Wealth from the Mahabharata

* yaksha prashnam
tarko'pratishthaha shrutayo vibhinnaaha naiko munir yasya vacaha pramaanam |
Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhaayaam mahaajano yena gataha sapanthaaha ||

---------------------

* "Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O grandsire, the indications of future

greatness and future fall in respect of a person.'

"Bhishma said, 'The mind itself, blessed be thou, indicates the

premonitory symptoms of one's future prosperity and future fall. In this
connection is cited the old story of the discourse between Sree and
Sakra (Indra). Listen to it, O Yudhishthira! The great ascetic Narada, of energy
whose effulgence is as immeasurable as Brahman itself, with sins all
destroyed, capable of beholding through the prosperity of his penances
both this and the other world at once, and the equal of the celestial
Rishis in the region of the Creator, roved according to his pleasure
through the triple world. One day, rising up at dawn, he wished to
perform his ablutions, and for that purpose went to the river Ganga as
she issued out of the pass known by the name of Dhruva and plunged into
the stream.[858] At that time the thousand-eyed Indra also, the wielder
of the thunderbolt, and the slayer of Samvara and Paka, came to the very
bank where Narada was. The Rishi and the deity, both of souls under
perfect command, finished their ablutions, and having completed their
silent recitations, sat together. They employed the hour in reciting and
listening to the excellent narratives told by the great celestial Rishis
descriptive of many good and high deeds. Indeed, with concentrated
attention the two were engaged in such pleasant discourse on ancient
history.[859] While sitting there they beheld the rising Sun casting his
thousand rays right before him. Seeing the full orb, both of them stood
up and hymned his praises. Just at that time they beheld in the sky, in a
direction opposite to that of the rising star of day, some luminous
object, resplendent as blazing fire and that seemed to be a second star
of day. And they saw, O Bharata, that that luminous object was gradually
approaching towards them both. Riding upon Vishnu's vehicle adorned with
Garuda and Surya himself, that object blazed forth with unrivalled
splendour, and seemed to illumine the three worlds. The object they saw
was none other than Sree herself, attended by many Apsaras endued with
splendid beauty. Indeed, she looked like a large solar disc herself,
possessed of effulgence resembling that of fire. Adorned with ornaments
that looked like veritable stars, she wore a wreath that resembled a
garland of pearls. Indra saw that goddess called Padma having her
habitation in the midst of lotuses. Descending from her foremost of cars,
that unrivalled lady began to approach towards the lord of the three
worlds and the celestial Rishi Narada. Followed by Narada, Maghavat also
proceeded towards that lady. With joined hands, he offered himself up to
her, and versed as he was with all things, he worshipped her with
reverence and sincerity never surpassed. The adorations over, the lord of
celestials, O king, addressed Sree in the following words.'

"Sakra said, 'O thou of sweet smiles, who, indeed, art thou and for what
business hast thou come here? O thou of fair brows, whence dost thou come
and whither wilt thou proceed, O auspicious lady?'

"Sree said, 'In the three worlds full of the seeds of auspiciousness, all
creatures, mobile and immobile, strive with their whole hearts to win an
association with me. I am that Padma, that Sree decked with lotuses, who
sprang from the lotus that blooms at the touch of the rays of Surya, for
the prosperity of all creatures. I am called Lakshmi, Bhuti, and Sree, O
slayer of Vala! I am Faith, I am Intelligence, I am Affluence, I am
Victory, and I am Immutability. I am Patience, I am Success, I am
Prosperity. I am Swaha, I am Swadha, I am Reverence, I am Fate, and I am
Memory. I dwell at the van and on the standards of victorious and
virtuous sovereigns, as also in their homes and cities and dominions. I
always reside, O slayer of Vala, with those foremost of men, viz., heroes
panting after victory and unretreating from battle. I also reside for
ever with persons that are firmly attached to virtue, that are endued
with great intelligence, that are devoted to Brahma, that are truthful in
speech, that are possessed of humility, and that are liberal. Formerly, I
dwelt with the Asuras in consequence of my disposition of being bound by
truth and merit Seeing, however, that the Asuras have assumed adverse
natures, I have left then and wish to reside in thee.'

"Sakra said, 'O thou of fair face, in consequence of what behaviour of

the Asuras didst thou dwell with them? What didst thou see there for
which thou hast come hither, having deserted the Daityas and the Danavas (Asuras)?'

"Sree said, I attach myself steadfastly to those that are devoted to the
duties of their own order, to those that never fall away from patience,
to those that take a pleasure in walking along the path which leads to
heaven.

I always reside with those that are distinguished for liberality,

for study of the scriptures, for sacrifices, for other scriptural rites,
and for worship of Pitris, deities, preceptors, seniors, and guests.

Formerly, the Danavas used to keep their abodes clean, to keep their
women under control, to pour libations on the sacrificial fire, to wait
dutifully on their preceptors, to restrain their passions, to be obedient
to the Brahmanas, and to be truthful in speech.

They were full of faith;

they kept their wrath under control;
they practised the virtue of charity;
they never envied others;
they used to maintain their friends and advisers, and their spouses;
they were never jealous.

Formerly, they never assailed one another, filled with wrath.

They were all contented and never felt pain at the sight of other people's
affluence and prosperity.

They were all charitable and economical; of respectable conduct, and endued with
compassion.

They were excessively inclined to grace, possessed of simplicity of conduct,

steadfast in faith, and had their passions under complete control.

They used to keep their servants and counsellors contented, and were grateful and
endued with sweet speech.

They used to serve every one as each deserved in consequence of his position and
honour.

They were endued with shame.

They were of rigid vows.

They used to perform their ablutions on every sacred day.

They used to smear themselves properly with perfumes and suspicious unguents.

They were also to adorn their persons duly.

They were observant of fasts and penances, were trustful, and utterers of Vedic
hymns.

The Sun never rose upon them while they lay asleep.

They never outslept the moon.

They always abstained from curds and pounded barley.

They used every morning to look at clarified butter and other auspicious articles,
and with senses withdrawn they used to recite the Vedas and worship Brahmanas with
gifts.

Their discourse was always virtuous, and they never accepted gifts.

They always went to sleep at midnight and never slept during the day.

They always used to take pleasure in showing compassion for the distressed, the
helpless, the aged, the weak, the sick, and women, and enjoyed all their
possessions by sharing these with them.

They always used to assume and comfort the agitated, the cheerless, the anxious,
the terrified, the diseased, the weak and emaciated, the robbed, and the
afflicted.

They followed the dictates of virtue and never injured one another.

They were ready and well-disposed for action of every kind (that deserved to be
accomplished).

They used to serve and wait with reverence upon seniors and aged individuals.

They duly worshipped Pitris, deities, and guests, and ate every day what was left
after gratifying these.

They were firmly devoted to truth and penances.

None amongst them ate singly any food that was good, and none had congress with
other people's wives.

As regards compassion, they behaved towards all creatures as towards their own
selves.

They never allowed the emission of the vital seed into empty space, into inferior
animals, into forbidden wombs, or on sacred days.

They were always distinguished for gifts, for cleverness, for simplicity, for
hopeful exertion, for humility, for friendliness, and for forgiveness.

And, O puissant one, truth, charity, penance, purity, compassion, soft speeches and
absence of animosity towards friends,--all these were always in them.

Slumber, procrastination, fretfulness, envy, and want of foresight, discontent,

melancholy, cupidity never assailed them.

In consequence of the Danavas having been distinguished for these good qualities, I
dwelt with them from the beginning of the creation for many yugas together.

Times were altered, and that alteration brought about an alteration in the
character of the Danavas.

I saw that virtue and morality deserted them and they began to own the sway of lust
and wrath.

Persons, though themselves inferior in attainments, began to cherish animosities

towards seniors in age possessed of superior qualifications, and while the latter,
possessed of virtue and merit, used to speak upon proper topics in the midst of
assemblies, the former began to ridicule or laugh at them.

When reverend seniors in age came, the younger individuals, seated at their ease,
refused to adore the former by rising up and saluting them with respect.

In the presence of sires, sons began to exercise power (in matters that concerned
sires alone).

They that were not in receipt of wages accepted service and shamelessly
proclaimed the fact, Those amongst them that succeeded in amassing great
wealth by doing unrighteous and censurable deeds came to be held in
esteem.

During the night they began to indulge in loud screams and shrieks.

Their homa fires ceased to send bright and upward flames.

Sons began to lord it over sires, and wives dominated over husbands.

Mothers, fathers, aged seniors, preceptors, guests, and guides ceased to command
respect for their superior status.

People ceased to bring up with affection their own offspring but began to desert
them.

Without giving away the defined portion in alms and reserving the fixed portion for
offering it unto the gods, every one ate what he had.

Indeed, without offering their goods to the deities in sacrifices and without
sharing them with the Pitris, the gods, guests, and reverend seniors, they
appropriated them to their own use shamelessly.

Their cooks no longer professed any consideration for purity of mind, deed, and
word.

They ate what had been left uncovered.

Their corn lay scattered in yards, exposed to devastation by crows and rats.

Their milk remained exposed, and they began to touch clarified butter with hands
unwashed after eating.
Their spades, domestic knives, baskets, and dishes and cups of white
brass, and other utensils began to lie scattered in their houses.

Their housewives abstained from looking after these.

They no longer attained to the repairs of their houses and walls.

Tethering their animals they abstained from giving them food and drink.

Disregarding children that only looked on, and without having fed their dependants,
the Danavas ate what they had.

They began to prepare payasa and krisara and dishes of meat and cakes and sashkuli
(not for gods and guests) but for their own slaves, and commenced to eat the flesh
of animals not killed in sacrifices.

They used to sleep even after the sun had risen.

They made night of their morns.

Day and night disputes and quarrels waxed in every house of theirs.

They that were not respectable amongst them no longer showed any respect for those
that deserve respect while the latter were seated in any place.

Fallen off from their defined duties, they ceased to reverence those that had
betaken themselves to the woods for leading a life of peace and divine
contemplation.

Intermixture of castes freely commenced among them.

They ceased to attend to purity of person or mind.

Brahmanas learned in the Vedas ceased to command respect among them.

Those again that were ignorant of Richs (Rig mantras) were not condemned or
punished.

Both were treated on a footing of equality, those, that is, that deserved respect
and those that deserved no respect.

Their servant girls became wicked in behaviour, and began to wear necklaces of gold
and other ornaments and fine robes, and used to remain in their houses or go
away before their very eyes.

They began to derive great pleasure from sports and diversions in which their women
were dressed as men and their men as women.

Those amongst their ancestors that were affluent had made gifts of wealth unto
deserving persons.

The descendants of the donors, even when in prosperous conditions, began to resume,
for their unbelief, those gifts.

When difficulties threatened the accomplishment of any purpose and friend sought
the counsel of friend, that purpose was frustrated by the latter even if he had any
interest of the slightest value to subserve by frustrating it.

Amongst even their better classes have appeared traders and dealers in goods,
intent upon taking the wealth of others.

The Sudras amongst them have taken to the practice of penances.

Some amongst them have begun to study, without making any rules for regulating
their hours and food.

Others have begun to study, making rules that are useless.

Disciples have abstained from rendering obedience and service to preceptors.

Preceptors again have come to treat disciples as friendly companions.

Fathers and mothers are worn out with work, and have abstained from indulging in
festivities.

Parents in old age, divested of power over sons, have been forced to beg their food
of the latter.

Amongst them, even persons of wisdom, conversant with the Vedas, and resembling the
ocean itself in gravity of deportment, have begun to betake themselves to
agriculture and such other pursuits.

Persons who are illiterate and ignorant have begun to be fed at Sraddhas.

Every morning, disciples, instead of approaching preceptors for making dutiful

enquiries for ascertaining what acts awaited accomplishment and for seeking
commissions which they are to discharge, are themselves waited upon by preceptors
who discharge those functions.

Daughters-in-law, in the presence of their husbands' mothers and fathers, rebuke

and chastise servants and maids, and summoning their husband's lecture and rebuke
them.

Sires, with great care, seek to keep sons in good humour, or dividing through fear
their wealth among children, live in woe and affliction.

Even persons enjoying the friendship of the victims, beholding the latter deprived
of wealth in conflagrations or by robbers or by the king, have begun to indulge in
laughter from feelings of mockery.

They have become ungrateful and unbelieving and sinful and addicted to adulterous
congress with even the spouses of their preceptors.

They have betaken themselves to eating forbidden food.

They have transgressed all bounds and restraints.

They have become divested of that splendour which had distinguished them before.

In consequence of these and other indications of wicked conduct and the reversal of
their former nature, I shall not, O chief of the gods, dwell among them any
longer.

I have, therefore, come to thee of my own accord. Receive me with

respect, O lord of Sachi! Honoured by thee, O chief of the celestials, I
shall receive honour from all other deities.

There, where I reside, the seven other goddesses with Jaya for their eighth, who
love me, who are inseparably associated with me, and who depend upon me, desire to
live. They are Hope, Faith, Intelligence, Contentment, Victory, Advancement,
and Forgiveness. She who forms the eighth, viz., Jaya, occupies the
foremost place amongst them, O chastiser of Paka. All of them and myself,
having deserted the Asuras, have come to thy domains. We shall henceforth
reside among the deities who are devoted to righteousness and faith.

"After the goddess had said so, the celestial Rishi Narada, and Vasava,
the slayer of Vritra, for gladdening her, offered her a joyful welcome.
The god of wind,--that friend of Agni, then began to blow gently through
heaven, bearing delicious odours, refreshing all creatures with whom he
came into contact, and contributing to the felicity of every one of the
senses. All the deities (hearing the news) assembled together in a pure
and desirable spot and waited there in expectation of beholding Maghavat
seated with Lakshmi beside him. Then the thousand-eyed chief of the gods,
accompanied by Sree and his friend the great Rishi, and riding upon a
splendid car drawn by green horses, came into that assembly of the
celestials, receiving honour from all. Then the great Rishi Narada, whose
prowess was known to all the celestials, observing a sign that the
wielder of the thunderbolt made and which Sree herself approved of,
welcomed the advent of the goddess there and proclaimed it as exceedingly
auspicious. Heaven's firmament became clear and bright and began to
shower nectar upon the region of the self-born Grandsire (Brahma). The celestial
kettle-drums, though struck by none, began to beat, and all the points of
the horizon, becoming clear, seemed ablaze with splendour. Indra began to
pour rain upon crops that commenced to appear each at its proper season.
No one then deviated from the path of righteousness. The earth became
adorned with many mines filled with jewels and gems, and the chant of
Vedic recitations and other melodious sounds swelled up on the occasion
of that triumph of the celestials. Human beings, endued with firm minds,
and all adhering to the auspicious path that is trod by the righteous,
began to take pleasure in Vedic and other religious rites and acts. Men
and gods and Kinnaras and Yakshas and Rakshasas all became endued with
prosperity and cheerfulness. Not a flower,--what need then be said of
fruits,--dropped untimely from a tree even if the god of wind shook it
with force. All the kine began to yield sweet milk whenever milked by
men, and cruel and harsh words ceased to be uttered by any one. They who,
from desire of advancement, approach before assemblies of Brahmanas, and
read this narrative of the glorification of Sree by all the deities with
Indra at their head, deities that are competent to grant every
wish,--succeed in winning great prosperity. These then O chief of the
Kurus, are the foremost indications of prosperity and adversity. Urged on
by thee, I have told thee all. It behoves thee to bear thyself according
to the instructions conveyed herein, understanding them after careful
reflection!'

----------------------------

SECTION CCVII

"Yudhishthira said, 'O grandsire, O thou of great wisdom, I desire to

hear in detail, O chief of the Bharatas, of that lotus-eyed and
indestructible one, who is the Creator of everything but who has been
created by none, who is called Vishnu (in consequence of his pervading
everything), who is the origin of all creatures and unto whom all
creatures return, who is known by the names of Narayana and Hrishikesa
and Govinda and Kesava, and who is incapable of being vanquished by any
one.'
"Bhishma said, 'I have heard of this subject from Jamadagni's son Rama,
while he discoursed on it, from the celestial Rishi Narada, and from
Krishna-Dwaipayana. Asita-Devala, O son, Valmiki of austere penances, and
Markandeya, speak of Govinda as the Most Wonderful and the Supreme.
Kesava, O chief of Bharata's race, is the divine and puissant Lord of
all. He is called Purusha, and pervades everything, having made himself
many. Listen now, O Yudhishthira of mighty arms, to those attributes
which great Brahmanas say are to be met with in the high-souled wielder
of Saranga. I shall also, O prince of men, recite to thee those acts
which persons conversant with old histories ascribe to Govinda. He is
said to be the Soul of all creatures, the high-souled one, and the
foremost of all beings. He created (by his will) the five-fold elements,
viz., Wind, Light, Water, Space, and Earth. That puissant Lord of all
things, that high-souled one, that foremost of all beings, having created
the earth, laid himself down on the surface of the waters. While thus
floating upon the waters, that foremost of all beings, that refuge of
every kind of energy and splendour, created Consciousness, the first-born
of beings in the universe. We have heard that He created Consciousness
along with the Mind,--Consciousness which is the refuge of all created
things. That Consciousness upholds all creatures and both the past and
the future. After that great Being, O mighty-armed one, viz.,
Consciousness, had sprung, an exceedingly beautiful lotus, possessed of
effulgence like the Sun's, grew out of the navel of the Supreme Being
(floating on the waters). Then, O son, the illustrious and divine
Brahman, the Grandsire of all creatures, sprang into existence from that
lotus, irradiating all the points of the horizon with his effulgence.
After the high-souled Grandsire had, O mighty-armed one, thus sprung from
the primeval lotus, a great Asura of the name of Madhu, having no
beginning, started into birth, springing from the attribute or Darkness
(Tamas). The foremost of all Beings, (viz., the Supreme Divinity), for
benefiting Brahman, slew that fierce Asura of fierce deeds, engaged even
then in the fierce act (of slaying the Grand-sire). From this slaughter,
O son, (of the Asura named Madhu), all the gods and the Danavas and men
came to call that foremost of all righteous persons by the name of
Madhusudana (slayer of Madhu).[704] After this, Brahman created, by a
flat of his will, seven sons with Daksha completing the tale. They were
Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, (and the already
mentioned Daksha). The eldest born, viz., Marichi, begat, by a fiat of
his will, a son named Kasyapa, full of energy and the foremost of all
persons conversant with Brahma. From his toe, Brahman had, even before
the birth of Marichi, created a son. That son, O chief of Bharata's race,
was Daksha, the progenitor of creatures.[705] Unto Daksha were first born
three and ten daughters, O Bharata, the eldest of whom was called Diti.
Marichi's son Kasyapa, O sire, who was conversant with all duties and
their distinctions, who was of righteous deeds and great fame, became the
husband of those thirteen daughters. The highly-blessed Daksha (besides
the three and ten already spoken of) next begat ten other daughters. The
progenitor of creatures, viz., the righteous Daksha, bestowed these upon
Dharma. Dharma became father of the Vasus, the Rudras of immeasurable
energy, the Viswedevas, the Sadhyas, and the Maruts, O Bharata. Daksha
next begat seven and twenty other younger daughters. The highly-blessed
Soma became the husband of them all. The other wives of Kasyapa gave
birth to Gandharvas, horses, birds, kine, Kimpurushas, fishes, and trees
and plants. Aditi gave birth to the Adityas. the foremost ones among the
gods, and possessed of great strength. Amongst them Vishnu took birth in
the form of a dwarf. Otherwise called Govinda, he became the foremost of
them all. Through his prowess, the prosperity of the gods increased. The
Danavas were vanquished. The offspring of Diti were the Asuras. Danu gave
birth to the Danavas having Viprachitti for their foremost. Diti gave
birth to all the Asuras of great strength.

"The slayer of Madhu also created the Day and the Night, and the Season
in their order, and the Morn and the Even. After reflection, he also
created the clouds, and all the (other) immobile and mobile objects.
Possessed of abundant energy, he also created the Viswas and the earth
with all things upon her. Then the highly blessed and puissant Krishna, O
Yudhishthira, once again created from his mouth a century of foremost
Brahmanas. From his two arms, he created a century of Kshatriyas, and
from his thighs a century of Vaisyas. Then, O bull of Bharata's race,
Kesava created from his two feet a century of Sudras. Possessed of great
ascetic merit, the slayer of Madhu, having thus created the four orders
of men, made Dhatri (Brahman) the lord and ruler of all created beings.
Of immeasurable effulgence, Brahman became also the expositor of the
knowledge of the Vedas. And Kesava made him, called Virupaksha, the ruler
of the spirits and ghosts and of those female beings called the Matrikas
(mothers). And he made Yama the ruler of the Pitris and of all sinful
men.[706] The Supreme Soul of all creatures also made Kuvera the lord of
all treasures. He then created Varuna the lord of waters and governor of
all aquatic animals. The puissant Vishnu made Vasava the chief of all the
deities. In those times, men lived as long as they chose to live, and
were without any fear of Yama. Sexual congress, O chief of the Bharatas,
was then not necessary for perpetuating the species. In those days
offspring were begotten by flat of the will. In the age that followed,
viz., Treta, children were begotten by touch alone. The people of that
age even, O monarch, were above the necessity of sexual congress. It was
in the next age, viz., Dwapara, that the practice of sexual congress
originated, O king, to prevail among men. In the Kali age, O monarch, men
have come to marry and live in pairs.

"I have now told thee of the supreme Lord of all creatures. He is also
called the Ruler of all and everything. I shall now, O son of Kunti,
speak to thee about the sinful creatures of the earth. Listen to me.[707]
Those men, O king, are born in the southern region and are called
Andrakas, Guhas, Pulindas, Savaras, Chuchukas, Madrakas.[708] Those that
are born in the northern region, I shall also mention. They are Yamas,
Kamvojas, Gandharas, Kiratas and Barbaras. All of them, O sire, are
sinful, and move on this Earth, characterised by practices similar to
those of Chandalas and ravens and vultures. In the Krita age, O sire,
they were nowhere on earth. It is from the Treta that they have had their
origin and began to multiply, O chief of Bharata's race. When the
terrible period came, joining Treta and the Dwapara, the Kshatriyas,
approaching one another, engaged themselves in battle.[709]

"Thus, O chief of Kuru's race, this universe was started into birth by
the high-souled Krishna. That observer of all the worlds, viz., the
celestial Rishi Narada, has said that Krishna is the Supreme God.[710]
Even Narada, O king, admits the supremacy of Krishna and his eternity, O
mighty-armed chief of Bharata's race.[711] Thus, O mighty-armed one, is
Kesava of unvanquishable prowess. That lotus-eyed one, is not a mere man.
He is inconceivable.'"

SECTION CCVIII

"Yudhishthira asked, 'Who were the first Prajapatis, O bull of Bharata's

race? What highly-blessed Rishis are there in existence and on which
points of the compass do each of them dwell?'
"Bhishma said., 'Hear me, O chief of the Bharatas, about what thou askest
me. I shall tell thee who the Prajapatis were and what Rishis are
mentioned as dwelling on which point of the horizon. There was at first
one Eternal, Divine, and Self-born Brahman. The Self-born Brahman begat
seven illustrious sons. They were Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya,
Pulaha, Kratu, and the highly-blessed Vasishtha who was equal to the
Self-born himself. These seven sons have been mentioned in the Puranas as
seven Brahmanas. I shall now mention all the Prajapatis who came after
these. In Atri's race was born the eternal and divine Varhi the ancient,
who had penances for his origin. From Varhi the ancient sprang the ten
Prachetasas. The ten Prachetasas had one son between them, viz., the
Prajapati called by the name of Daksha. This last has two names in the
world, viz., Daksha and Kasyapa. Marichi had one son called Kasyapa. This
last also has two names. Some call him Arishtanemi, and some Kasyapa.
Atri had another son born of his lions, viz., the handsome and princely
Soma of great energy. He performed penances for a thousand celestial
Yugas. The divine Aryaman and they who were born unto him as his sons, O
monarch, have been described as setters of commands, and creators of all
creatures. Sasavindu had ten thousand wives. Upon each of them their lord
begat a thousand sons, and so the tale reached ten hundred thousands.
Those sons refused to call anybody else save themselves as Prajapatis.
The ancient Brahmanas bestowed an appellation on the creatures of the
world, derived from Sasavindu. That extensive race of the Prajapati
Sasavindu became in time the progenitor of the Vrishni race. These that I
have mentioned are noted as the illustrious Prajapatis. After this, I
shall mention the deities that are the lords of the three worlds. Bhaga,
Ansa, Aryyaman, Mitra, Varna, Savitri, Dhatri, Vivaswat of great might,
Tvashtri, Pushan, Indra, and Vishnu known as the twelfth,--these are the
twelve Adityas, all sprung from Kasyapa. Nasatya and Dasra are mentioned
as the two Aswins. These two are the sons of the illustrious Martanda,
the eighth in the above tale. These were called first the gods and the
two classes of Pitris. Tvashtri had many sons. Amongst them were the
handsome and famous Viswarupa, Ajaikapat, Ahi, Bradhna, Virupaksha, and
Raivata. Then there were Hara and Vahurupa, Tryamvaka the chief of the
Deities, and Savitrya, Jayanta and Pinaki the invincible. The
highly-blessed Vasus, eight in number, have formerly been enumerated by
me. These were reckoned as gods at the time of the Prajapati Manu. These
were at first called the gods and the Pitris. Amongst the Siddhas and the
Sadhyas there were two classes in consequence of conduct and youth. The
deities were formerly considered to be of two classes, viz., the Ribhus
and the Maruts. Thus have the Viswas, the gods and the Aswins, been
enumerated. Amongst them, the Adityas are Kshatriyas, and the Maruts are
Vaisyas. The two Aswins, engaged in severe penances, have been said to be
Sudras. The deities sprung from Angirasa's line have been said to be
Brahmanas. This is certain. Thus have I told thee about the fourfold
order among the gods.

*** The person who, after rising from his bed at morn,recites the names of these
deities, becomes cleansed of all his sins whether committed by himself
intentionally or Unintentionally, or whether born of his intercourse with others.

Yavakriti, Raivya, Arvavasu, Paravasu, Ausija, Kashivat, and Vala have been said to
be the sons of Angiras. These, and Kanwa son of Rishi Medhatithi, and Varhishada,
and the well-known seven Rishis who are the progenitors of the three worlds,
all reside in the East. Unmucha, Vimucha, Svastyatreya of great energy,
Pramucha, Idhmavaha, and the divine Dridhavrata, and Mitravaruna's son
Agastya of great energy, these regenerate Rishis all reside in the south.
Upangu, Karusha, Dhaumya, Parivyadha of great energy, and those great
Rishis called Ekata, Dwita, and Trita, and Atri's son, viz., the
illustrious and puissant Saraswata, these high-souled ones reside in the
west. Atreya, and Vasishtha, and the great Rishi Kasyapa, and Gautama,
Bharadwaja, and Viswamitra, the son of Kusika, and the illustrious son of
the high-souled Richika, viz., Jamadagni,--these seven live in the north.
Thus have I told thee about the great Rishis of fiery energy that live in
the different points of the compass. Those high-souled ones are the
witnesses of the universe, and are the creators of all the worlds.

*** Even thus do they dwell in their respective quarters. By reciting their names
one is cleansed of all one's sins. A person by repairing to those points
becomes cleansed of all his sins and succeeds in returning home in
safety'"

----------------------------------

Mahasaraswati and Mahakali, with their consorts.

kAnchI is said to one of the eyes of Mahadeva, the other being kAshI:

netradwayam maheshasya kAshIkAnchIpuradwayam |

This Kshetra is also a sacred Vaishnava Ksehtra due to the presence of Lord
Varadaraja. Long ago, Brahma performed a great penance in Kanchi to obtain the
Darshan of Bhagavati Kamakshi. Pleased with his penance, Sridevi appeared to Brahma
as Adi Lakshmi, accompanied by Adi Narayana, seated on the great throne of
Srichakra. Filled with bliss at the sight of Sri Kamakshi, mother of the trinity,
known also as Adi Mahalakshmi, Brahma burst into a hymn:

Jaya devi jaganmataH jaya tripurasundari

Jaya shrInAthasahaje jaya shrIsarvamangale |
Jaya shrIkaruNArAshe jaya shRungAranAyike
Jayajayedhika siddeshi jaya yogIndravandite ||

Jaya jaya jagadamba nityarUpe

Jaya jaya sannutalokasaukhyadAtri |
Jaya jaya himashailakIrtanIye
Jaya jaya shankarakAma vAmanetri ||

Oh mother Kamakshi! It is you who performs the acts of Srshti, Sthiti, Samhara,
Tirodhana and Anugraha by mere Samkalpa. It is you, the primordial Shakti, who
destroys those sinners who transgress the rules of varNa and Ashrama. You cannot be
known by Veda, Agama, Shastra or even to the greatest of Yogis. Known only to the
highest of Munis through the rahasyAmnAya of Vedanta, you are described by such as
Parabrahman. Though stationed in the heart of every being, you are unnoticed by all
due to your presence in the form of the most subtle knowledge. It is you who is
worshipped eternally by Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra. Whose breath is the Veda, whose
mere sight is responsible for the pancha mahAbhUta-s, whose smile results in the
appearance of entire world (charAcharAtmaka), due to whose order the earth is
carried on his thousand heads by ananta, due to whose command Agni exhibits the
quality of burning, to that Jnana Shakti, my salutations! It is thou who appears in
the form of twenty-five Tattvas resulting in diversification. It is Thou, in the
form of Maya, who is responsible for the puruSha (limited individual) through
identification with five kanchuka-s (kalA, vidyA etc). (The reference here is to
shuddhAshuddha Tattvas). It is you who is of the form of Shiva, Shakti, Ishwara,
Shuddha Vidya and Sadashiva (Shuddha Tattvas). It is you who appears as Guru,
Mantra, Devata and the Prana. It is you, who is the Self of all beings, known as
Srividya. It is you who is present as maNi, mantra and AuShadhi. Every spiritual
discipline is for reaching you. You appear as time and space. You are the supreme
Brahman transcending names and forms�.

purI kAnchIpurI puNyA nadI kampAnadI parA |

devatA saiva kAmAkshItyAsIt sambhAvanA puraH ||

Kanchi is the best of puri-s, kampA best among rivers and Kamakshi, the foremost
among devatas. From then on, Sri Bhairava began to reside in Kashi, blessing those
devotees who tread the path of Dharma. The form in which Sri Kamakshi appeared in
Kashi to bless Bhairava came to be known as Sri Annapurna.

kAmAkshyaiva mahAlakShmIH chakram shrIchakrameva hi |

shrIvidyaiShA parA vidyA nAyikA gurunAyikA ||

Sri Kamakshi is herself Adi Mahalakshmi and there is no deity comparable to her.
The best of the Yantras is Srichakra and the supreme Vidya is Srividya. Sri
Kamakshi is gurumaNDalanAyikA � foremost of the gurus, residing as the Yuga Guru
Mithuna in Kamakoshtha, having Sri Dakshinamurti as her first disciple.

--------------------------------------------------------

maha-varahi
-----------
vArahI dvAdashaM iti mantrasya shrI ashvAnanaH R^iShiH | anuShTup ChandaH | vArAhI
devatA | shrI vArahi devI prasAda siddhi dvAra sarva sa~NkaTa haraNaM jape
viniyogaH ||

pa~nchamI danDanAthA cha sa~Nketa samayeshvarI /

tathA samaya-sa~NketA vArAhI potriNI shivA //
vArtAlI cha mahAsenA .apyAGYAchakreshvarI tatha /
arighnI cheti samproktaM nAma dvAdashakaM mune //
nAma-dvAdashadhAbhikhya vajra-pa~njara-madhyagaH /
sa~NkaTe duHkham-Apnoti na kadAchana mAnavaH //