Chapter 5

1-2. Sri Narada said: O Brahmanas, in ancient time Bhagavan Sri Narayana what spoke to my father Brahma about the significance of the actions, I shall be narrating to you all about those and as per your respective merit of devotion you may act accordingly. When the time came for the dissolution of the universe Lord Sri Vishnu in His Guna-Avatara as Shiva brought the Dissolution of the entire universe along with its all the creations, and when nothing else remained except Himself Who as a Child lying on the water of Karana-ocean slept taking the service of Yogamays, His Own Essential Eternal Potency.

3. When the entire universe is in dissolution the substance of it as mahattatva in its equilibrium state remains within the jurisdiction of Karana-abdhi-shayi Vishnu. At that time God Vishnu, the Creator of the universe alone shines forth with all His Divine Effulgence and Splendour lying on that Karana- ocean.

4. As the crimson colour of the setting sun when falls on the snow-belted mountain or crystal-rock it becomes dazzling brilliantly so Lord Vishnu while lying on the snow-white coil of Anantadeva the crimson colour of the gems of the hoods of Sri Anantadeva falls on the Effulgence of the Lord’s Body and that marvellously shines forth with dazzling beauty.

5. Now when time passed and the time of creation of the universe comes about, a lotus with its long stalk comes out from the Lotus-Navel of Karana-abdhi-sahyi Vishnu. In that lotus Brahma, the progenitor of the world-tree gets his birth.

6. That Brahma although just born but appeared so beautiful as the effulgence of thousands of rising suns. The effulgence of his very person dispersed the darkness that generally prevails during the period of dissolution but he could find nothing else.

7. Now Lord Vishnu prompted him within his heart when Brahma felt the urge for creating the universe. Therefore stimulating his rajoguna, through his four-fold mind he pondered over.:—

11. I shall be filling up the entire space with the creation and 1 shall be worshipped as the grandsire of all beings. What process should I take for creation? How should I act upon? Who shall be assisting me? Who will guide me properly? And what help can I expect in this regards? How may I know Him Who is lying beyond my reach in the Deluged water and from Whose Lotus-Navel this lotus has come giving birth to me? He is my Creator but know not whether He has got any creator or He is the Origin of all origins? What I know that He is in deep sleep. Should 1 wake Him up? When He is peacefully sleeping on the coil of the most effulgent Anantanaga if I wake him up now He many be displeased? 8—

12. When Sri Brahma became afraid to wake up Sri Vishnu there arose in his mind intuitive wisdom, then he began to make panegyrical hymns to Him.

13. Sri Brahma said: O God, O Prabhu, O my Lord of Anantashayanam. I pay my obeisance to Thee. When Your Yogamaya as an eternal Time-spirit keeps Thyself ever conscious and sportive with Thy Transcendental Leela then how it is that Thou art lying in Yoganidra.

O God, by dind of Thy Yogamaya Thou remainst inconceivable as the Indwelling Monitor of every being yet the men of intuitive wisdom perceive Thyself with Thy most effulgent Transcendental Form.

15. O God, Thou art the Seed, Efficient Cause of the universal tree. Thou art the water that sustains it and Thou art the axe to destroy it.

16. O God of the universe, when Thou openth Thy Eyes through Thy Glances upon Mahattatva the creation of the universe takes place. Again when Thou closeth Thy Eyes there comes the dissolution of the universe. Ah, in every- winkling of Thy Eye creation as well as destruction of the universe take place.

37. O God, Thou art the Creator of the universe and Thou dwellest with Thy Divine Effulgence as Indwelling Monitor in every being. Thou ever remainest resorting with Thy Own Bliss. Thou art the Ocean of Bliss. O Karanabdhishayi Vishnu, Thou art the Cause of all causes, Thou art the Creator, Sustainer, and Destroyer of the universe. I pay my obeisance to Thee.

18. Thou art ever protect Thy supplicants. Thou art only the Refuge for the self-surrendered souls and none else. Thou art the Lord of all lords, I surrender myself unto Thee as Thou art the Efficient Cause of all the souls of their existence. O Lord, Thou art the Supreme Divine Preceptor of all preceptors—I pay my homage unto Thee.

19. O Lord, Thou art the very Enlivener of all living beings, Thou art the Bestower of vision to the eyes of beings. I pay my obeisance to Thee. Thou art the Bestower of audibility to the ears of beings and the very Promprer of the souls—so I pay my obeisance to Thee.

20. By Thy command Thy Time-Potency revolving as days and months and then years, Thou makest the luminaries shine forth—Thou art the only worshippable God of all the gods.

21. The knowers of Truth say Thou art the Substratum of the Vedas as they reveal themselves from Thy very Breathings, and manifests Thyself as Shabda-Brahma. Thou art the Primeval Lord. I pay may obeisance to Thee.

22. O Lord, now this is the time for Thy rising up from the bed of the Anantadeva. Kindly give up Thy Yoganidra. The beings in essence (seed form with their previous karma vasanu during the time of dissolution rest within the jurisdiction of Vishnu) as they remain within Thee let them now be created along with the divisions of the universe.

23. O Lord, after putting the universe into dissolution Thou like a boy pretendest Thyself gone into deep sleep. But we come to realise that Thou keepest Thyself ever awake but merely covering Thyself with cloth of Thy Yogamaya. So kindly rise up.

24. Thereafter God Vishnu Who is most affectionate to His devotees got up from the bed of Sri Anantadeva and with His Bliss-showering smiling Face spoke to Brahma and commissioned him for creation.

25. Brahma with his folded palms, said, O the Lord of the universe, though in the previous kalpa I took charge for creation but now I have frogotten everything. Therefore as the Vedas cannot exist without Thy support, so too It cannot independently do anything without Thy propelling.

26. Sri Narada said: Hearing those words of my father Sri Vishnu was pleased and spoke to him. As He spoke, as it were the showers of Bliss came out from the brilliantly shining Teeth of the Lord that imbued Brahma with the knowledge of all about creation.

27. Lord further said, dear Brahma, by My Grace, you will be endowed with the wisdom of Shruti and Smriti and you will be the knower of Truth. You are dove-tailed in Me therefore you will execute My desires in creation of the universe.

28. You will not feel any embarassing position in executing My plan. Particularly all the beings will be created as per their latent karma-vasana (fruits) you will be just instrumental cause.

29. First of all create those holy ones who are spiritually disposed and predominated by Satvaguna. Then create the devatas who are after the celestial pleasures and then those abominable characters including the beasts, birds and serpents etc.

30. The first one of the respective species that you create will be the progenitor of the respective species and those who were previously keeping their debts and depending upon they will be the progenies.

31. As per the latent karma-fruits the birth and death of the respective beings will happen. As the destiny works, a lady will get her husband or will become widow.

33. If anyone previously maintained enemity or friendship with anyone accordingly in a reverse way it will work. People will mutually work out their destiny as per their karma-vasana and accordingly happiness and sorrow will be the consequence. None can alter that. Because I propel their destiny so you will be only instrumental cause for creation.

34. One who has gained merit at whatever time from whichever place, from whomsoever and whatsoever means, accordingly one shall be reaping his fruits. No one can interfere with it

35. During your daytime (viz. Brahma’s one day) four yugas viz. Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali shall be rotating and people passing through these yugas will be creating their destiny.

36. Those who are created during the Satyayuga they will be Satvìka in disposition and endowed with spiritual merit, where as those who are born in Treta they will be having some influence of Rajoguna, therefore onefourth of their virtue will be lost; and those who are born in Dvaparayuga half of their virtue will be missing and those who are born during Kaliyuga only one fourth of the piety will be remaining.

37. The duration of Kaliyuga will be one thousand celestial years and as it will be advancing accordingly the virtue will be diminishing and finally the existing virtue also will be extinguished into the fire of sins.

38. Thus when entire stock of virtue will be lost being axed by the Tamoguna the three worlds will come to its dissolution and once again Satyayuga will prevail.

39. As per the destiny people will have their chances to be born in different yogas and accordingly they will have their longevity, propensities, structure of the physic so and so forth. When one-thousand-four yugas will pass that will be a Kalpa of yours.

40. Therefore in every Kalpa there will be fresh creation of the beings and they will be stationed accordingly as per their latent. Thus creation, preservation and destruction of the universe take place and therefore yourself Brahma, (Vishnu Garbodayashayi) and Shiva are the instrumental cause whereas Myself is the Efficient-Cause of the universe.

41. This universe is an amphitheatre and the beings like dolls pulled through strings from behind dance in accordance with their destiny. We merely witness that.

42. Jivas being tied up in the wheel of karma and pulled by the string of triple gunas are ever woven and endlessly cycle the life of transmigration.

43. Being fallen a prey to the whims of the mind who rules like a lord, a jiva works as a slave and tormented by lust, anger etc. indulges in sinful activities.

44. Infatuation, malice and pride when these three take hold of one’s heart he becomes bewildered as a mad fellow indiscriminately does all types of evil works.

45. Thus he suffers while living on earth and after death also he reaps the consequence of his misdeeds in the world where he goes. He will bel cycling endlessly in the life of transmigration in enjoying ephemeral pleasures concomitant with sorrows and sufferings.

46. So this wheel of karma is very very powerful and to break it, is almost impossible. This karma wheel keeps the worldorder maintained. You have only to watch how this wheel of karma moves on.

47. Brahma said: My Lord, I shall obey Thy all commands, But after hearing from Thee about the Age of Kali, I am afraid; it will be very difficult to attend to it.

48-51. In the Age of Kali at the beginning only one-forth of virtue will remain and that too gradually will be destroyed. And you say that even after that one thousand years Kali will remain. What then will be there because it is only virtue on which footing only the world-order remains in existence. Incidentally the fire of sins will be fanned by the wind at the end of Kali and the substance of the earch will be destroyed. If once fire breaks out at the godown of cotton it requires no time to consume the entire stock. Therefore kindly instruct me how to save the world from the conflagration of the passion?

52, 53. At this, Bhagavan Sri Narayana smilingly said: O Brahma, what you have said is correct because soon people will be victimised to sinful indulgences, the doom days of the world will be ahead. I have deeply thought of it, therefore I send at everytime My holy devotees for sanctifying the world.

54-55. In the person of these five viz. holy Tirthas, pilgrim centres, the peepul trees, cows. Brahmanas and My exalted devotees I dwell with all My Divine Splendour. By serving them, by saluting them, by meeting and touching them one definitely becomes purified from all committed sins. I being stationed in them they have got that power of sanctifying the world.

56-58. Kali is ever afraid to approach them. So where they remain, Kali cannot rule over there. But just as the burning log carelessly left before the fire is fully extinguished by pouring water, can once again conflagrate the entire log, the sameway if in anyway these five give way of sins then the dooms day of the world is within the counting of the fingers.

59. So long these five, where My divine splendour rests, are not put to non-existence the world will be protected from sins and the world will move orderly.

60. O Brahma, among these five holy and auspicious objects My devotees are the foremost, what is more, know My devotees as My very representatives.

61. As the torrential rains extinguish the forest conflagrations so too My devotees easily can extinguish the gravest conflagration of sins by showering the nectar that flows from their devotional fervour.

62. The earth could sink into the bottom of the sea long ago because earth would be unable to carry the tremendous load of such a huge population, all these mountains and the sheet of waters of the ocean, but it is actually the puissance of the divine glory that makes her not to feel any burden and therefore she could hold them at case.

63. What I have told you about the wheel of the karma which cannot be overcome even by the gods and the mighty asuras but those who got steadfast devotion to Sri Hari (to Me) he easily can cut asunder the pok-nabs of that krama-wheels.

64, 65. O Brahma, those who have taken refuge in Me how can they be fettered by karma? They do every act in their life in full dedication to Me, therefore their such karma cuts asunder the very knots of their karma, nay it destroys the very nescience, the very seed of karma-vasana. As in no time the entire stock of cotton is burnt into ashes by a single spark of the fire so too, as soon as Bhakti is awakened in one’s heart one’s accumulated sins of all the previous births are totally destroyed.

66. The occult powers are generally bestowed by Me on the yogis and by possessing them they feel proud, but those siddhis are ever standing as maid servants at the door of My devotees with folded palms for doing them some service. If My devotees are somehow displeased the total destruction of the world may come.

67-68. Those who have dedicated their lives to Me they know the world as a part of My Splendour and they keep unsurmounting passion and the senses under their full control and they are kind to all—I make Myself fully subjected to them. Therefore O Brahma noticing the conflagration of sins in the Kali Yuga you need not at all be afraid. Even when a few exalted devotees of Mine will roam about on earth the world will be sustained.

69. Sri Narada said: Sri Narayana, Who is always affectionate to His supplicants when thus spoke to Brahma, he, the progenitor of the creation felt happy at heart. And with awe and reverence saluted the Almighty God and then with bowed head accepted His command for creation of the universe.

70. Next Lord Sri Narayana incarnated as a Divine Boar, through His Horns He lifted the sunken world from Rasatala and placed her on the sheets of waters of the ocean. Thus Vishnu, the Efficient Cause of the creation of world commissioned the creation of the universe.

71-72. The dialogue between the Supreme Lord Sri Narayana and Brahma I have now narrated to you. And you have noticed that Sri Narayana Himself has extolled the glory of His exalted devotees. O great Shaunaka muni, there is nothing to be wondered in this matter. When that Supreme Lord is pleased what is there that He can not bestow upon His supplicants? See, Dhruva, a mere child when rendered devotional service to Him He readily granted him a Blissful Eternal Abode which is beyond Satyaloka of Brahma.

73. One who with spiritual faith listens to the discourses on this Episode will certainly get rid of the quagmire of maya and the wheel of transmigratory life ends for ever to him.