SECTION 2 - UPODGHĀTA PADA
1. Thus this first Pāda (section the main theme of which was prakriya was narrated. On hearing it, Sanatana, the descendant of Käśhyapa was much delighted in mind.
2. Addressing Sūta with (appreciative) words, he asked him the subsequent narrative. “O Knower of Kalpas, please narrate to us (the events during) the period of transition between the two ages.1
1. Out of the five main characteristics of a Purana, description of Manvantaras is one. Thus we find it in Bh. P. VIII. 1. 1-29, KP. I. 51, NP. I. 40. 17-37 and others. This chapter which textually corresponds to Bd. P. I. 2.6 deals with Kalpas and the interim period between them.
3. We are desirous to know the difference between the two Kalpas, viz. the one that has gone and the other that is current. Let us also know the Pratisandhi (period of transition) between the two (Kalpas) as you are undoubtedly very intelligent.”
Lomaharşhaņa said:
4. I shall describe to you here the difference between the two Kalpas: the one that has gone and the other that is current, and the period of transition between the two.
5-6. O sages of holy rites, now understand the Manvantaras that are in the Kalpas. This auspicious Kalpa that is current now is (called the) Väräha Kalpa. The Kalpa that has gone before this Kalpa was (known as) Sanātana. Now understand the condition of) the interim period between that Kalpa and the present one.
7-8. When the previous Kalpa recedes there is a period of transition. Another Kalpa sets in again and again from Janaloka. This happens again and again when the period of transition ends, the Kalpas are cut off from each other. At the end of a Kalpa, all the rites are completely annihilated. Hence it is called the period of transition between one Kalpa and another.
9. The joints (transition) between the periods called Manvantara and Yuga are also cut off. Manvantaras function with the inter-connections of Yugas.
10. The Kalpas that have been briefly narrated in the Prakriya Pada [each Kalpa (out of them) has a Pūrva-ardha (earlier half) and a Para-ardha (later half)]. When a Kalpa elapses, its later half is followed by the earlier half of the next Kalpa.
11. The other Kalpas which follow in future are so tied with their later half. The Kalpa that is current, O Brahmanas, is the first among them.
12. In it the first (half) is called Parva (Purvārdha) and the latter half is called Para. This is the period of sustenance (of the world). The period after it is called the dissolution of the world.1
1. At the end of a Manvantara (Manu-period), the Yuga-period connecting the two Manu-periods is not broken, but at the end of a Kalpa the Universe is annihilated.
13-15. The Kalpa which preceded the present Kalpa was Sanatana (by name). When at the end of one thousand sets of four Yugas along with the Manvantaras, the Kalpa came to an end, then the time of the destruction (of the universe) by fire arrived: 2
2. The following verses describe the process of dissolution of the Universe.
In that Kalpa the gods who used to move about in aerial chariots, constellations, planets, stars, the sun, the moon and planetary bodies (sites) -all these meritorious souls numbered twenty-eight crores.
16-17. Just as the number was 28 crores) in one Manvantara, (their number) in fourteen Manvantaras is the same.
Therefore, their total number in all Manvantaras) was (14 x 28 =) three hundred and ninety-two crores. In the Kalpa that passed away, the number of gods moving about in aerial chariots is said as being seven hundred and eight thousand. In each Kalpa (the same number of) gods is said as possessing chariots.
18. In all the fourteen Manvantaras, there had been Devas, Pitris, sages and Manus in the heaven.
19-20. The sons of Manus who are their followers, the respectable Devas who receive honour and praise from the people of all castes and stages of life and those heaven-dwellers who remain in the Devaloka-all these stand on equal footing along with their associates at the time of final dissolution.
21-22. When the dissolution becomes due, the Devas residing in the three worlds realize their inevitable (fateful) turn which necessarily occurs in due course.1 Characterized by unconcern and grief, they forsake their associated positions and fix their mind anxiously on Maharloka.
1. Verses 21-30 describe how Devas proceed from heaven to still higher regions in the order: Mahar Svar Tapas-Brahma.
23. They are endowed with bodies special to Maharloka. All of them abound in special purity and acquire mental achievement.
24-25. They establish contact with the Brāhmaṇas, Kşhatriyas, Vaishyas and others who have been devoted to that Kalpa. After fixing their minds on Maharloka, the fourteen groups of devas fix their minds on Janaloka too.
26. They have abundant purity and have attained mental perfection, along with the contemporaries of their Kalpa, who have attained Maharloka.
27. Repeating it ten times, they go to the worlds called Svar and Tapas. After staying there for ten Kalpas, they proceed to the world called Satya. The residents of the Kalpa go in this order.
28. Thus thousands of Yugas according to the calculations of Devas pass by when the residents go to Brahma’s world where they attain their goal of final liberation [Lit. the state from which there is no return to Samsāra].
29. Except over lordship (on the world), they become equal to Brahma in affluence, glory, form (appearance) and objects (of enjoyment of senses).1
1. That is the difference between a liberated soul and Brahmā; an echo of Brahma Sutra IV. 4. 17-18.
30. There they stay happily due to their close contact with Brahmă. Acquiring the bliss of Brahmă, they become liberated along with Brahmă.
31. In view of the inevitability in matters pertaining to Prakruti, they remain bound in their separateness produced at that time.
32. Just as in a wakeful stage knowledge occurs with intellectual efforts from its forms, similarly knowledge which arises in them at that time, begins to function.
33. When the differences of those whose energies are of different nature, are restrained and withdrawn, their effects and instruments (sense organs) are produced along with them.
34-35. Of those residents of Brahmaloka whose authorities are lost (destroyed) due to the manifestation of their differences and multiplicity, but who abide by their own Dharma, those Siddhas have similar characteristics, are of pure souls and unsullied. In their nature they are beyond the sense-organs and are well established in their souls.
36. After revealing itself entirely to them, Prakruti thus seen does not function because it is not activized by Puruşha.
37. When the creation starts again, the Präkrutic causes join together and originate those seers of truth.
38. Here those persons who have attained liberation have not to go by the (same) path of Samsāra. There is the non-recurrence (non-existence) of these like the blazing flames of fire which has been extinguished.2
2. Cf. the concept of Brahma-nirvāna in BG V. 24-26.
39. When these great souls have gone up beyond the three worlds, those who have not reached. Janaloka along with them from Maharloka are left behind to stay in Maharloka. They retain their body for a Kalpa.
40. There are classes of beings from Gandharvas to Pishachas, Brahmanas and other human beings, animals and birds, the immobile ones and reptiles.
41. While they (the beings mentioned in v. 40) stand there as the residents of the surface of the earth, at that time the thousand rays that emanate from the sun getting combined and concentrated) become seven rays of the sun and each ray (out of those seven rays) becomes a sun.
42. Rising up gradually, they burn the three worlds, mobile and immobile beings, rivers and all mountains. They had already been dried up by drought and are now burnt by the suns.
43. Then all these-the mobile and immobile, both the pious and impious who are burnt by the rays of the sun, settle down and rest.
44-45. At the end of the sinful age, they go away with their bodies burnt. But they are not freed from bodies derived from their pious or impious activities. They are united with the people of Jana Loka having the same form as they have. Abounding in purity they attain mental perfection.
46. Having stayed there for the period of the night of Brahma of unmanifest birth, they are born again as the mental sons of Brahmā, at the beginning of the creation of the world).
47-48. When the residents of the three worlds thus function in Janaloka, and the three worlds are burnt down by the seven Suns, when the earth is flooded with rain, when all abodes are scattered, the oceans, clouds and the earthly waters form a vast watery mass called ‘Salila’1.
1. Verses 47-52 give the popular etymologies of salila, arnava, ambhas, tanu and nārā. Cf. Bd. P. I. 2. 6. 51-56 for similar derivation of these words.
49. It (water) followed (one flood after another). When that enormous flood of water covered the earth in one vast sheet of water) it is called Arnava (sea).
50. The word (root) bha is used in the sense of spreading (vyäpti) and shining (dipti), as water shines and spreads. It floods on all sides and hence water is known as Ambhas.
51. The root Tan means ‘to cover’, ‘to expand.’ Since waters cover up the earth completely on all sides and expand, they are known as Tanus.
52. The learned say that the particle ‘Aram’ denotes quickness. In the vast ocean the waters are not quick. (Hence) they are called ‘Näras’.
53-55. At the end of a thousand Yugas, when Brahma’s day comes to an end, when, during the night everything is covered up with water, when the earth destroyed by the fire disappears in water, when the wind is calm and motionless, and darkness spreads around and there is no ray of light, Brahmā, the Lord Purusha who presides over all these, desires to make the apportionment of this world once again.
56. When the mobile and immobile beings are destroyed and lost in that vast ocean, Brahma becomes (a god) endowed with a thousand i.e. innumerable feet and thousand eyes.
57. The thousand-headed Puruşha, of golden complexion, who is beyond the ken of senses, who is Brahmā called Nārāyaṇa, goes to sleep in the water.
58. When he wakes up due to the predominance of Sattva guna, he sees the world a void. They cite this verse about Nārāyana.
59. Waters are called Nära. We have thus heard that the name of waters is Tanus. He stays there with waters coming up to his umbilicus. So he is called Nārāyaṇa.
60. In the Vedas he is called the first patriarch, the Purusha with good mind, thousand (i.e. innumerable) heads, thousand feet, thousand eyes, thousand faces, thousand hands1 and devouring thousands.
1. Cf. the Purusha Sūkta (RV X. 90)
61. He has the colour of Aditya (sun). He is the protector of the world. He is the single unprecedented and the first over-powerer of the mighty. He is the golden-wombed Purusha. He is the noble soul who is beyond darkness.
62. At the beginning of the Kalpas, Rajas predominates in him. He becomes Brahma and creates the subjects. At the end of the Kalpas, Tamas predominates in him. He becomes Kala and swallows them again.
63. He who is designated as Narayana with the Sattva Guņa predominant, sleeps in the vast ocean. Dividing himself into three forms, he abides in the three worlds.
64-65. Through the three forms he creates, surveys and swallows them. When the mobile and immobile world is destroyed in that vast ocean, at the end of thousand sets of four Yugas, when everything is covered up with water all round, Brahmă called Nārāyaṇa sleeps in the dark, deep waters.
66. The great sages see from Maharloka, Kāla who, after swallowing four types of creation, is slumbering in the great (cosmic) ocean during the night of Brahma.
67. The great sages like Bhrugu and others as in seven Kalpas, so in this Kalpa, surrounded this immense being. That immense being is surrounded by the seven sages Bhrugu and others.
68. The word ‘Ruşhi’ is derived from the root Rs, ‘to go’.1 They existed from the beginning hence they are called Ruşhis. The word Mahat indicates ‘greatness’. Because they are great, they are called Maharşhis.
1. A correct etymology.
69. The sleeping Kāla was then observed by them while staying in Maharloka. In the past Kalpa there were seven sages beginning with Satya.
70. Thus, during these nights of Brahma that had passed in thousands, the great sages (Satya and others) saw the sleeping Kala (during the period of his slumber).
71. Brahma is called Kala (the destroyer) because at the beginning of a Kalpa, he fashioned fourteen forms of destruction.
72. He creates living beings at the beginning of each Kalpa again and again. He, the great lord, is both manifest and unmanifest. This entire universe is his creation.
73-74. Thus the period of transition between the two Kalpas-the one that is current and the other that has passed - has been described to you briefly. The conditions that existed in previous Kalpas have also been mentioned briefly. Now I shall explain the present Kalpa. Listen to that.