CHAPTER XIV
(BRAHMA'S CREATION)
Vaishampāyana said:—Seated on that lotus the long-armed Brahmā, the foremost of those conversant with Brahman, practised hard austerities, raising his hand up. Burning in his own effulgence that powerful Yogin Brahmā shone there like the sun of a thousand rays. Afterwards having divided his own body into two, and assumed the forms of the highly powerful illustrious preceptor of Yoga and of the intelligent Kapila, the foremost of Brahmavadins, the propounder of the Sankhya philosophy the Eternal and undecaying Lord Nārayana approached Brahmā. Having come near Brahmā of immeasurable energy the great and highly powerful Yogāchharya, worshipped of the great saints, the foremost of Brahmavadins, conversant with the knowledge of great essence and engaged in Kshatriyas-like works and Kapila, the propounder of Sankhya, said to him:—"O Brahman, thou art the master of all creatures, the soul of the universe, of firm senses on account of the multiplicity of creatures, the support of the universe, the preceptor of the world and art (therefore) worshipful unto all (1–7)." Hearing their words and reciting the three verses, as heard in the Srutis, relating to the knowledge of Brahman Brahmā created the three worlds. Residing in Bhurloka, of the three worlds the Lord Brahmā created his eternal mind-begotten son, As soon as he was born the mind begotten son stood before Brahmā and said to him:—"O Lord, how can I help thee? Do thou command me." Brahmā said:—"O you of great mind, do what this Brāhmana Kapila and the boon-giving Nārayana tell you" (8-11).
Vaishampāyana said:—After Brahmā had said this his mind-begotten son again said:—"Who is there superior to my father?" Stricken with this doubt, he again, with folded hands, said:—"I am ready to serve you, order me, what I am to do and I will carry it out." The great teachers of Yoga and Sankhya said:—"Do thou recollect the eighteen forms of the undecaying Brahmā and the Eternal Great Brahman."
Hearing those words the mind-begotton son went away to the north and acquired the knowledge of Brahman through Jnāna (12-14.)
Thereupon having created the second Bhuvarloka the high-minded Lord Brahmā created again his mind-begotten son. According to Brahmā's order the mind-begotten son appeared before the grand-fathers, the preceptors of Yoga and Sānkhya and said:—"Do you command me what I am to do." Afterwards going again with those two preceptors to the region of Bhogavati he, waiting by their side, attained to a great region (15–17).
After the departure of that mind-begotten son the Lord Brahmā created the third Bhurbhuvaloka capable of acquiring emancipation and brought into being his third mind-begotten son. Afterwards commanded by Brahmā that mind-begotten son appeared before them and acquainted himself with their religion and movements. These three persons are said to have been the sons of the high-souled Shamvu (18–19). Having taken with him these three sons the Lord Nārāyana and Kapila, the lord of ascetics, went to his own region (20). After their departure Brahmā, ever observant of vows, began again to practise hard austerities. Continually carrying on penances alone and not desisting from them the Lord Brahmā created from half of his body a beautiful wife. Intercoursing with that wife capable of creating the world and equal to him in ascetic power, effulgence and self-control Brahmā, pervaded by the quality of Tamas, created the patriarchs, the oceans, rivers, the sacred verse Gāyatri, the mother of the Vedas and the four Vedas. As the instruments of his own work the grand-father, the creator of the world, created sons, the husbands of the universe and the creation from whom all the worlds emanated (21–26).
Having first created his two sons, the great ascetics Vishwesha and Dharma, the support of all the Asramas and giver of boons he next created the Munis Daksha, Marichi, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha, Gotama, Bhrigu, Angira and others. The descendants of the above mentioned Rishis created by Brahmā, are known as the great Rishis of the Atharva Veda. Daksha begat Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kālā, Atāyu, Sinhikā, Muni, Prādha, Surasā, Krodha, Vinatā and Kadru—these twelve daughters and twenty-seven stars. Marichi's son was Kashyapa who became all powerful through asceticism. Daksha consented to confer those twelve maidens on Kashyapa. O Janamejaya, the great Rishi Daksha conferred Rohini and other virtue-bestowing stars on Soma amongst the Vasus (27-33).
O foremost of the descendants of Bharata, the virtuous Brahmā conferred on Dharma, the foremost of gods, the five most excellent maidens whom he had created before namely, Lakshmi, Kirti, Sadhyā, Vishwā always doing good and Marutvati. In the end, the wife, capable of assuming forms at will, whom Brahmā created out of his half-body, took upon herself the form of the cow Surabhi and appeared before him. O Bhārata, for creating the cows Brahmā, cognizant of the cause of creation and adored of the world, knew her. By this, he begat eleven huge-bodied sons, crimson-hued like the evening cloud, consuming all with their dreadful effulgence and pious. Because they ran crying to the Grand-father as soon as they were born they passed by the name of Rudras. Nirhiti, Sarpa, Aja, Ekapat Mrigavyadha, Pināki, Dahana, Iswara, Ahivradhana, the unconquerable Kapāli and the highly powerful Senāni are known as the eleven Rudras (34–41).
Surabhi gave birth to bulls, trees which do not grow by cultivation, beans, sands, lambs, most excellent ambrosia and medicinal herbs. Dharma begat on Surabhi Lakshmi and Kama and Sadhya on Sadhyā. Prabhava, Chyavana, Ishāna, Surabhi, Aranya (forest) Maruta, Vashwāvasu, Suvala, Dhruva, Mahisha, Taneya, Vijnata, Manasa, Matsara and Vibhuti are also known as the sons of Surabhi. Sadhyā, worshipped of the world of Sādhyās and following Vāsava begat mountains, serpents and bulls. Dharma begat on Sushamā in order, Marudeva, Dhruva, Vishwāvasu, the lord Soma, Parvatta, Yogendra, Vāyu and Nikriti. It is heard that Dharma begat Vishwadevas on Vishwā. The large-armed Sudharmā, the highly powerful Shankhapā, Uktha, Vapushmān, Vishwāvasu, Suparva, the highly illustrious Vishnu, Skumbhu, the Rishi's son Ruru, highly effulgent like the sun, are the offspring of Chakshusa Manu. Vishwā gave birth to Vishwadevas. Dharma begat Maruts on Marutvati namely Agni, Chaksha, Hari, Jyoti, Sāvitra, Mitra, Amrita, the large-armed Sankshepa, Viraja, Shukra, Vish wāvasu, Vibhāsasu, Ashmanta, Chirarashmi, Nijudhi, Jayona Adbhuti, Charitra, Vahupannaga, Vrihanta and Vrihadbhuta the aggrandiser of others (42-56).
O king, Kashyapa begat on Aditi, the tweve most eminent Adityās living in the celestial region namely Indra, Vishnu, Bhaga, Tvashthā, Varuna, Angsha, Aramā, Ravi, Pishā, Mitrā, the boon-giving Manu and Indra. Aditya begat on Saraswati two superbly beautiful sons namely Rupa and Vala. Diti and Danu gave birth to the Daityas and Dānavas. The Dānavas begat on Suravā the reptiles; and they begat on Kāla the Kālakeya Asuras and Rākshasas. O descendant of Bharata, Anayusha produced all the diseases and calamities. Sinhikā the mother of planets gave birth to the Gandharvas, the pious Prādhā to Apsaras, Krodha to all goblins, Pishāchās, Yakshas and Guhyakas and Surabhi to all quadrupeds. Vinatā gave birth to Aruna and Garuda and Kadru to all serpents.
O king, when the high-souled Brahmā appeared on the lotus the Viswadevas thus multiplied themselves. This old account of the origin of lotus I had heard from Dwaipāyana. When he described it from the beginning to the end the great Rishis spoke highly of it. The great man, who with attention always reads this account of the origin of the first lotus, is divested of grief in this world, and enjoys various pleasures here and eternal bliss in heaven (57-67).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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