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these periods. Thou art the Kalas. Thou art the Kashthas. Thou art the Lavas. Thou art the Matras. Thou art the Muhurtas and
Days and Nights. Thou art the Kshanas.[181] Thou art the soil upon which the tree of the universe stands. Thou art the seed of
all creatures [being of the form of that Unmanifest Chaitanya (consciousness) endued with Maya or illusion whence all
creatures spring]. Thou art Mahattatwa. Thou art the sprout of Jiva, (being of the form of Consciousness which springs up after
Mahattatwa). Thou art Sat or Effect. Thou art Asat or Cause. Thou art Manifest (being seizable by the senses). Thou art the
Father. Thou art the Mother. Thou art the Grandfather. Thou art the door to Heaven (because of thy identity with Penances).
Thou art the door of the generation of all creatures (because of thy identity with desire). Thou art the door of Emancipation
(because of thy identity with the absence of Desire which alone can lead to the merging into Brahman). Thou art those acts of
righteousness which lead to the felicity of heaven. Thou art Nirvana (or that cessation of individual or separate existence which
is Emancipation). Thou art the gladdener (who gives all kinds of joy to every creature). Thou art that region of Truth (to which
they that are foremost in righteousness attain). Thou art superior to even that region of Truth which is attainable by the
righteous. Thou art he who is the creator of both the deities and the Asuras. Thou art he who is the refuge of both the deities
and the Asuras. Thou art the preceptor of both the deities and the Asuras (being as thou art of the form of both Vrihaspati and
Sukra). Thou art he who is ever victorious. Thou art he who is ever worshipped by the deities and the Asuras. Thou art he who
guides the deities and the Asuras even as the Mahamatra guides the elephant. Thou art the refuge of all the deities and the
Asuras. Thou art he who is the chief of both the deities and the Asuras (being as thou art of the form of both India and
Virochana). Thou art he who is the leader in battle of both the deities and the Asuras (being as thou art of the form of
Karttikeya and Kesi, the leaders of the celestial and the Daitya armies). Thou art he who transcends the senses and shines by
himself. Thou art of the form of the celestial Rishis like Narada and others. Thou art the grantor of boons unto the deities and
Asuras (in the form of Brahman and Rudra). Thou art he who rules the hearts of the deities and the Asuras. Thou art he into
whom the universe enters (when it is dissolved). Thus art the refuge of even him who is the ruler of the hearts of both the
deities and the Asuras. Thou art he whose body is made up of all the deities.[182] Thou art he who has no Being superior to
thee of whom to think. Thou art he who is the inner soul of the deities. Thou art he who has sprung from his own self. Thou art
of the form of immobile things. Thou art he who covers the three worlds with three steps of his. Thou art possessed of great
learning. Thou art stainless. Thou art he who is freed from the quality of Rajas. Thou art he who transcends destruction. Thou
art he in whose honour hymns should be sung. Thou art the master of the irresistible elephant represented by Time. Thou art of
the form of that lord of Tigers who is worshipped in the country of the Kalingas.[183] Thou art he who is called the lion among
the deities (in consequence of the pre-eminence of thy prowess). Thou art he who is the foremost of men. Thou art endued with
great wisdom. Thou art he who first takes a share of the offerings in sacrifice. Thou art imperceptible. Thou art the sum-total of
all the deities. Thou art he in whom penances predominate. Thou art always in excellent Yoga. Thou art auspicious. Thou art
armed with the thunder-bolt. Thou art the source whence the weapons called Prasas have taken their origin. Thou art he whom
thy devotees attain to in diverse ways. Thou art Guha (the celestial generalissimo). Thou art the supreme limit of felicity.[184]
Thou art identical with thy creation. Thou art he who rescues thy creatures from death (by granting them Emancipation). Thou
art the cleanser of all including Brahma himself. Thou art of the form of bulls and other horned animals. Thou art he who is
fond of mountain summits. Thou art the planet Saturn. Thou art Kuvera, the chief of the Yakshas. Thou art complete
faultlessness. Thou art he who inspires gladness. Thou art all the celestials united together. Thou art the cessation of all things.
Thou art all the duties that appertain to all the modes of life. Thou art he who has an eye on his forehead. Thou art he who
sports with the universe as his marble ball. Thou art of the form of deer. Thou art endued with the energy that is of the form of
knowledge and penance. Thou art the lord of all immobile things (in the form of Himavat and Meru). Thou art he who has
subjugated his senses by various regulations and vows. Thou art he whose objects have all been fulfilled. Thou art identical
with Emancipation. Thou art different from him whom we worship. Thou hast truth for thy penances. Thou art of a pure heart.
Thou art he who presides over all vows and fasts (in consequence of thy being the giver of their fruits). Thou art the highest
(being of the form of Turiya). Thou art Brahman. Thou art the highest refuge of the devotees. Thou art he who transcends all
bonds (being Emancipate). Thou art freed from the linga body. Thou art endued with every kind of prosperity. Thou art he who
enhances the prosperity of thy devotees. Thou art that which is incessantly undergoing changes.'
"I have thus, 'O Krishna, hymned the praises of the illustrious Deity by reciting his names in the order of their importance. Who
is there that can hymn the praises of the lord of the universe, that great Lord of all who deserves our adorations and worship
and reverence, whom the very gods with Brahma at their head are unable to praise and whom the Rishis also fail to sing?
Aided, however, by my devotion to him, and having received his permission, I have praised that Lord of sacrifices, that Deity
of supreme puissance, that foremost of all creatures endued with intelligence. By praising with these names that enhance one's
auspiciousness of the great lord of blessedness, a worshipper of devoted soul and pure heart succeeds in attaining to his own
self. These names constitute a hymn that furnishes the best means of attaining to Brahman. With the aid of this hymn one is
sure to succeed in attaining to Emancipation. Rishis and the deities all praise the highest deity by uttering this hymn. Hymned
by persons of restrained soul Mahadeva becomes gratified with those that hymn his praises so. The illustrious deity is always
full of compassion towards his devotees. Endued with omnipotence, he it is that gives Emancipation to those that worship him.
So also, they among men that are foremost, that are possessed of faith and devotion hear and recite for others and utter with
reverence the praises of that highest and eternal Lord viz. Isana, in all their successive lives and adore him in thought, word,
and deed, and adoring him thus at all times, viz. when they are lying or seated or walking or awake or opening the eyelids or
shutting them, and thinking of him repeatedly, become objects of reverence with all their fellowmen and derive great
gratification and exceeding joy. When a creature becomes cleansed of all his sins in course of millions of births in diverse
orders of being, it is then that devotion springs up in his heart for Mahadeva. It is through good luck alone that undivided
devotion to Bhava who is the original cause (of the universe) fully springs up in the heart of one that is conversant with every
mode of worshipping that great Deity.[185] Such stainless and pure devotion to Rudra, that has singleness of purpose and that
is simply irresistible in its course, is seldom to be found among even the deities, and never among men. It is through the grace
of Rudra that such devotion arises in the hearts of human beings. In consequence of such devotion, men, identifying themselves
wholly with Mahadeva, succeed in attaining to the highest success. The illustrious Deity who is always inclined to extend his
grace towards them that seek him with humility, and throw themselves with their whole soul upon him rescues them from the
world. Except the great Deity who frees creatures from rebirth, all other gods constantly nullify the penances of men, for men
have no other source of puissance that is as great as these.[186] It was even thus Tandi of tranquil soul, resembling Indra
himself in splendour, praised the illustrious Lord of all existent and non-existent things,--that great Deity clad in animal skins.
Indeed, Brahma had sung this hymn in the presence of Sankara. Thou art a Brahmana (being conversant with Brahman and
devoted to those that are conversant with Brahman). Thou shalt, therefore, comprehend it well. This is cleansing, and washes
away all sins. This confers Yoga and Emancipation and heaven and contentment. He who recites this hymn with undivided
devotion to Sankara succeeds in attaining to that high end which is theirs that are devoted to the doctrines of the Sankhya
philosophy. That worshipper who recites this hymn daily for one year with singleness of devotion succeeds in obtaining the
end that he desires. This hymn is a great mystery. It formerly resided in the breast of Brahma the Creator. Brahma imparted it
unto Sakra. Sakra imparted unto Mrityu. Mrityu imparted it unto the Rudras. From the Rudras Tandi got it. Indeed Tandi
acquired it in the region of Brahman as the reward of his severe austerities. Tandi communicated it to Sukra, and Sukra of
Bhrigu's race communicated it to Gautama. Gautama in his turn, O descendant of Madhu, communicated it to Vaivaswata-
Manu. Manu communicated it unto Narayana of great intelligence, numbered among the Sadhyas and held exceedingly dear by
him. The illustrious Narayana, numbered among the Sadhyas and possessed of glory that knows no diminution, communicated
it to Yama. Vaivaswat Yama communicated it to Nachiketa. Nachiketa, O thou of Vrishni's race, communicated to
Markandeya. From Markandeya, O Janarddana, I obtained it as the reward of my vows and fasts. To thee, O slayer of foes, I
communicate that hymn unheard by others. This hymn leads to heaven. It dispels disease and bestows long life. This is worthy
of the highest praise, and is consistent with the Vedas.'
"Krishna continued, 'That person, O Partha, who recites this hymn with a pure heart observing the vow of Brahmacharyya, and
with his senses under control, regularly for one whole year, succeeds in obtaining the fruits of a horse-sacrifice. Danavas and
Yakshas and Rakshasas and Pisachas and Yatudhanas and Guhyakas and snakes can do no injury to him.'"
SECTION XVIII
"Vaisampayana said, 'After Vasudeva had ceased to speak, the great Yogin, viz. the Island-born Krishna, addressed
Yudhisthira, saying,--O son, do thou recite this hymn consisting of the thousand and eight names of Mahadeva, and let
Maheswara be gratified with thee. In former days, O son, I was engaged in the practice of severe austerities on the breast of the
mountains of Meru from desire of obtaining a son. It is this very hymn that was recited by me. As the reward of this, I obtained
the fruition of all my wishes, O son of Pandu. Thou wilt also, by reciting this same hymn, obtain from Sarva the fruition of all
thy wishes.--After this, Kapila, the Rishi who promulgated the doctrines that go by the name of Sankhya, and who is honoured
by the gods themselves, said,--I adore Bhava with great devotion for many lives together. The illustrious Deity at last became