Hymn to Vasudeva

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:41:16 EST

Listen, O king, with attention, and having listened, let it go to thy heart. Nothing (in this world) is the result of incantation, nothing the result of illusion of any king.

Listen again, O King, to what you have asked me, that is, the true cause, O chief of the Bharatas, of the victory of the Pandavas! I will tell you what I have heard, O chastiser of foes. Duryodhana had asked the grandsire this very question. Beholding his brothers, all mighty car-warriors, vanquished in battle, your son Duryodhana, O Kaurava, with heart confounded with grief, repairing with humility during the night to the grandsire possessed of great wisdom, asked him this question. Listen to me, O monarch, about it all!

Duryodhana said:
Drona and you, Salya, Kripa, Drona's son, Kritavarman the son of Hridika, Sudakshina the ruler of the Kamvojas, Bhurisravas, Vikarna, and Bhagadatta, of exceeding prowess, are all regarded as mighty car-warriors. All of these, again, are high-born, and prepared to throw away their lives in battle. It is my opinion that these are a match, for even the three worlds (united together) cannot bear your prowess. A doubt has arisen in my mind. Explain it to me who enquires of you. Who it is, relying on whom the Pandavas are vanquishing us repeatedly?

Bhishma said:
Listen, O King, to the words that I will speak unto you, O you of Kuru's race! Frequently were you addressed by me to the same effect, but you did not do what I had said. Let peace be made with the Pandavas, O best of the Bharatas! I regard this to be beneficial both to the world and you, O Lord!

Enjoy this earth, O King, with your brothers and be happy, gratifying all your well-wishers and delighting your kinsfolk. Although I had cried myself hoarse before, you did not listen to me, O Sire! You had always disregarded the sons of Pandu. The effect of all that has now overtaken you! Listen also, O King, from me as I speak of it, O Lord, to the reason why the Pandavas, whose achievements tire them not, are un-slayable.

There is not, was not, will not be, the being in all the worlds who would or will be able to vanquish the sons of Pandu who are all protected by the wielder of Saranga. Listen truly, O you that are conversant with morality, to that ancient history which was recited to me by sages of souls under control.

In days of yore, all the celestials and the Rishis, united together, waited reverentially on the Grandsire (Brahma) upon the mountains of Gandhamadana. And the Lord of all creatures, seated at his ease in their midst, beheld an excellent car stationed in the firmament, blazing with effulgence. Having ascertained (everything about it) by meditation, joining his hands with restrained heart, Brahma, with delighted soul, made his salutations to the highest Divine Being. And the Rishis and the celestials, beholding in the firmament (the form thus) displayed, all stood up with joined hands, their eyes fixed on that wonder of wonders.

Worshipping Him duly, Brahma, the foremost of all conversant with the Brahman, the Creator of the universe, acquainted with the highest morality, uttered these high words:

Aum!
Thou art the Glory of the universe for Thy form,
Thou art the Lord of the universe,
Thou whose protection extends through the whole universe,
Thou that has the universe for Thy work,
Thou that has Thy soul under control,
Thou art the Supreme Master of the universe,
Thou art Vasudeva.
Therefore, I seek refuge in Thee that art the soul of Yoga and the highest Divinity.
Victory to Thee that art the Supreme God of the universe,
Victory to Thee that art ever employed in the good of the worlds,
Victory to Thee that art the Lord of Yoga.
Having the lotus springing from Thy navel, and having large expansive eyes,
Victory to Thee that art Lord of lords of the universe.
O Lord of the past, the present and the future,
Victory to Thee that art the embodiment of gentleness,
Victory to Thee that art the Sun of suns, and
Thee that art the receptacle of untold attributes,
Victory to Thee that art the refuge of all things,
Thou art Narayana.
Thou art incapable of being understood.
Victory to Thee that art the wielder of the bow called Saranga,
Victory to Thee that art endued with every attribute.
O Thou that hast the universe for Thy form,
O Thou that art ever hale,
O Lord of the Universe,
O Thou of mighty arms,
Victory to Thee that art always ready for benefiting the worlds,
O great Snake!
O huge Boar!
O first Cause!
O Thou of tawny locks! Victory to Thee that art Almighty!
O Thou of yellow robes,
O Lord of the cardinal, and the subsidiary points of the compass,
O Thou that hast the universe for Thy abode,
O Thou that art Infinite,
O Thou that hast no decay,
O Thou that art the Manifest,
O Thou that art the Un-manifest,
O Thou that art the immeasurable Space,
O Thou that hast all thy senses under control,
O Thou that always achievest what is good,
O Thou that art immeasurable,
O Thou that alone knowest Thy own nature,
Victory to Thee that art deep,
O Thou that art the giver of all wishes,
O Thou that art without end,
O Thou that art known as the Brahman,
O Thou that art Eternal,
O Thou that art the Creator of all creatures,
O Thou that art ever successful,
O Thou whose acts always display wisdom,
O Thou that art conversant with morality,
O Thou that givest victory,
O Thou of mysterious Self,
O Thou that art the Soul of all Yoga,
O Thou that art the Cause of everything that hath sprung into existence,
O Thou that art the knowledge of the selves of all beings,
O Lord of the worlds! Victory to Thee that art the creator of all beings!
O Thou that hath Thyself for Thy origin,
O Thou that art highly blessed,
O Thou that art the Destroyer of everything,
O Thou that art the inspirer of all mental thoughts,
Victory to Thee that art dear to all conversant with the Brahman!
O Thou that art busy in creation and destruction,
O Controller of all wishes,
O Supreme Lore,
O Thou that art the Cause of Amrita,
O Thou that art All-existent,
O Thou that art the first that appears at the end of the Yuga,
O Thou that art the giver of victory,
O Divine Lord of the lords of all creatures,
O Thou that hast the lotus springing from thy navel,
O Thou of mighty strength,
O Thou that art sprung from Thyself,
O Thou that art the great elements in their primeval state,
O Thou that art the soul of all (religious) rites,
Victory to Thee that givest all.

The goddess Earth represents Thy two feet, the cardinal and the subsidiary directions Thy arms, and the heavens Thy head. I am Thy form, the celestials constitute Thy limbs, and the Sun and the Moon are Thy two eyes. Ascetic austerities and Truth born of morality and (religious) rites constitute Thy strength. Fire is Thy energy, the wind is Thy breath, and the waters have sprung from Thy sweat. The twins Aswins constitute Thy ears, and the goddess Saraswati is Thy tongue. The Vedas are Thy Knowledge, and upon Thee rests this Universe.
O Lord of Yoga and Yogis! We do not know Thy extent, Thy measure, Thy energy, Thy prowess, Thy might and Thy origin.
O God! O Visnu! Filled with devotion in Thee, and depending upon Thee with vows and observances, we ever worship Thee as the highest Lord, the God of gods. The Rishis, the gods, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Rakshasas, the Pannagas, the Pisachas, human beings, beasts, birds and reptiles were all created by me on earth through Thy grace.
O Thou having the lotus springing from Thy navel,
O Thou of large expansive eyes,
O Krisna,
O Dispeller of all woe,
Thou art the Refuge of all creatures, and
Thou art their Guide,
Thou hast the universe for Thy mouth,
Through Thy grace, O Lord of the gods, the gods are ever happy.
Through Thy grace the Earth hath always been freed from terrors.
Therefore, O Thou of large eyes, take birth in the race of Yadu. For the sake of establishing righteousness, for slaying the sons of Diti and for upholding the universe do what I have said.
O Lord! O Vasudeva! That which is Thy supreme mystery, which, O Lord, has been sung by me through Thy grace.
Having created the divine Sankarshana out of Thy own Self by Thyself, Thou didst then, O Krisna, create Thyself as Pradyumna born of Thyself. From Pradyumna Thou didst then create Aniruddha who is known as the eternal Visnu. And it was Aniruddha who created me as Brahma, the upholder of the Universe. Created out of Vasudeva's Essence, I have, therefore, been created by Thee.
Dividing Thyself into portions, take birth, O Lord, among human beings. And slaughtering the asuras there for happiness of all the worlds, and establishing righteousness, and winning renown, Thou wilt again truly attain to Yoga (Divinity).
The regenerate Rishis on earth and the gods, O Thou of infinite prowess, devoted to Thee, sing of Thy wondrous Self, under those names that belong to Thee.
O Thou of excellent arms! All classes of creatures rest on Thee, having taken refuge in Thee, Thou being the giver of boons. The regenerate ones sing of Thee as the world's bridge, having no beginning, middle and end, and as possessed of unlimited Yoga.
Bhishma said:
Then that illustrious Deity, the Lord of the worlds, replied unto Brahma in a soft deep voice, saying:
Through Yoga, O sire, all that is wished by thee is known to me. It will be even as thou wishest.
And saying this, He disappeared then and there.
Then the gods, Rishis and the Gandharvas, filled with great wonder and curiosity, all asked the Grandsire, saying:
Who is that One, O Lord, that was worshipped by thy illustrious self with such humility, and praised in such high words? We desire to hear.
Thus addressed, the illustrious Grandsire replied unto saying:
He who is called TAT,
He who is Supreme,
He who is existent at present and who will be for all time,
He who is the highest Self,
He who is the Soul of beings, and
He who is the great Lord,
I was talking with His ever-cheerful Self, ye bulls among gods.
The Lord of the universe was solicited by me, for the good of the universe, to take His birth among mankind in the family of Vasudeva. I said unto Him, ‘for the slaughter of the asuras, take Thy birth in the world of men. Those daityas and rakshasas, of fierce form and great strength that were slain in battle, have been born among men. Indeed, the illustrious and mighty Lore, taking birth in the human womb, will live on the earth, accompanied by Nara. Those ancient and the best of Rishis, that is, Nara and Narayana, when born together in the world of men, will not be known (as such) by fools.
He, from whose Self, I, Brahma, the lord of the whole universe, have sprung, that Vasudeva, that Supreme God of all the worlds, is worthy of your adoration. Endued with great energy, and bearing the conch, the discus and the mace, he should never be disregarded as a man, ye best of deities.
He is the Supreme Mystery, the Supreme Refuge, the Supreme Brahman and the Supreme Glory. He is without decay, Un-manifest, and Eternal. He it is who hath been sung as Purusa, though none can comprehend Him. The divine Artificer hath sung of Him as the Supreme Energy, the Supreme Felicity and the Supreme Truth. Therefore, the Lord Vasudeva of immeasurable prowess should never be disregarded as a man, by all the asuras and the gods with Indra at their head.
That person of foolish understanding is called a wretch, who, from disregard, speaketh of Hrishikesa as only a man. People speak of Him as one labouring under darkness who disregardeth Vasudeva, that Yogi of illustrious Soul, for his entering into a human form. People speak of Him as one labouring under darkness, who knoweth not that Divine personage, that Soul of the mobile and the immobile creation, that One bearing the auspicious wheel (on his breast), that One of dazzling effulgence, that One from whose navel hath sprung the (primeval) lotus.
He, who disregardeth that wearer of the diadem and the Kaustubha gem, that dispeller of fears of His friends, that high-souled One, sinketh in this darkness. Having known all these truths duly, that Lord of the worlds, that is, Vasudeva, should be adored by every one, ye the best of gods.
Bhishma continued:
Having said these words unto those gods and Rishis in days of yore, the illustrious Grandsire, dismissing them all, repaired to his own abode. And the gods and the Gandharvas, and the munis and the apsaras also, having listened to those words spoken by Brahma, were filled with delight and repaired to heaven. Even this was heard by me, O sire, from Rishis of cultured souls, talking in their assembly, of Vasudeva, that ancient One.
O thou that art well-versed in scriptures, I heard this from Rama, the son of Jamadagni, Markandeya of great wisdom, Vyasa and Narada also. Having learnt all this and heard of the illustrious Vasudeva as the Eternal Lord, the Supreme God of all the worlds, and the great Master, from who hath sprung Brahma himself, the Father of the universe, why should not that Vasudeva be adored and worshipped by men?
Forbidden wert thou before, O sire, by sages of cultured souls (who said unto thee) ‘never go to war with that Vasudeva armed with bow, as also with the Pandavas'. This, from folly, thou couldst not apprehend. I regard thee, therefore, as a wicked rakshasa. Thou art, besides, enveloped in darkness.
It is for this, O King, that I say unto thee that this One is Eternal and Unfading, Pervading the whole universe, Unchanging, the Ruler, Creator and Upholder of all, and the truly Existent. He it is who upholdeth the three worlds. He is the Supreme Lord of all mobile and immobile creatures, He is the great Master, He is Warrior, He is Victory, He is Victor, and He is the Lord of all nature. O King, He is full of goodness and divested of all the qualities of darkness and passion.
There, where Krisna is, righteousness is; and there is victory where righteousness is. It is by the Yoga of His Supreme Excellence and the Yoga of His Self that the sons of Pandu, O King, are supported. Victory, therefore, will surely be theirs.
He it is that always imparteth to the Pandavas the understanding endued with righteousness, and strength in battle; and He it is that always protecteth them from danger. He is the Eternal God, pervading all beings, and ever blessed.
He, of whom thou hadst asked me, is known by the name of Vasudeva. He it is whom brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas and sudras, having distinctive features of their own, humbly serve and worship with restrained hearts, while performing their own duties. He it is who, towards the close of the Dwapara-yuga and the beginning of the Kali -yuga, is sung of, with Sankarshana, by believers with devotion. It is that Vasudeva that createth yuga after yuga, the worlds of the gods and the mortals, all cities girt by the sea, and the region of human habitation.
Duryodhana said:
In all the worlds, Vasudeva is spoken of as the Supreme Being. I desire, O grandsire, to know His origin and glory.
Bhishma said:
Vasudeva is the Supreme Being. He is the God of all gods. None superior to him of eyes like lotus-petals is to be seen, O bull of Bharata's race!
Markandeya speaketh of Govinda as the most Wonderful and the most High, as the All-being, as the All-soul, as the Highest soul, and as the Supreme Being. Water, Air and Fire were created by Him. That Divine Master and Lord of all the worlds created this Earth. That Supreme Being of illustrious Soul laid himself down on the waters. And that Divine Being, made up of all kinds of energy, slept thereon in Yoga.
From His mouth, He created Fire; and from His breath, the Wind. Of unfading glory, He created from His mouth Speech and the Vedas. It is thus that He created first the worlds, and also the gods along with the diverse classes of Rishis. And He created decay and death also of all creatures, as well as birth and growth.
He is Righteousness and of righteous soul. He is the giver of boons and the giver of all (our) wishes. He is the Actor and Action, and He is Himself the Divine Master. He first made the past, the present and the future; He is the Creator of the universe. He is of illustrious Soul; He is the Master possessed of unfading glory.
He created Sankarshana, the first-born of all creatures. He created the divine Sesha who is known as Ananta and who upholdeth all creatures and the earth with its mountains. Of Supreme Energy, He it is whom the regenerate ones know by yoga-meditation.
Sprung from the secretions of his ear, the great asura known by the name Madhu, fierce and of fierce deeds, entertaining a fierce intent and about to destroy Brahma, was slain by that Supreme Being. O sire! In consequence of Madhu's slaughter, the gods, the danavas, the human beings and the Rishis call Janardana, the slayer of Madhu.
He is the great Boar. He is the great Lion. And He is the three-stepped Lord. He is the mother and the father of all living creatures. There never was, nor be, any superior to Him of eyes like lotus-petals.
From His mouth, He created the brahmanas, from His two arms the kshatriyas, from His thighs the vaisyas and from His feet the sudras. One, waiting dutifully on Him, observant of vows with ascetic austerities on days of the full-moon and the new-moon, is sure to obtain the Divine Kesava, that Refuge of all embodied creatures, that Essence of the Brahman and of Yoga.
Kesava is the higher Energy, the Grandsire of all the worlds. Him O King, the sages call Hrishikesa (the lord of the senses). He, should all know, is the Preceptor, the Father and the Master.
Inexhaustible regions (of blessedness) are won by him with whom Krisna is gratified. He who, in a place of fear, seeketh the protection of Kesava, and he who frequently readeth this description, becometh happy and endued with prosperity. Those men who attain to Krisna are never beguiled. Janardana always saveth those that are sunk in great terrors. Knowing this truly, O Bharata, Yudhishthira, with his whole soul, O King, hath sought the shelter of the highly blessed Kesava, the Lord of Yoga, and the Lord of the Earth.
Hear from me, O King, this hymn that was uttered by Brahma himself. This hymn was, in days of yore, communicated by regenerate Rishis and the gods (to men) on earth.
Narada described Him as the Master and the Lord of the God of gods, and all the Sadhyas and the celestials, and as one acquainted with the nature of the Creator of the worlds.
Markandeya spoke of Him as the Past, the Present and the Future, the Sacrifice of sacrifices and the Austerity of austerities.
The illustrious Bhrigu said of Him that ‘Thou art the God of the gods, and that Thine is the ancient form of Visnu'.
Dwaipayana said of Him that 'Thou art Vasudeva of the Vasus, the establisher of Sakra and the God of gods and all creatures'.
In days of yore, on the occasion of procreating creatures, the sages spoke of Him as Daksha, the Father of Creation.
Angiras said that ‘Thou art the Creator of all beings'.
Devala said of Him that the ‘Un-manifest is all Thy body, and the Manifest is in Thy mind, and that the gods are all the result of Thy breath. With Thy head is pervaded the heavens, and Thy two arms support the earth. In Thy stomach are the three worlds, and Thou art the Eternal Being'.
Men exalted by asceticism know Him thus: ‘Thou art the Sat of Sat, with Rishis gratified with sight of Self. With royal sages of liberal minds, never retreating from battle, and having morality for their highest end, Thou, O slayer of Madhu, art, the sole refuse'.
Even thus is that illustrious and Supreme Being, Hari, adored and worshipped by Sanatkumara and other ascetics endued with yoga. The truth about Kesava, O sire, is now narrated to thee, both in brief and in detail. Turn thy heart in love to Kesava.
Hearing this sacred story, thy son, O great King, began to regard highly both Kesava and these mighty car-warriors, that is, the sons of Pandu. Then, O Monarch, Bhishma, the son of Santanu, once more addressed thy son, saying:
Thou hast now heard truly, O King, about the glory of the high-souled Kesava and of Nara, about which thou hadst asked me. Thou hast also heard about the object for which both Nara and Narayana have taken their births among men. Thou hast also been told the reason why those heroes are invincible and have never been vanquished in battle, and why also, O King, the sons of Pandu are incapable of being slain in battle, by anybody.

Krisna beareth great love for the illustrious sons of Pandu. It is for this, O King of kings, that I say, ‘let peace be made with the Pandavas.' Restraining thy passions, enjoy thou the earth with thy mighty brothers (around thee). By disregarding the divine Nara and Narayana, thou shalt certainly be destroyed.

Having said these words, thy sire became silent, O Monarch, and dismissing the King, entered his tent. And the King also came back to his (own) tent, having worshipped the illustrious grandsire. And then, O bull of Bharata's race, he laid himself down on his white bed for passing the night in sleep.

K. R. Paramahamsa is an author of book EKAM SAT 3

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Hymn to Vasudeva