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"Vaisampayana said, 'That perpetuator of Kuru's race, viz., Yudhishthira the son of Pandu, desirous of obtaining such good as |
is destructive of sins, questioned Bhishma who was lying on a bed of arrows, (in the following words).' |
"Yudhishthira said, 'What, indeed, is beneficial for a person in this world? What is that by doing which one may earn |
happiness? By what may one be cleansed of all one's sins? Indeed, what is that which is destructive of sins?' |
"Vaisampayana continued, 'In this connection, the royal son of Santanu, O foremost of men, duly recited the names of the |
deities unto Yudhishthira who was desirous of hearing.' |
"Bhishma said, 'O son, the following names of the deities with those of the Rishis, if duly recited morning, noon, and evening, |
become efficacious cleansers of all sins. Acting with the aid of one's senses (or knowledge and action), whatever sins one may |
commit by day or by night or by the two twilights, consciously, or unconsciously one is sure to be cleansed therefrom and |
become thoroughly pure by reciting these names. One that takes those names has never to become blind or deaf; indeed, by |
taking those names, one always succeeds in attaining to what is beneficial. Such a man never takes birth in the intermediate |
order of beings, never goes to hell, and never becomes a human being of any of the mixed castes. He has never to fear the |
accession of any calamity. When death comes, he never becomes stupefied. The master of all the deities and Asuras, |
resplendent with effulgence, worshipped by all creatures, inconceivable, indescribable, the life of all living beings, and unborn, |
is the Grandsire Brahma, the Lord of the universe. His chaste spouse is Savitri. Then comes that origin of the Vedas, the creator |
Vishnu, otherwise called Narayana of immeasurable puissance. Then comes the three-eyed Lord of Lima; then Skanda the |
generalissimo of the celestial forces; then Visakha; then Agni the eater of sacrificial libations; then Vayu the god of wind; then |
Chandramas; then Aditya the god of the sun, endued with effulgence; then the illustrious Sakra the lord of Sachi; and Yama |
with his spouse Dhumorna; and Varuna with Gauri; Kuvera the lord of treasures, with his spouse Riddhi; the amiable and |
illustrious cow Surabhi; the great Rishi Visravas; Sankalpa, Ocean, Gangs: the other sacred Rivers; the diverse Maruts; the |
Valkhilyas crowned with success of penances; the island-born Krishna; Narada; Parvata; Viswavasu; the Hahas; the Huhus; |
Tumvuru; Chitrasena; the celestial messenger of wide celebrity; the highly blessed celestial maidens; the celestial Apsaras, |
Urvasi, Menaka, Rambha; Misrakesi, Alamvusha, Viswachi, Ghritachi, Panchachuda, Tilottama, the Adityas, the Vasus, the |
Aswins, the Pitris; Dharma (Righteousness); Vedic lore, Penances, Diksha, Perseverance (in religious acts), the Grandsire, Day |
and Night, Kasyapa the son of Marichi, Sukra, Vrihaspati, Mangala the son of Earth, Vudha, Rahu, Sanischara, the |
Constellations, the Seasons, the Months, the Fortnights, the Year, Garuda, the son of Vinata, the several Oceans, the sons of |
Kadru, viz., the Snakes, Satadru, Vipasa, Chandrabhaga, Saraswati, Sindhu, Devika, Prabhasa, the lakes of Pushkara, Ganga, |
Mahanadi, Vena, Kaveri, Narmada, Kulampuna Visalya, Karatoya, Amvuvahini. Sarayu, Gandaki, the great river Lohita, |
Tamra, Aruna, Vetravati, Parnasa, Gautami, the Godavari, Vena, Krishnavena, Dwija, Drishadvati, Kaveri, Vankhu, Mandakini |
Prayaga, Prabhasa, the sacred Naimisha, the spot sacred to Visweswara or Mahadeva, viz., Kasi, that lake of crystal water, |
Kurukshetra full of many sacred waters, the foremost of oceans (viz., the ocean of milk), Penances, Gifts, Jamvumarga, |
Hiranwati, Vitasta, the river Plakshavati, Vedasmriti, Vedavati, Malava, Aswavati, all sacred spots on Earth, Gangadwara, the |
sacred Rishikulya, the river Chitravaha, the Charmanwati, the sacred river Kausiki, the Yamuna, the river Bhimarathi, the great |
river Vahuda, Mahendravani, Tridiva Nilika, Saraswati, Nanda, the other Nanda, the large sacred lake, Gaya, Phalgutirtha |
Dharmarayana (the sacred forest) that is peopled with the deities, the sacred celestial river, the lake created by the Grandsire |
Brahma which is sacred and celebrated over the three worlds, and auspicious and capable of cleansing all sins, the Himavat |
mountain endued with excellent herbs, the Vindhya mountain variegated with diverse kinds of metals, containing many Tirthas |
and overgrown with medicinal herbs. Meru, Mahendra, Malaya, Sweta endued with silver, Sringavat, Mandara, Nila, Nishada, |
Dardurna, Chitrakuta, Anjanabha, the Gandhamadana mountains; the sacred Somagiri, the various other mountains, the |
cardinal points of the compass, the subsidiary points, the Earth, all the trees, the Viswedevas, the Firmament, the |
Constellations, the Planets, and the deities,--let these all, named and unnamed, rescue and cleanse us! The man who takes the |
names of these becomes cleansed of all his sins. By hymning their praises and gratifying them, one becomes freed from every |
fear. Verily, the man who delights in uttering the hymns in praise of the deities becomes cleansed of all such sins as lead to |
birth in impure orders. After this recital of the deities, I shall name those learned Brahmanas crowned with ascetic merit and |
success and capable of cleaning one of every sin. They are Yavakrita and Raibhya and Kakshivat and Aushija, and Bhrigu and |
Angiras and Kanwa, and the puissant Medhatithi, and Varhi possessed of every accomplishment. These all belong to the |
eastern region. Others, viz., Unmuchu, Pramuchu, all highly blessed, Swastyatreya of great energy, Agastya of great prowess, |
the son of Mitra and Varuna; Dridhayu and Urdhavahu, those two foremost and celebrated of Rishis,--these live in the southern |
region. Listen now to me as I name those Rishis that dwell in the western region. They are Ushango with his uterine brothers, |
Parivyadha of great energy, Dirghatamas, Gautama, Kasyapa, Ekata, Dwita, Trita, the righteous-souled son of Atri (viz., |
Durvasa), and puissant Saraswat. Listen now to me as I name those Rishis that worship the deities in sacrifices, dwelling in the |
northern region. They are Atri, Vasishtha, Saktri, Parasara's son Vyasa of great energy; Viswamitra, Bharadwaja, Jamadagni, |
the son of Richika, Rama, Auddalaka, Swetaketu, Kohala, Vipula, Devala, Devasarman, Dhaumya, Hastikasyapa, Lomasa, |
Nachiketa, Lomaharsana, Ugrasravas, and Bhrigu's son Chyavana. This is the tale of Rishis possessed of Vedic lore. They are |
primeval Rishis, O king, whose names, if taken, are capable of cleansing one of every sin. After this I shall recite the names of |
the principal kings. They are Nriga, Yayati, Nahusha, Yadu, Puru of great energy, Sagara, Dhundhumara, Dilipa of great |
prowess, Krisaswa, Yauvanaswa, Chitraswa, Satyavat, Dushmanta, Bharata who became an illustrious Emperor over many |
kings, Yavana, Janaka, Dhrishtaratha, Raghu, that foremost of kings, Dasaratha, the heroic Rama, that slayer of Rakshasas, |
Sasavindu. Bhagiratha, Harischandra, Marutta, Dridharatha, the highly fortunate Alarka, Aila, Karandhama, that foremost of |
men, Kasmira, Daksha, Amvarisha, Kukura, Raivata of great fame, Kuru, Samvarana, Mandhatri of unbaffled prowess, the |
royal sage Muchukunda, Jahnu who was much favoured by Janhavi (Ganga), the first (in point of time) of all kings, viz., Prithu |
the son of Vena, Mitrabhanu, Priyankara, Trasadasyu, Sweta that foremost of royal sages, the celebrated Mahabhisha, Nimi |
Ashtaka, Ayu, the royal sage Kshupa, Kaksheyu, Pratardana, Devodasa, Sudasa, Kosaleswara, Aila, Nala, the royal sage Manu, |
that lord of all creatures, Havidhara, Prishadhara, Pratipa, Santanu, Aja, the senior Varhi, Ikshwaku of great fame, Anaranya, |
Janujangha, the royal sage Kakshasena, and many others not named (in history). That man who rising at early dawn takes the |
names of these kings at the two twilights, viz., at sunset and sunrise, with a pure body and mind and without distracted |
attention, acquires great religious merit. One should hymn the praises of the deities, the celestial Rishis, and the royal sages and |
say, 'These lords of the creation will ordain my growth and long life and fame! Let no calamity be mine, let no sin defile me, |
and let there be no opponents or enemies of mine! Without doubt, victory will always be mine and an auspicious end |
hereafter!'" |
SECTION CLXVI |
"Janamejaya said, 'When that foremost person among the Kauravas, viz., Bhishma, was lying on a bed of arrows,--a bed that is |
always coveted by heroes,--and when the Pandavas, were sitting around him, my great grandsire Yudhishthira of much |
wisdom, heard these expositions of mysteries with respect to the subject of duty and had all his doubts solved. He heard also |
what the ordinance are that apply to the subjects of gifts, and thus had all his doubts removed with respect to the topics of |
righteousness and wealth. It behoveth thee, O learned Brahmana, to tell me now what else did the great Pandava king do.' |
"Vaisampayana said, 'When Bhishma became silent, the entire circle of king (who were seated around him) became perfectly |
silent. Indeed, they all sat motionless there, like figures painted on canvass. Then Vyasa the son of Satyavati, having reflected |
for a moment, addressed the royal son of Ganga, saying, 'O king, the Kuru chief Yudhishthira has been restored to his own |
nature, along with all brothers and followers. With Krishna of great intelligence by his side, he bends his head in reverence |
unto thee. It behoveth thee to give him leave for returning to the city.' Thus addressed by the holy Vyasa, the royal son of |
Santanu and Ganga dismissed Yudhishthira and his counsellors. The royal son of Santanu, addressing his grandson in a sweet |
voice, also said, 'Do thou return to the city, O king! Let fever of thy heart be dispelled. Do thou adore the deities in diverse |
sacrifices distinguished by large gifts of food and wealth, like Yayati himself, O foremost of kings, endued with devotion and |
self-restraint. Devoted to the practice of the Kshatriya order, do thou, O son of Pritha, gratify the Pitris and the deities. Thou |
shalt then earn great benefits. Indeed, let the fever of thy heart be dispelled. Do thou gladden all thy subjects. Do thou assure |
them and establish peace among all. Do thou also honour all thy well-wishers with such rewards as they deserve! Let all thy |
friends and well-wishers live, depending on thee for their means, even as birds live, depending for their means upon a full- |
grown tree charged with fruit and standing on a sacred spot. When the hour comes for my departure from this world, do thou |
come here, O king. The time when I shall take leave of my body is that period when the sun, stopping in his south-ward course, |
will begin to return northwards!' The son of Kunti answered, 'So be it!' And saluted his grandsire with reverence and then set |
out, with all his relatives and followers, for the city called after the elephant. Placing Dhritarashtra at the head and also |
Gandhari who was exceedingly devoted to her lord, and accompanied by the Rishis and Kesava, as also by the citizens and the |
inhabitants of the country and by his counsellors, O monarch, that foremost one of Kuru's race entered the city named after the |
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