The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa | Page 4

thou, O lotus-eyed Sauti, and where hast thou spent the time? Tell me,
who ask thee, in detail.'
Accomplished in speech, Sauti, thus questioned, gave in the midst of
that big assemblage of contemplative Munis a full and proper answer in

words consonant with their mode of life.
"Sauti said, 'Having heard the diverse sacred and wonderful stories
which were composed in his Mahabharata by Krishna-Dwaipayana, and
which were recited in full by Vaisampayana at the Snake-sacrifice of
the high-souled royal sage Janamejaya and in the presence also of that
chief of Princes, the son of Parikshit, and having wandered about,
visiting many sacred waters and holy shrines, I journeyed to the
country venerated by the Dwijas (twice-born) and called
Samantapanchaka where formerly was fought the battle between the
children of Kuru and Pandu, and all the chiefs of the land ranged on
either side. Thence, anxious to see you, I am come into your presence.
Ye reverend sages, all of whom are to me as Brahma; ye greatly
blessed who shine in this place of sacrifice with the splendour of the
solar fire: ye who have concluded the silent meditations and have fed
the holy fire; and yet who are sitting--without care, what, O ye Dwijas
(twice-born), shall I repeat, shall I recount the sacred stories collected
in the Puranas containing precepts of religious duty and of worldly
profit, or the acts of illustrious saints and sovereigns of mankind?"
"The Rishi replied, 'The Purana, first promulgated by the great Rishi
Dwaipayana, and which after having been heard both by the gods and
the Brahmarshis was highly esteemed, being the most eminent narrative
that exists, diversified both in diction and division, possessing subtile
meanings logically combined, and gleaned from the Vedas, is a sacred
work. Composed in elegant language, it includeth the subjects of other
books. It is elucidated by other Shastras, and comprehendeth the sense
of the four Vedas. We are desirous of hearing that history also called
Bharata, the holy composition of the wonderful Vyasa, which
dispelleth the fear of evil, just as it was cheerfully recited by the Rishi
Vaisampayana, under the direction of Dwaipayana himself, at the
snake-sacrifice of Raja Janamejaya?'
"Sauti then said, 'Having bowed down to the primordial being Isana, to
whom multitudes make offerings, and who is adored by the multitude;
who is the true incorruptible one, Brahma, perceptible, imperceptible,
eternal; who is both a non-existing and an existing-non-existing being;
who is the universe and also distinct from the existing and non-existing
universe; who is the creator of high and low; the ancient, exalted,
inexhaustible one; who is Vishnu, beneficent and the beneficence itself,

worthy of all preference, pure and immaculate; who is Hari, the ruler of
the faculties, the guide of all things moveable and immoveable; I will
declare the sacred thoughts of the illustrious sage Vyasa, of marvellous
deeds and worshipped here by all. Some bards have already published
this history, some are now teaching it, and others, in like manner, will
hereafter promulgate it upon the earth. It is a great source of knowledge,
established throughout the three regions of the world. It is possessed by
the twice-born both in detailed and compendious forms. It is the delight
of the learned for being embellished with elegant expressions,
conversations human and divine, and a variety of poetical measures.'"
In this world, when it was destitute of brightness and light, and
enveloped all around in total darkness, there came into being, as the
primal cause of creation, a mighty egg, the one inexhaustible seed of all
created beings. It is called Mahadivya, and was formed at the beginning
of the Yuga, in which we are told, was the true light Brahma, the
eternal one, the wonderful and inconceivable being present alike in all
places; the invisible and subtile cause, whose nature partaketh of entity
and non- entity. From this egg came out the lord Pitamaha Brahma, the
one only Prajapati; with Suraguru and Sthanu. Then appeared the
twenty-one Prajapatis, viz., Manu, Vasishtha and Parameshthi; ten
Prachetas, Daksha, and the seven sons of Daksha. Then appeared the
man of inconceivable nature whom all the Rishis know and so the
Viswe-devas, the Adityas, the Vasus, and the twin Aswins; the Yakshas,
the Sadhyas, the Pisachas, the Guhyakas, and the Pitris. After these
were produced the wise and most holy Brahmarshis, and the numerous
Rajarshis distinguished by every noble quality. So the water, the
heavens, the earth, the air, the sky, the points of the heavens, the years,
the seasons, the months, the fortnights, called Pakshas, with day and
night in due succession. And thus were produced all things which are
known to mankind.
And what is seen in the universe, whether animate or inanimate, of
created things, will at the end of the world, and after