SECTION 64
(Adivansavatarana Parva continued)
"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, those thou hast named and
those thou hast not named, I wish to hear of them in detail, as also of other
kings by thousands. And, it behoveth thee to tell mein full the object for
which those Maharathas, equal unto the celestials themselves, were born on
earth.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'It hath been heard by us, O monarch,
that what thou askest is a mystery even to the gods. I shall, however, speak of
it unto thee, after bowing down (to the self-born). The son of Jamadagni (Parasurama),
after twenty-one times making the earth bereft of Kshatriyas wended to that
best of mountains Mahendra and there began his ascetic penances. And at that
time when the earth was bereft of Kshatriyas, the Kshatriya ladies, desirous of
offspring, used to come, O monarch, to the Brahmanas and Brahmanas of rigid
vows had connection with them during the womanly season alone, but never, O
king, lustfully and out of season. And Kshatriya ladies by thousands conceived
from such connection with Brahmanas. Then, O monarch, were born many Kshatriyas
of greater energy, boys and girls, so that the Kshatriya race, might thrive. And
thus sprang the Kshatriya race from Kshatriya ladies by Brahmanas of ascetic
penances. And the new generation, blessed with long life, began to thrive in
virtue. And thus were the four orders having Brahmanas at their head
re-established. And every man at that time went in unto his wife during her
season and never from lust and out of season. And, in the same way, other
creatures also, even those born in the race of birds went in unto their wives
during the season alone. And, hundreds of thousands of creatures were born, and
all were virtuous and began to multiply in virtue, all being free from sorrow
and disease. And, this wide earth having the ocean for her boundaries, with her
mountains and woods and towns, was once more governed by the Kshatriyas. And
when the earth began to be again governed virtuously by the Kshatriyas, the other
orders having Brahmanas for their first were filled with great joy. And the
kings giving up all vices born of lust and anger and justly awarding
punishments to those that deserved them protected the earth. And he of a
hundred sacrifices, possessed also of a thousand eyes, beholding that the
Kshatriya monarchs ruled so virtuously, poured down vivifying showers at proper
times and places and blessed all creatures. Then, O king, no one of immature
years died, and none knew a woman before attaining to age. And thus, the earth,
to the very coasts of the ocean, became filled with men that were all long-lived.
The Kshatriyas performed great sacrifices bestowing much wealth. And the
Brahmanas also all studied the Vedas with their branches and the Upanishads.
And, O king, no Brahmana in those days ever sold the Vedas (i.e., taught for
money) or ever read aloud the Vedas in the presence of a Sudra. The Vaisyas,
with the help of bullocks, caused the earth to be tilled. And they never yoked
the cattle themselves. And they fed with care all cattle that were lean. And
men never milked kine as long as the calves drank only the milk of their dams
(without having taken to grass or any other food). And no merchant in those
days ever sold his articles by false scales. And, all persons, holding to the
ways of virtue, did everything with eyes set upon virtue. And, O monarch, all
the orders were mindful of their own respective duties. Thus, virtue in those
days never sustained any diminution. And, both kine and women gave birth to
their offspring at the proper time. And trees bore flowers and fruit duly
according to the seasons. And thus, O king, the krita age having then duly set
in, the whole earth was filled with numerous creatures.
"And, when such was the blessed state of the terrestrial
world, the Asuras, began to be born in kingly lines. And the sons of Diti
(Daityas) being repeatedly defeated in war by the sons of Aditi (celestials)
and deprived also of sovereignty and heaven, began to be incarnated on the
earth. And, O king, the Asuras being possessed of great powers, and desirous of
sovereignty began to be born on earth amongst various creatures, such as kine,
horses, asses, camels, buffaloes, among creatures such as Rakshasas and others,
and among elephants and deer. And, owing to those already born and to those
that were being born, the earth became incapable of supporting herself. And
amongst the sons of Diti and of Danu, cast out of heaven, some were born on the
earth as kings of great pride and insolence. Possessed of great energy, they
covered the earth in various shapes. Capable of oppressing all foes, they
filled the earth having the ocean for its boundaries. And by their strength
they began to oppress Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras and all
other creatures also. Terrifying and killing all creatures, they traversed the earth,
O king, in bands of hundreds and thousands. Devoid of truth and virtue, proud
of their strength, and intoxicated with (the wine of) insolence, they even
insulted the great Rishis in their hermitages.
"And the earth, thus oppressed by the mighty Asuras endued
with great strength and energy and possessed of abundant means, began to think
of waiting on Brahman. The united strength of the creatures (such as Sesha, the
Tortoise, and the huge Elephant), and of many Seshas too, became capable of
supporting the earth with her mountains, burdened as she was with the weight of
the Danavas. And then, O king, the earth, oppressed with weight and afflicted
with fear, sought the protection of the Grandsire of all creatures. And she
beheld the divine Brahman—the Creator of the worlds who knoweth no
deterioration--surrounded by the gods, Brahmanas, and great Rishis, of
exceeding good fortune, and adored by delighted Gandharvas and Apsaras always
engaged in the service of the celestials. And the Earth, desirous of
protection, then represented everything to him, in the presence, of all the
Regents of the worlds. But, O king, the Earth's object had been known
beforehand to the Omniscient, Self-create, and Supreme Lord. And, Creator as he
is of the universe, why should he not know fully what is in the minds of his
creatures including the very gods and the Asuras? O king, the Lord of the
Earth, the Creator of all creatures, also called Isa, Sambhu, Prajapati, then
spake unto her. And Brahman said, 'O holder of wealth, for the accomplishment
of the object for which thou hast approached me, I shall appoint all the
dwellers in the heavens.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said so unto the Earth, O
king, the divine Brahman bade her farewell. And the Creator then commanded all
the gods saying, 'To ease the Earth of her burden, go ye and have your births in
her according to your respective parts and seek ye strife (with the Asuras
already born there)'. And the Creator of all, summoning also all the tribes of
the Gandharvas and the Apsaras, spake unto them these words of deep import, 'Go
ye and be born amongst men according to your respective parts in forms that ye
like.'
"And all the gods with Indra, on hearing these words of the
Lord of the celestials--words that were true, desirable under the
circumstances, and fraught with benefit,--accepted them. And they all having
resolved to come down on earth in their respected parts, then went to Narayana,
the slayer of all foes, at Vaikunth--the one who has the discus and the mace in
his hands, who is clad in purple, who is of great splendour, who hath the lotus
on his navel, who is the slayer of the foes of the gods, who is of eyes looking
down upon his wide chest (in yoga attitude), who is the lord of the Prajapati
himself, the sovereign of all the gods, of mighty strength, who hath the mark
of the auspicious whirl on his breast, who is the mover of every one's
faculties and who is adored by all the gods. Him, Indra the most exalted of
persons, addressed, saying, "Be incarnate." And Hari replied,--'Let
it be.'"
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