Bhisma Parva, Mahabharata/Book VI Chapter 9
Mahabharata Book VI Chapter 9:English
SECTION VIII
"Dhritarashtra said,--'Tell me truly, O Sanjaya, the names of all the Varshas, and of all the mountains, and also of all those that dwell on those mountains.
"Sanjaya said,--'On the south of Sweta and the north of Nishadha, is the Varsha, called
- Ramanaka (रमणक) (VI.9.2). The men that are born there are all of white complexion, of good parentage, and handsome features. And the men born there are also all without enemies. And they live, O king, for eleven thousand and five hundred years, being ever of cheerful hearts. On the south of Nishadha is the Varsha called
- Hiranvata (हिरण्वत) (VI.9.5) where is the river called Hiranwati. There, O king, liveth that foremost of birds named Garuda. And the people there, O monarch, are all followers of the Yakshas, wealthy, and of handsome features. And, O king, the men there are endued with great strength and have: cheerful hearts. And they live for twelve thousand and five hundred years., O king, which is the measure of their lives. The [p. 19]: mountains of Sringavat, 1 O ruler of men, have three beautiful summits. One of these is made of jewels and gems, another is very wonderful, being made of all kinds of gems and adorned with palatial mansions. There the self-luminous lady named Sandili always liveth. On the north of Sringavat and up to the margin of the sea, O king, the Varsha called
- Airavata (ऐरावत) (VI.9.10) . And because this jewelled mountain is there, therefore is this Varsha superior to all. The sun giveth no heat there and men are not subject to decay. And the moon there, with the stars, becoming the only source of light, covereth (the firmament). Possessing the radiance and complexion of the lotus, and endued with eyes that resemble lotus-petals, the men born there have the fragrance of the lotus. With winkless eyes, and agreeable scent (emanating from their bodies), they go without food and have their senses under control. They are all fallen from the region of the celestials, and are all, O king, without sin of any kind. And they live, O monarch, for thirteen thousand years, that being. O best of the Bharatas, the measure of their lives. And so on the north of the milky ocean, the Lord Hari of unlimited puissance dwelleth on his car made of gold. That vehicle is endued with eight wheels, with numerous supernatural creatures stationed on it, and having the speed of the mind. And its complexion is that of fire, and it is endued with mighty energy and adorned with Jamvunada gold. He is the Lord of all creatures, and is possessed, O bull of Bharata's race, of every kind of prosperity. In him the universe merges (when dissolution comes), and from him it again emanates (when the creative desire seizes him). He is the actor, and it is He that makes all others act. He, O monarch, is earth, water, space, air, and fire. He is Sacrifice's self unto all creatures, and fire is His mouth."
Vaisampayana continued,--"The high-souled king Dhritarashtra, thus addressed by Sanjaya, became, O monarch, absorbed in meditation about his sons. Endued with great energy, he then, having reflected, said these words: 'Without doubt, O Suta's son, it is Time that destroyeth the universe. And it is Time that again createth everything. Nothing here is eternal. It is Nara and Narayana, endued with omniscience, that destroyeth all creatures. 2 The gods speak of him as Vaikuntha (of immeasurable puissance), while men call him Vishnu (one that pervadeth the Universe)!'"
Footnotes
19:1 The Bombay edition reads Tasmat-sritigamatas param. The Bengal texts read Yasmat-sringamatas param. The Bengal reading is better. The Asiatic Society's edition contains a misprint. The meaning is, "Because Sringa (jewelled mountain of that name), therefore superior." I have rendered it somewhat freely.
19:2 They are but portions of the same Supreme Being.
Mahabharata Book VI Chapter 9:Sanskrit
1 [धृ]
वर्णाणां चैव नामानि पर्वतानां च संजय
आचक्ष्व मे यदातत्त्वं ये च पर्वतवासिनः
2 [स]
थक्षिणेन तु शवेतस्य नीलस्यैवॊत्तरेण तु
वर्षं रमणकं नाम जायन्ते तत्र मानवाः
3 शुक्लाभिजन संपन्नाः सर्वे सुप्रियथर्शनाः
रतिप्रधानाश च तदा जायन्ते तत्र मानवाः
4 थशवर्षसहस्राणि शतानि थश पञ्च च
जीवन्ति ते महाराज नित्यं मुथितमानसाः
5 थक्षिणे शृङ्गिणश चैव शवेतस्यादॊत्तरेण च
वर्षं हैरण्वतं नाम यत्र हैरण्वती नथी
6 यक्षानुगा महाराज धनिनः परैय थर्शनाः
महाबलास तत्र सथा राजन मुथितमानसाः
7 एकाथश सहस्राणि वर्षाणां ते जनाधिप
आयुष परमाणं जीवन्ति शतानि थश पञ्च च
8 शृङ्गाणि वै शृङ्गवतस तरीण्य एव मनुजाधिप
एकं मणिमयं तत्र तदैकं रौक्मम अथ्भुतम
9 सर्वरत्नमयं चैकं भवनैर उपशॊभितम
तत्र सवयंप्रभा थेवी नित्यं वसति शाण्डिली
10 उत्तरेण तु शृङ्गस्य समुथ्रान्ते जनाधिप
वर्षम ऐरावतं नाम तस्माच छृङ्गवतः परम
11 न तत्र सूर्यस तपति न ते जीर्यन्ति मानवाः
चन्थ्रमाश च स नक्षत्रॊ जयॊतिर भूत इवावृतः
12 पथ्मप्रभाः पथ्मवर्णाः पथ्मपत्र निभेक्षणाः
पथ्मपत्र सुगन्धाश च जायन्ते तत्र मानवाः
13 अनिष्पन्थाः सुगन्धाश च निराहारा जितेन्थ्रियाः
थेवलॊकच्युताः सर्वे तदा विरजसॊ नृप
14 तरयॊथश सहस्राणि वर्षाणां ते जनाधिप
आयुष परमाणं जीवन्ति नरा भरतसत्तम
15 क्षीरॊदस्य समुथ्रस्य तदैवॊत्तरतः परभुः
हरिर वसति वैकुण्ठः शकटे कनकात्मके
16 अष्टचक्रं हि तथ यानं भूतयुक्तं मनॊजवम
अग्निवर्णं महावेगं जाम्बूनदपरिष्कृतम
17 स परभुः सर्वभूतानां विभुश च भरतर्षभ
संक्षेपॊ विस्तरश चैव कर्ता कारयिता च सः
18 पृदिव्य आपस तदाकाशं वायुस तेजश च पार्दिव
स यज्ञः सर्वभूतानाम आस्यं तस्य हुताशनः
19 [व]
एवम उक्तः संजयेन धृतराष्ट्रॊ महामनाः
धयानम अन्वगमथ राजा पुत्रान परति जनाधिप
20 स विचिन्त्य महाराज पुनर एवाब्रवीथ वचः
असंशयं सूतपुत्र कालः संक्षिपते जगत
सृजते च पुनः सर्वं न ह विथ्यति शाश्वतम
21 नरॊ नारायणश चैव सर्वज्ञः सर्वभूतभृत
थेवा वैकुण्ठ इत्य आहुर वेथा विष्णुर इति परभुम
Mahabharata Book VI Chapter 9:Transliteration
1 [dhṛ]
varṇāṇāṃ caiva nāmāni parvatānāṃ ca saṃjaya
ācakṣva me yathātattvaṃ ye ca parvatavāsinaḥ
2 [s]
dakṣiṇena tu śvetasya nīlasyaivottareṇa tu
varṣaṃ ramaṇakaṃ nāma jāyante tatra mānavāḥ
3 śuklābhijana saṃpannāḥ sarve supriyadarśanāḥ
ratipradhānāś ca tathā jāyante tatra mānavāḥ
4 daśavarṣasahasrāṇi śatāni daśa pañca ca
jīvanti te mahārāja nityaṃ muditamānasāḥ
5 dakṣiṇe śṛṅgiṇaś caiva śvetasyāthottareṇa ca
varṣaṃ hairaṇvataṃ nāma yatra hairaṇvatī nadī
6 yakṣānugā mahārāja dhaninaḥ praiya darśanāḥ
mahābalās tatra sadā rājan muditamānasāḥ
7 ekādaśa sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ te janādhipa
āyuṣ pramāṇaṃ jīvanti śatāni daśa pañca ca
8 śṛṅgāṇi vai śṛṅgavatas trīṇy eva manujādhipa
ekaṃ maṇimayaṃ tatra tathaikaṃ raukmam adbhutam
9 sarvaratnamayaṃ caikaṃ bhavanair upaśobhitam
tatra svayaṃprabhā devī nityaṃ vasati śāṇḍilī
10 uttareṇa tu śṛṅgasya samudrānte janādhipa
varṣam airāvataṃ nāma tasmāc chṛṅgavataḥ param
11 na tatra sūryas tapati na te jīryanti mānavāḥ
candramāś ca sa nakṣatro jyotir bhūta ivāvṛtaḥ
12 padmaprabhāḥ padmavarṇāḥ padmapatra nibhekṣaṇāḥ
padmapatra sugandhāś ca jāyante tatra mānavāḥ
13 aniṣpandāḥ sugandhāś ca nirāhārā jitendriyāḥ
devalokacyutāḥ sarve tathā virajaso nṛpa
14 trayodaśa sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ te janādhipa
āyuṣ pramāṇaṃ jīvanti narā bharatasattama
15 kṣīrodasya samudrasya tathaivottarataḥ prabhuḥ
harir vasati vaikuṇṭhaḥ śakaṭe kanakātmake
16 aṣṭacakraṃ hi tad yānaṃ bhūtayuktaṃ manojavam
agnivarṇaṃ mahāvegaṃ jāmbūnadapariṣkṛtam
17 sa prabhuḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ vibhuś ca bharatarṣabha
saṃkṣepo vistaraś caiva kartā kārayitā ca saḥ
18 pṛthivy āpas tathākāśaṃ vāyus tejaś ca pārthiva
sa yajñaḥ sarvabhūtānām āsyaṃ tasya hutāśanaḥ
19 [v]
evam uktaḥ saṃjayena dhṛtarāṣṭro mahāmanāḥ
dhyānam anvagamad rājā putrān prati janādhipa
20 sa vicintya mahārāja punar evābravīd vacaḥ
asaṃśayaṃ sūtaputra kālaḥ saṃkṣipate jagat
sṛjate ca punaḥ sarvaṃ na ha vidyati śāśvatam
21 naro nārāyaṇaś caiva sarvajñaḥ sarvabhūtabhṛt
devā vaikuṇṭha ity āhur vedā viṣṇur iti prabhum
References
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