Chapter LXXXVII

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CHAPTER LXXXVII.

HAVING heard so much of the narrative, Raja Pureechit said to Shree Shookdeo Jee, "O great king! you said, on a former occasion, that the Vedas glorified the supreme deity; explain to me, in order that the doubts of my mind may be removed, how the Vedas offered praise to the Bruhm without passions or human qualities?" Shree Shookdeo Jee replied,--O great king! the lord, who is the author of the intellect, of the organs of action and perception, of the mind, soul, religious and moral merit, wealth, desire and salvation, constantly remains in a passionless form, without human qualities, but when he creates the world, he is possessed of all qualities, and assumes his own natural form; for this reason, that one deity is both without, and with passions and qualities.

Having thus said, Shookdeo, the sage, added, Raja! Narud Jee on one occasion asked Nurnarain the question you have now asked me. Raja Pureechit said, "O great king! please explain this subject to me, that the perplexities of my mind may be removed."

Shookdeo Jee replied, Raja! once on a time during the age of truth, Narud Jee went into the world of truth (that is, the world of the virtuous age) to the place where Nurnarain was sitting engaged with many other sages in devout religious austerities, and enquired, "O great king? be pleased to do me the

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favour to say, how the Vedas glorify the incorporeal Bruhm." Nurnarain said, "Hear me Narud! the perplexity, which you have asked me to explain, is the same as occurred in the world of mortals, at a place where Sunatun and other sages were seated, occupied with religious penance. Sunundun, a sage, then narrated a story, and entirely removed the doubts of all present." Narud Jee said, "O great king! I also dwell there, and if this story had been told, I should have heard it." Nurnarain said, "Narud Jee! this story was told, when you had gone to the white island to visit Bhugwut and, therefore, you did not hear it." Having heard this, Narud Jee said, "O great king! kindly inform me what story was related there," Nurnarain replied, "Listen! Narud, when the sages asked this question, Sunundun, the saint, began to say to them, 'Listen to me! at the time of the general destruction, when fourteen worlds became the semblence of water, then the complete Bruhm remained alone asleep, when Bhugwan wished to create the world, the Vedas having come forth from his breath and joined their hands, sang praises to him, just as bards, by singing songs of eulogy of his renown very early in the morning, might awaken a Raja, who was asleep in his own house; in order, that being awake, he might quickly perform any business he had to do.'"

Having proceeded thus far in the story, Nurnarain added, "Listen to me, O Narud! the Vedas having come forth from the mouth of the lord were saying, 'O lord! awake quickly and create the world, and remove your deceptive power far from the minds of animated beings; then they will recognize your appearance; your deceptive power is predominant, and deprives all beings of intelligence; the being who escapes from it, will have knowledge to understand you. O lord! no one except you can reduce this power to subjection; he, in whose breast you dwell in the form of knowledge, overcomes this deceptive power; otherwise, who has ability to escape from the influence of this power? You are the creator of all;

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all animated beings, having derived their origin from you, are contained in you; just as many things being produced from the earth, are again mixed up in the earth; whoever worships or glorifies any god whatsoever, worships and glorifies you, just as a man may make many ornaments of gold, and give them various names, but it is still gold; so you have many forms; and consider this point, that not one of those forms is any thing, and that on what sidesoever we look, there you are presented to our sight. O lord! your deceptive power is infinite; this power becoming the three qualities of truth, passion and darkness; having assumed three forms, and created the universe, preserves and destroys it; no one has discovered its mystery, and no one ever will discover it; wherefore, it is right for an animated being to abandon all desires and meditate upon you; his welfare depends upon his doing so.'"

O great king! having proceeded thus far in his story, Nurnarain said to Narud, "Narud! when Sunundun, the sage, having related this history of a former age, had removed the perplexities of all their minds, then Sunuk and the other sages offered worship to Sunundun according to the sacred precepts of the Vedas."

Having related thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said,--Raja! whoever shall hear this conversation of Narain and Narud, shall without doubt obtain the fulfilment of all his desires, and be saved hereafter. The account of the complete Bruhm, which the Vedas sang of, Sunundun, the sage, recited to Sunuk and other saints, then Nurnarain related it before Narud; and Byas obtained it from Narud; and Byas explained it to me, and I have now mentioned it to you; whoever shall hear or relate this history, shall obtain whatever benefits he desires, whatever virtue there is in penance, sacrifice, gifts, fasting and pilgrimage, there is the same merit in reciting and hearing this history.