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strength, beauty, and accomplishments become his. The sick become hale, the afflicted become freed from their afflictions; the
affrighted become freed from fear, and he that is plunged in calamity becomes freed from calamity. The man who hymns the
praises of that foremost of Beings by reciting His thousand names with devotion succeeds in quickly crossing all difficulties.
That mortal who takes refuge in Vasudeva and who becomes devoted to Him, becomes freed of all sins and attains to eternal
Brahma. They who are devoted to Vasudeva have never to encounter any evil. They become freed from the fear of birth, death,
decrepitude, and disease. That man who with devotion and faith recites this hymn (consisting of the thousand names of
Vasudeva) succeeds in acquiring felicity of soul, forgiveness of disposition, Prosperity, intelligence, memory, and fame.
Neither wrath, nor jealousy, nor cupidity, nor evil understanding ever appears in those men of righteousness who are devoted to
that foremost of beings. The firmament with the sun, moon and stars, the welkin, the points of the compass, the earth and the
ocean, are all held and supported by the prowess of the high-souled Vasudeva. The whole mobile and immobile universe with
the deities, Asuras, and Gandharvas, Yakshas, Uragas and Rakshasas, is under the sway of Krishna. The senses, mind,
understanding, life, energy, strength and memory, it has been said, have Vasudeva for their soul. Indeed, this body that is called
Kshetra, and the intelligent soul within, that is called the knower of Kshetra, also have Vasudeva for their soul. Conduct
(consisting of practices) is said to be the foremost of all topics treated of in the scriptures. Righteousness has conduct for its
basis. The unfading Vasudeva is said to be the lord of righteousness. The Rishis, the Pitris, the deities, the great (primal)
elements, the metals, indeed, the entire mobile and immobile universe, has sprung from Narayana. Yoga, the Sankhya
Philosophy, knowledge, all mechanical arts, the Vedas, the diverse scriptures, and all learning, have sprung from Janardana.
Vishnu is the one great element or substance which has spread itself out into multifarious forms. Covering the three worlds, He
the soul of all things, enjoys them all. His glory knows no diminution, and He it is that is the Enjoyer of the universe (as its
Supreme Lord). This hymn in praise of the illustrious Vishnu composed by Vyasa, should be recited by that person who wishes
to acquire happiness and that which is the highest benefit (viz., emancipation). Those persons that worship and adore the Lord
of the universe, that deity who is inborn and possessed of blazing effulgence, who is the origin or cause of the universe, who
knows on deterioration, and who is endued with eyes that are as large and beautiful as the petals of the lotus, have never to
meet with any discomfiture.'"
SECTION CL
"Yudhishthira said, 'O grandsire, O thou of great wisdom, O thou that art conversant with all branches of knowledge, what is
that subject of silent recitation by reciting which every day one may acquire the merit of righteousness in a large measure?
What is that Mantra for recitation which bestows success if recited on the occasion of setting out on a journey or in entering a
new building, or at the commencement of any undertaking, or on the occasion of sacrifices in honour of the deities or of the
Pitris? It behoveth thee to tell me what indeed, what Mantra it is, which propitiates all malevolent influences, or leads to
prosperity or growth, or protection from evil, or the destruction of foes, or the dispelling of fears, and which, at the same time,
is consistent with the Vedas.'
"Bhishma said, 'Hear, O king, with concentrated, attention, what that Mantra is which was declared by Vyasa. It was ordained
by Savitri and is possessed of great excellence. It is capable of cleansing a person immediately of all his sins. Hear, O sinless
one, as I recite to thee the ordinances in respect of that Mantra. Indeed, O chief of the sons of Pandu, by listening to those
ordinances, one becomes cleansed of all one's sins. One who recites this Mantra day and night becomes never stained by sin. I
shall now declare it to thee what that Mantra is. Do thou listen with concentrated attention. Indeed, the man that hears it
becomes endued with long life, O prince, and attaining to the fruition of all his wishes, sports in felicity both here and
hereafter. This Mantra, O king, was daily recited by the foremost of royal sages devoted to the practice to Kshatriya duties and
steadily observant of the vow of truth. Indeed, O tiger among kings, those monarchs who, with restrained senses and tranquil
soul, recite this Mantra every day, succeed in acquiring unrivalled prosperity--Salutations to Vasishtha of high vows after
having bowed with reverence unto Parasara, that Ocean of the Vedas! Salutations to the great snake Ananta, and salutations to
all those who are crowned with success, and who are of unfading glory! Salutations to the Rishis, and unto Him that is the
Highest of the High, the god of gods, and the giver of boons unto all those that are foremost. Salutations unto Him of a
thousand heads, Him that is most auspicious, Him that has a thousand names, viz., Janardana! Aja. Ekapada, Ahivradhna, the
unvanquished Pinakin, Rita Pitrirupa, the three-eyed Maheswara, Vrishakapi, Sambhu, Havana, and Iswara--these are the
celebrated Rudras, eleven in number, who are the lords of all the worlds. Even these eleven high-souled ones have been
mentioned as a hundred in the Satarudra (of the Vedas). Ansa, Bhaga, Mitra, Varuna the lord of waters, Dhatri, Aryaman,
Jayanta, Bhaskara, Tvashtri, Pushan, Indra and Vishnu, are said to comprise a tale of twelve. These twelve are called Adityas
and they are the sons of Kasyapa as the Sruti declares. Dhara, Dhruva, Some, Savitra. Anila, Anala, Pratyusha, and Prabhava,
are the eight Vasus named in the scriptures, Nasataya and Dasra are said to be the two Aswins. They are the sons of Martanda
born of his spouse Samjna, from whose nostrils they came out. After this I shall recite the names of those who are the witnesses
of all acts in the worlds. They take note of all sacrifices, of all gifts, of all good acts. Those lords among the deities behold
everything although they are invisible. Indeed, they behold all the good and bad acts of all beings. They are Mrityu, Kala, the
Viswedevas, the Pitris endued with forms, the great Rishis possessed of wealth of penances, the Munis, and others crowned
with success and devoted to penances and emancipation. These of sweet smiles, bestow diverse benefits upon those men that
recite their names. Verily, endued with celestial energy, they bestow diverse regions of felicity created by the Grandsire upon
such men. They reside in all the worlds and attentively note all acts. By reciting the names of those lords of all living creatures,
one always becomes endued with righteousness and wealth and enjoyments in copious measure. One acquires hereafter diverse
regions of auspiciousness and felicity created by the Lord of the universe. These three and thirty deities, who are the lords of all
beings as also Nandiswara of huge body, and that pre-eminent one who has the bull for the device on his banner, and those
masters of all the worlds, viz., the followers and associates of him called Ganeswara, and those called Saumyas, and called the
Rudras, and those called the Yogas, and those that are known as the Bhutas, and the luminaries in the firmament, the Rivers,
the sky, the prince of birds (viz., Garuda), all those persons on earth who have become crowned with success in consequence of
their penances and who are existing in an immobile or mobile form, the Himavat, all the mountains, the four Oceans, the
followers and associates of Bhava who are possessed of prowess equal to that of Bhava himself, the illustrious and ever-
victorious Vishnu, and Skanda, and Ambika,--these are the great souls by reciting whose name with restrained senses, one
becomes cleansed of all sins. After this I shall recite the names of those foremost Rishis who are known as Manavas. They are
Yavakrita, and Raibhya, and Arvavasu, and Paravasu, and Aushija, and Kakshivat, and Vala the son of Angiras. Then comes
Kanwa the son of the Rishi Medhatithi, and Varishada. All these are endued with the energy of Brahma and have been spoken
of (in the scriptures) as creators of the universe. They have sprung from Rudra and Anala and the Vasus. By reciting their
names people obtain great benefits. Indeed, by doing good deeds on earth, people sport in joy in heaven, with the deities. These
Rishis are the priests of Indra. They live in the east. That man who, with rapt attention, recites the names of these Rishis,
succeeds in ascending to the regions of Indra and obtaining great honours there. Unmachu, Pramchu, Swastyatreya of great
energy, Dridhavya, Urdhvavahu, Trinasoma, Angiras, and Agastya of great energy, the son of Mitravaruna,--these seven are
the Ritwiks of Yama the king of the dead, and dwell in the southern quarter. Dridheyu and Riteyu, and Pariyadha of great fame,
and Ekata, and Dwita, and Trita--the last three endued with splendour like that of the sun,--and Atri's son of righteous soul,
viz., the Rishi Saraswata,--these seven who had acted as Ritwiks in the great sacrifice of Varuna--have taken up their abodes in
the western quarter. Atri, the illustrious Vasishtha, the great Rishi Kasyapa, Gotama, Bharadwaja, Viswamitra, the son of
Kusika, and Richika's fierce son Jamadagni of great energy,--these seven are the Ritwiks of the Lord of treasures and dwell in
the northern quarter. There are seven other Rishis that live in all directions without being confined to any particular one. They,
it is, who are the inducers of fame and of all this beneficial to men, and they have been sung as the creators of the worlds.
Dharma, Kama, Kala, Vasu, Vasuki, Ananta, and Kapila,--these seven are the upholders of the world. Rama, Vyasa, Drona's
son Aswatthaman, are the other Rishis (that are regarded as the foremost). These are the great Rishis as distributed into seven
groups, each group consisting of seven. They are the creators of that peace and good that men enjoy. They are said to be the
Regents of the several points of the compass. One should turn one's face to that direction in which one of these Rishis live if
one wishes to worship him. Those Rishis are the creators of all creatures and have been regarded as the cleansers of all.
Samvarta, Merusavarna, the righteous Markandeya, and Sankhya and Yoga, and Narada and the great Rishi Durvasa,--these are
endued with severe penance and great self-restraint, and are celebrated over the three worlds. There are others who are equal to
Rudra himself. They live in the region of Brahman. By naming them with reverence a sonless man obtains a son, and a pool
man obtains wealth. Indeed, by naming them, one acquires success in religion, and wealth and pleasure. One should also take
the name of that celebrated king who was Emperor of all the earth and equal to a Prajapati, viz., that foremost of monarchs,
Prithu, the son of Vena. The earth became his daughter (from love and affection). One should also name Pururavas of the Solar
race and equal unto Mahendra himself in prowess. He was the son of Ila and celebrated over the three worlds. One should,
indeed, take the name of that dear son of Vudha. One should also take the name of Bharata, that hero celebrated over the three
worlds. He also who in the Krita age adored the gods in a grand Gomedha sacrifice, viz., Rantideva of great splendour, who
was equal unto Mahadeva himself, should be named. Endued with penances, possessed of every auspicious mark, the source of