Chapter 256

“Yudhishthira said, ‘These lords of earth that lie on the earth’s surfaceamid their respective hosts, these princes endued with great might, arenow reft of animation. Every one of these mighty monarchs was possessedof strength equal to that of ten thousand elephants. Alas! these have allbeen slain by men possessed of equal prowess and might. I do not beholdany one else (in the world) that could slay any of these men inbattle.[1109] All of them were endued with great prowess, great energy,and great strength. Possessed also of great wisdom, they are now lying onthe bare ground, deprived of life. With respect to all these men that aredeprived of life, the word that is used is that they are dead. Ofterrible prowess, all these kings are said to be dead. On this subject adoubt has arisen in my mind. Whence is animation and whence is death? Whois it that dies? (Is it the gross body, the subtile body, or the Soul,that dies)? Whence is death? For what reason also doth death takeaway(living creatures)? O grandsire, tell me this, O thou that resemblest acelestial!’

“Bhishma said, ‘In days of old, in the Krita age, O son, there was a kingof the name of Anukampaka. His cars and elephants and horses and menhaving been reduced in number, he was brought under the sway of his foesin battle. His son named Hari, who resembled Narayana himself instrength, was in that battle slain by his foes along with all hisfollowers and troops. Afflicted with grief on account of the death of hisson, and himself brought under the sway of foes, the king devoted himselfthence to a life of tranquillity. One day, while wandering without apurpose he met the sage Narada on the earth. The monarch told Narada allthat had happened, viz., the death of his son in battle and his owncapture by his enemies. Having heard his words, Narada, possessed ofwealth of penances, then recited to him the following narrative fordispelling his grief on account of the death of his son.’

“Narada said, ‘Listen now, O monarch, to the following narrative ofrather lengthy details as these had occurred. I myself heard it formerly,O king! Endued with great energy, the Grandsire, at the time of thecreation of the universe, created a large number of living beings. Thesemultiplied greatly, and none of them met with death. There was no part ofthe universe that was not overcrowded with living creatures, O thou ofunfading glory! Indeed, O king, the three worlds seemed to swell withliving beings, and became as it were breathless. Then, O monarch, thethought arose in the Grandsire’s mind as to how he should destroy thatovergrown population. Reflecting on the subject, the Self-born, however,could not decide what the means should be by which the destruction oflife was to be brought about. Thereupon, O king, Brahman gave way towrath, and in consequence of his wrath a fire issued out of his body.With that fire born of his wrath, the Grandsire burnt all the quarters ofthe universe, O monarch. Indeed, that conflagration born of the Divinelord’s anger, O king, burnt heaven and earth and the firmament and thewhole universe with all its mobile and immobile beings. Truly, when theGrandsire thus gave way to wrath, all mobile and immobile beings began tobe consumed by the irresistible energy of that passion. Then the divineand auspicious Sthanu, that slayer of hostile heroes, that lord of theVedas and the scriptures, filled with compassion, sought to gratifyBrahman. When Sthanu came to Brahman from motives of benevolence, thegreat God burning with energy, addressed him, saying, ‘Thou deservestboons at my hands. What desire of thine shall I accomplish? I shall dothee good by accomplishing whatever is in thy breast.'”