Cretaion of the cosmos continued

Maha.P004

I received comments that the original translation, was not very much well constructed and hard to understand. So I have decided to narrate this epic in simple language (except at certain portions where such narration is not required) while taking care that I don’t miss much in terms of details during narration. So,

The entire cosmological process was unfolded in the previous blog. This is further continued in the following......

Whatever universe that is perceived through the senses animate or inanimate entities will be obliterated at the end of the yuga (period of time). They will be resurrected and renovated for the commencement of the next yuga. This is a perpetual process. This wheel of time revolves.

[Your queries on this section is welcomed!! Don’t take anything given above in a literal sense. Try to question why this is happening? Why there is no cessation of time? Or is there really a cessation of time that is not spoken here? I am not confusing you. I am only hinting you to view the subject in a logical manner so that you don’t take anything in their face value.]

The lineage of all human beings is recorded. This can be considered as a record maintained by the ancestors. I am not going to rewrite it but just give the original translation. You can skim through this if you are interested. It is worthy to note that Dharma, Artha, and Kama are considered as activities that will lead you to Moksha (Liberation).

In simple terms (Don’t assume that the following is the entire meaning of these words and dont worry if you dont know much about these. Just know them as words with their corresponding English meaning):

The term dharma (Sanskrit: dhárma) is an Indian spiritual and religious term that means one's righteous duty, or any virtuous path. Artha is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose, cause, motive, meaning, and notion". Kāma is a Sanskrit term meaning pleasure, sensual gratification, and sexual fulfillment, pleasure of the senses, desire, eros and the aesthetic enjoyment of life. In Sanathana Dharma or Hinduism, Moksha or Mukti literally "release" (both from a root muc "to let loose, let go"), is the liberation from samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth or reincarnation and all of the suffering.

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The generation of Devas, in brief, was thirty-three thousand, thirty-three hundred and thirty-three. The sons of Div were Brihadbhanu, Chakshus, Atma Vibhavasu, Savita, Richika, Arka, Bhanu, Asavaha, and Ravi. Of these Vivaswans of old, Mahya was the youngest whose son was Deva-vrata. The latter had for his son, Su-vrata who, we learn, had three sons,--Dasa-jyoti, Sata-jyoti, and Sahasra-jyoti, each of them producing numerous offspring. The illustrious Dasa-jyoti had ten thousand, Sata-jyoti ten times that number, and Sahasra-jyoti ten times the number of Sata-jyoti's offspring. From these are descended the family of the Kurus, of the Yadus, and of Bharata; the family of Yayati and of Ikshwaku; also of all the Rajarshis. Numerous also were the generations produced, and very abundant were the creatures and their places of abode. The mystery which is threefold--the Vedas, Yoga, and Vijnana Dharma, Artha, and Kama--also various books upon the subject of Dharma, Artha, and Kama; also rules for the conduct of mankind; also histories and discourses with various srutis; all of which having been seen by the Rishi Vyasa are here in due order mentioned as a specimen of the book.

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The Rishi Vyasa made available this mass of knowledge about the universe in both a detailed and an abridged form. It is the wish to know the text both in the detailed and abridged from. Some read the Bharata beginning with the initial mantra (invocation), others with the story of Astika, others with Uparichara, while some Brahmanas study the whole. Some are skilful in explaining it, while others, in remembering its contents, while others are good at commenting the text.

------Anand Hariharan.