part of tamas. 31. O son of Vinata, with the ten aggregated parts of tamas is mixed rajas in one tenth part.

32. O best of birds, this is the position of the aggregated tamas.

Garuda said:

33-37. O lord of Satvatas, I have strong doubts in regard to that.

In an aggregated guna, whatever parts of another aggregated guna are found in greater or smaller proportion, the guna acquires that name, like the milk in water, How is that?

O lord!

On hearing the query of Garuda, the lord spoke with great affection, appreciating the query of his devotee.

The lord said:

O lord of birds, the aggregated sattva is greater than the aggregated rajas or aggregated tamas.

Sattva is not mixed either with rajas or with tamas. The learned declare the aggregated rajas or tamas by those very names and not by any other.

38. Poison mixed with milk or sacrificial oblation is nothing but poison, the same is the position of gunas, O bird.

39-43. O lord of birds, I shall now tell you of the state of equilibrium of the gunas.

Whatever is the product of aggregated rajas, whatever has entered in the mahat principle is also called rajas. When the hour of dissolution comes, rajas remains in mahat by twelve parts. In the aggregated sattva it remains by ten parts; in the aggregated tamas by one part, O bird.

A part of aggregated rajas remains in rajas by one part.

44. Thus, O bird, the principle of mahat is dissolved in the three gunas.

45. O lord of birds, when the gunas are mixed in equal proportion, the learned declare it to be the equilibrium of gunas.

46. Those who think otherwise, are placed in the pitch dark regions.

Garuda said:

47. O lord, tell me, in brief, how the aggregated gunas stand in equilibrium, at the time of final dissolution ( pralaya ).

Lord Kr$na said:

48. The learned declare that the aggregated gunas stand in equilibrium, being mixed together.

49-53. O dear, now, I shall tell you about the imbalance of gunas.

The rajas which remained mixed by ten parts with sattva, by one part with tamas, by one part with rajas at the time of dissolution, remains mixed by ten parts with sattva, by one part with rajas and by one part with tamas. Thus the twelve parts stand conjoined and constitute mahat.

O son of Vinata, there is another speciality in this context.

54. In the principle of mahat, one part is tamas. Thus the mahat principle is mixed with all gunas.

Garuija said:

55-56. O lord of Satvatas, I have heard, formerly from Brahma that the mahat principle was evolved out of four components of gunas, i. e. one part of tamas and three parts of rajas.

57. Thus, the principle of mahat consists of four parts, being the form of Brahma himself which the learned declare to be due to the imbalance of gunas.

58. It is evolved out of thirteen parts. O fond of devotees and merciful one, please clear my doubts regarding this point.

Lord Krsna said:

59-62. What Brahma had stated to you and what I have said just now is not open to doubt. Rajas is mixed with primary sattva by ten parts, the total is but one constituent.

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