READING THE TENTH.

THE HOLY ONE spoke.

Hear further still, O large-armed one! my all-important works which I will speak to thee, who hast a delight therein (a), from a desire for thy good.

2

The hosts of Suras1 know not any origin of Me, nor the great Rishis; for I am the primal source of all the gods and the great Rishis.

He who knows Me, as unborn and without beginning, the mighty Lord of the world, he of mortals is undeluded, he is freed from all sin.

Mind, knowledge, absence of illusion, patience, truth, self-restraint, tranquillity, pleasure, pain, birth, death, fear, and courage also;

5 Innocence, evenness of mind, contentment, religious austerity, beneficence, glory and shame, these are the qualities of beings severally appointed by Me.

The seven great Rishis, the four ancient (Fathers), and

1 Suras, a class of inferior gods, connected, it seems, with the sun (Surya). In the Mahābhārata they war against the Asuras, the gods of an aboriginal non-Aryan race.

2 The Rishis were ancient sages. According to the Mahābhārata, i. 2518, "Six great Rishis are known as the mind-born sons of Brahmā, viz., Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulas

tya, Pulaha, and Kratu" (Sans. T. i. 122). In another book they are raised to seven by the addition of Vasishṭha (Sāñti p. 7570). The Vaya Purāṇa makes the list eight in number by adding Brighu; the Vishnu Purāņa adds a ninth, Daksha.

3 The four mind-born sons of Brahma-Sanatkumāra, Sanaka, Sanatana, and Sanandana or Sananda

ΙΟ

the Manus, partaking of my nature, were born from my mind: from them the races of mankind have sprung.

He who knows in truth that pre-eminence (b) and mystic power of mine is united (to Me) by unfailing devotion of that there is no doubt.

I am the source of all things; the whole (universe) proceeds from Me: thinking thus, the wise who share my nature (c) worship Me.

Thinking on Me, having their life absorbed in Me (d), instructing each other and ever glorifying Me, they are contented and happy.

To these, constantly devout, who worship with the service of love, I give that mental devotion by which they come to Me.

In them I destroy from compassion, dwelling in their souls (e), the darkness which is born of ignorance, by the bright lamp of knowledge.

ARJUNA spoke.

Thou art the Supreme Brahma, the supreme abode,2 the best purification, the Eternal Creator, Divine, First of Gods, Unborn, the Lord!

3

Thus all the Rishis proclaim thee, and also the divine Rishi, Nārada; thus too Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa: * thus thou declarest thyself to me.

1 The Manus are fourteen in number, each presiding during a period, called Manwantara (manuantara), over the world. Each period contains 4,320,000 years.

2 Because all things dwell in him. 3 Nārada is a mythical person mentioned in Manu i. 35, as one of

the ten progenitors of mankind who came forth from Brahmā.

4 Asita is mentioned in the Lalita Vistara (a legendary life of Buddha) as a Rishi who dwelt near the Himalayan range, and was informed supernaturally of the birth of Buddha.

In the Vishnu Purāṇa, Devala is

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I believe that all which thou sayest is true, O Keśava! for neither gods nor Dānavas1 understand thy manifestation (ƒ) (in bodily form), O Holy One!

Thou alone knowest thyself by thyself, O best of beings! Creator of all things, Lord of all, the God of gods, Ruler of the Universe!

It is meet for thee to declare fully thy divine perfections, by which these worlds are constantly pervaded by thee (g).

How shall I, by ever meditating, know thee, O Mystic One? In what forms of being mayst thou, O mighty Lord! be comprehended by me?

Declare to me again and fully thy mystic nature and thy perfections (vibhūti), O conqueror of men! for I am never sated in hearing thy immortal (ambrosial) words.

THE HOLY ONE spoke.

Well! I will declare to thee my divine perfections by means of the chief of them (only), O best of Kurus! for there is no end of my greatness.

I am the soul, O Guḍakeśu! seated in the heart of

said to have been one of the sons of Viswamitra, who by his austerities and knowledge became one of the seven Rishis.

Vyasa is a representative person, to whom is ascribed the composition or compilation of many works, including the Mahābhārata.

1 The descendants of Dānu, fabled to be demons of the air, who made war upon the gods. In the Rig-Veda they are said to be seven in number. 'He cleaves by his force the seven Danus" (x. 120, 6). Roth remarks

in his illustrations of the Nirukta, p. 150: "Seven is an indefinite number, applied to the demons of the air and clouds, who appear under the manifold names of Namuchi, Kuyava . . . the Dānus or Dānavas, to whom a mother called Danu is assigned." Danu was said to be the mother of Vritra (lit. cloud), and both were slain by Indra (R. V. i. 32, 9). In the Rāmāyaṇa (i. 14, 14) they are placed between gods and Yakshas, a class of malicious demous (S. T. iv. 166).

every creature.1 I am the beginning and the middle and the end of all things.

Among the Adityas 2 I am Vishņu; among luminous things the resplendent Sun. I am Marīchi3 among the Maruts and the Moon among the constellations.*

I am the Sama 5 (Veda) of the Vedas, I am Vāsavao of the gods. Of the senses I am the manas; I am the intellect in living beings.

Of the Rudras I am Yakshas and Rakshasas.

8

Śankara, and Vitteśa of the

Of the Vasus 10 I am Pāvaka

(fire); of the mountain-peaks I am Meru.11

1 The heart, or the region of the chest, is supposed by the Hindus to be the seat of the soul. There is here an approach to the Vedāntist doctrine that each soul is a part of the Universal Spirit. It is a separate individuality in both the Sānkyha and the Yoga systems.

2 The Adityas were at first six in number, and Varuna was their chief; but afterwards they were twelve, corresponding to the months of the year. They became personifications of the Sun in his various positions, and Vishnu is here declared to be the chief.

* Marichi, the chief of the Maruts or storm-gods. In Manu (i. 35) he is one of the ten progenitors of gods and men whom Virāj created through Manu.

4 Nakshatras, the twenty-seven asterisms or lunar mansions traversed by the Moon.

5 The Rig-Veda is the oldest of the Vedas. The Sama-Veda was especially honoured by some of the Brahmans because its hymns were arranged for chanting in religious rites.

6 Vāsava is a name of Indra. 7 For an explanation of manas and buddhi, see p. 13.

8 Sankara is a name of Śiva, called at an early period Rudra, who was the father of eleven Rudras, who represented probably violent destructive storms.

9 Vitteśa, a name of Kuvera, the Hindu god of wealth, dwelling in the regions of darkness, corresponding to the Pluto of Western mythology. He is chief of the demons called Yakshas and Rakshasas, who guard his treasures.

10 The Vasus, eight in number, were a class of inferior gods, the attendants of Indra in the older mythology. From their names, Apa (water), Anila (wind), Soma (moon), Anala (fire), &c., they are evidently nature-gods, personifications of natural objects.

11 Meru, the fabulous mountain in the centre of the Jambu-dwipa, the central continent of the seven which form the world. "In the centre of all these continents is Jambu-dwipa. . In the centre of Jambu-dwipa is the golden moun

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Know, O son of Pritha! that I am Vṛihaspati,1 the chief of household priests; of the chiefs in war I am Skanda,2 and of waters I am the Ocean.

Of the great Rishis I am Bhrigu, and of words the syllable (OM). Of offerings I am the japa-offering, of mountains the Himalaya (range).

Of all trees I am the sacred fig-tree (aśwattha 5), and of divine Rishis Nārada. Of the Gandharvas I am Chitraratha; of the perfect ones the recluse (muni) Kapila.

Know that I am of horses Uchchaiḥśravas, born of the amrita (water of immortality); of elephants, Airāvata,10 and among men I am the king.

Of weapons of war I am the thunderbolt, and of cows the Kāmaduk.11 I am the progenitor Kandarpa,12 and of serpents I am Vāsuki.13

tain Meru, 84,000 yojanas high, and crowned by the great city of Brahmā" (Vish. P., Wilson, ii. 110, 118). The yojana varied from four to eight krośas, the krośa being about two geographical miles.

1 The priest of the family of gods, and hence the prototype of the priestly order. The planet Jupiter is so called, and he is the lord or regent of it.

7 The musicians of the gods, dwelling in Indra's heaven. Chitraratha is their chief.

8 Kapila, the author of the Sankyha system of philosophy.

9 The name of the horse which was created when the gods churned the ocean to procure the amṛita, the water of immortality. He became the horse of Indra.

10 The elephant on which Indra

* The Hindu god of war, and also rides. the planet Mars.

3 Mentioned by Manu (i. 35) as one of the great Rishis (maharshis), who were the progenitors of mankind.

• Repeating or muttering prayers and sacred hymns to one's self.

The Ficus religiosa, or sacred fig. tree of India.

6 The devarshis (divine Rishis) were a class of Rishis who became demigods.

11 The cow, produced at the churning of the ocean, which grants all desires. Probably an ancient type of the earth.

12 A name of Kama, the Hindu Cupid, lord of the Apsarasas or heavenly nymphs; represented as a beautiful youth bearing a bow, and armed with five arrows which strike the five senses.

13 Vasuki, the king of the nūgas or serpents in Pātāla (Hell). He was