Chapter 66

“Bhishma said, ‘Then that illustrious Deity, the Lord of the worlds,replied unto Brahma in a soft deep voice, saying,–‘Through Yoga, O sire,all that is wished by thee is known to me. It will be even as thouwishest,–And saying this, he disappeared then and there. Then the gods,Rishis, and Gandharvas, filled with great wonder and curiosity all askedthe Grandsire, saying,–‘Who is that one, O Lord, that was worshipped bythy illustrious self with such humility and praised in such high words?We desire to hear,–Thus addressed, the illustrious Grandsire repliedunto all the Gods, the regenerate Rishis, and the Gandharvas, in sweetwords saying,–He who is called TAT, He who is Supreme, He who isexistent at present and who will be for all time, He who is the highestSelf, He who is the Soul of beings, and who is the great Lord, I wastalking even with His ever-cheerful self, ye bulls among gods. The Lordof the Universe was solicited by me, for the good of the Universe, totake his birth among mankind in the family of Vasudeva. I said untohim,–For the slaughter of the Asuras take thy birth in the world ofmen!–Those Daityas and Rakshasas, of fierce form and great strength,that were slain in battle, have been born among men. Indeed, theillustrious and mighty Lord, taking birth in the human womb, will live onthe Earth, accompanied by Nara. Those ancient and best of Rishis, viz.,Nara and Narayana, are incapable of defeat in battle by even all thecelestials united together. Of immeasurable effulgence, those Rishisviz., Nara and Narayana, when born together in the world of men, will notbe known (as such) by fools. He, from whose Self, I, Brahman, the Lord ofthe whole Universe, have sprung that Vasudeva, that Supreme God of allthe worlds, is worthy of your adoration. Endued with great energy, andbearing the conch, the discus, and the mace, he should never bedisregarded as a man, ye best of deities. He is the Supreme Mystery, theSupreme refuge, the Supreme Brahma, and the Supreme glory. He is withoutdecay, Unmanifest, and Eternal. He it is who hath been sung as Purusha,though none can comprehend him. The divine Artificer hath sung of him asthe Supreme Energy, the Supreme Felicity, and the Supreme Truth.Therefore, the Lord Vasudeva of immeasurable prowess should never bedisregarded as a man by all the Asuras and the gods with Indra at theirhead. That person of foolish understanding is called a wretch, who, fromdisregard, speaketh of Hrishikesa as only a man. People speak of him asone labouring under darkness who disregardeth Vasudeva, that Yogin ofillustrious soul, for his entering into a human form. People speak of himas one labouring under darkness who knoweth not that Divine personage,that Soul of the mobile and the immobile creation, that one bearing theauspicious wheel (on his breast), that one of dazzling effulgence, thatone from whose navel hath sprung the (primeval) lotus. He whodisregardeth that wearer of the diadem and the Kaustuva gem, thatdispeller of fears of his friends, that high-souled one, sinketh in thickdarkness. Having known all these truths duly, that Lord of the worlds,viz., Vasudeva, should be adored by every one, ye best of gods.’–

“Bhishma continued,–Having said these words unto those gods and Rishisin days of yore, the illustrious Grandsire, dismissing them all, repairedto his own abode. And the gods and the Gandharvas, and the Munis and theApsaras also, having listened to those words spoken by Brahman, werefilled with delight and repaired to heaven. Even this was heard by me, Osire, from Rishis of cultured soul talking in their assembly, ofVasudeva, that ancient one. And O thou that art well-versed inscriptures, I heard this from Rama, the son of Jamadagni, and Markandeyaof great wisdom, and Vyasa and Narada also. Having learnt all this andheard of the illustrious Vasudeva as the Eternal Lord, the Supreme God ofall the worlds, and the great Master, from whom hath sprung Brahmanhimself, the Father of the Universe, why should not that Vasudeva beadored and worshipped by men? Forbidden wert thou before, O sire, bysages of cultured souls, (who said unto thee)–Never go to war with thatVasudeva armed with bow as also with the Pandavas,–This, from folly,thou couldst not apprehend. I regard thee therefore, as a wicked Rakshsa.Thou art, besides, enveloped in darkness. It is for this that thou hatestGovinda and Dhananjaya the son of Pandu, for who else among men wouldhate the divine Nara and Narayana? It is for this, O king, that I sayunto thee that this one is Eternal and Unfading, pervading the wholeUniverse, Unchanging, the Ruler, Creator and Upholder of all, and thetruly Existent. He it is who upholdeth the three worlds. He is theSupreme Lord of all mobile and immobile creatures, and He is the greatMaster, He is warrior, He is Victory, He is Victor, and He is the Lord ofall nature. O king, He is full of goodness and divested of all thequalities of Darkness and Passion. There, where Krishna is, thererighteousness is; and there is victory where righteousness is. It is bythe Yoga of his Supreme Excellence, and the Yoga of his Self, that thesons of Pandu, O king, are supported. Victory, therefore, will surely betheirs. He it is that always imparteth to the Pandavas and understandingendued with righteousness, and strength in battle; and He it is thatalways protecteth them from danger. He is the Eternal God, pervading allbeings, and ever blessed. He, of whom thou hadst asked me, is known bythe name of Vasudeva. He it is whom Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyasand Sudras, having distinctive features of their own, humbly serve andworship with restrained hearts and performing their own duties. He it iswho, towards the close of the Dwapara Yuga and the beginning of the KaliYuga, is sung of with Sankarshana, by believers with devotion. It is thatVasudeva that createth, Yuga after Yuga, the worlds of the gods and themortals, all cities girt by the sea, and the region of humanhabitation.–“