Chapter 1 of 11
The Dialogue Between Sages and Vyasa
This chapter presents the setting for the proposed dialogue. The sages in the Naimisaranya wanted to get from Suta, the supreme knowledge of the Brahman which leads to the annihilation of Samsara. Suta was about to tell when his preceptor Vyasa came there. Suta requested him to explain to the sages the knowledge about Brahma which Vyasa taught him as it was explained by Lord Kurma to the sages of old (Verse 12). Vyasa now attributes the knowledge to Siva who explained it to ten sages like Sanatkumara and others (V.15), who at Badarikasrama appealed to Narayana for this spiritual knowledge (vv.16-30). While Narayana was about to speak god Siva came there (v.31). Narayana conveyed the request of the sages to him (v.40) and god Siva co-seated with Narayana began to speak. The Pasupata twist in this episode is obvious.
O holy Lord! The creative activity of the self-born god Brahma has been duly recounted by you; so also the earlier extent of the Cosmic Egg and the ascertainment of (the nature and extent of) the Manvantaras (periods of different Manus).
It has been mentioned by you in that connection that the Lord of Lords, the Supreme god, should be propitiated by persons of all castes who are exclusively devoted to Dharma and are always engaged in the paths of knowledge and Yoga.
You have expounded to us the excellent knowledge which has Brahman as its only object and which leads to the complete annihilation of all the miseries of Samsara (worldly existence) and where-with we can perceive that Supreme Brahman.
O holy lord, indeed you have acquired the entire perfect wisdom from Krsna Dvaipayana who is Narayana himself. Hence we ask you again.
On hearing that request of the sages, the holy lord Suta who had heard the Puranas from Krsna Dvaipayana, just began to narrate.
In the meanwhile, at that juncture, Vyasa, Krsna Dvaipayana, himself, arrived there where the excellent sages were performing the satra (sacrificial session).
On seeing Vyasa who was a deep scholar of the Vedas, whose lustre was like that of a black cloud and whose eyes were like the petals of a lotus, the leading Brahmanas bowed to him (out of respect).
On seeing him, Lomaharsana fell on the ground like a staff. After bending down the head, he dedicated himself unto him (v.l. circumambulated Vyasa and sat by his side) with the palms joined in reverence.
Saunaka and other Brahmanas were duly enquired after their health. Thereupon they assured the great sage (about their health) and offered him a befitting seat.
Then the holy lord, the son of Parasara, addressed these words to them, "I hope there is no deficiency or difficulty in your penance, in your learning and in your practice of the self-study of the Vedas".
After bowing down to his preceptor, the great sage Suta said:- "It behoves you to recount to the sages the perfect knowledge pertaining to Brahman. Indeed, these sages are quiescent. They are ascetics solely devoted to Dharma. They have the keen desire to hear. It behoves you to explain (everything) precisely, the divine knowledge that bestows liberation, that has been directly taught to me by you and that had been formerly narrated to the sages by Visnu in the form (incarnation) of Kurma (Tortoise)".
On hearing the words of Suta, the saintly son of Satyavati, bowed down his head to Rudra and spoke these pleasing words of discourse.
I shall now narrate to you what formerly Lord Mahadeva was asked by the leading Yogins, the chief of whom was Sanatkumara and what he himself has expounded.
As Hazra points out, this irrelevance of Vyasa's answer is a Pasupata interpolation. Suta had requested Vyasa to narrate the spiritual knowledge which he (Vyasa) heard from Lord Kurma and taught him (Suta).
The following sages viz. Sanatkumara, Sanaka, Sanandana (and Sanatana), Angiras, Bhrgu, the knower of the supreme Dharma and accompanied by Rudra, Kanada, Kapila, Garga, the great sage Vamadeva, Sukra and lord Vasistha - all of them had perfectly controlled their minds. They consulted one another. With full self-control on their minds, they performed terrible penance in the holy Badarikasrama.
They saw the sage Narayana of great Yogic power, the son of sage Dharma, devoid of beginning and end, and accompanied by Nara.
They eulogised him with various hymns taken from the Vedas. The Yogins, endowed with devotion, bowed down to the deity, the most excellent among the knowers of Yoga.
After knowing their desire, the omniscient lord spoke in a majestic tone: "Why is this penance being performed by you?"
With delighted minds, they bowed to the eternal (lord), the Atman of the universe, lord Narayana himself who had arrived, indicating the Siddhi (achievement of their desires).
We have adopted the attitude of self-control even though all of us are expounders of the Brahman. We have sought refuge in you, the only Purusottama.
You are Lord Narayana, the ancient sage, the unmanifest Being. You know the entire Supreme esoteric doctrine.
Excepting you, the great Isvara, there is no other knower. It behoves you, of such a nature, to dispel our formidable doubts.
What is the cause of all these (things in the world)? Who undergoes worldly existence for ever? What is the Atman? What is salvation? What causes the rebirth or recurring worldly existence?
What is (the nature of this) worldly existence? Who is Isana, who perceives everything? What is the supreme Brahman? It behoves you to explain everything.
After saying this, the sages stood looking at Purusottama, who shedding off his guise as an ascetic, was stationed there in his own brilliance.
He was shining free from impurity. He was embellished with a halo of brilliant splendour. He was the lord having the lustre of molten gold. He was marked by the Srivatsa mark on his chest. He was holding Sankha, Cakra, mace and the Sarnga bow in his hands. He was enveloped by glory and splendour. Thanks to his brilliance, Nara was not even seen from that moment.
In the meanwhile, Mahesvara, the great lord, whose coronet was marked with the (crescent of the) moon, Rudra (the deity) appeared before them disposed to bestow Grace upon them.
This uninvited entry of Siva is a ruse to Pasupatise this text.
On seeing the three-eyed moon-bedecked lord of the universe, Paramesvara (Siva), they were delighted in their minds. With devotion they eulogised the great lord:
"O Isvara, be victorious, O Mahadeva, O Siva, the lord of the goblins, be victorious; Glory unto you, O Lord of the sages, O lord worshipped by means of penance.
O Atman of the universe, O God of thousands of forms, O activiser of the machine of the universe, O Infinite one, be victorious. Glory to you, O cause of the origin, sustenance and annihilation of the universe.
Be victorious O Isana, O Sambhu, O thousand-footed one, O deity bowed down by leading Yogins, O consort of Ambika. O lord Paramesvara, obeisance to you."
On being thus eulogised, the three-eyed lord Isa, favourably disposed towards the devotees, embraced Hrsikesa (lord Visnu) and addressed him in a majestic tone:
"O Pundarikaksa (lotus-eyed god), why have these leading sages, the expounders of Brahman, come to this place. O Acyuta, what is to be done for them by me?"
On hearing those words of his, Janardana, the lord of Devas, spoke to Mahadeva who was standing there well-disposed to confer grace.
"O lord, these sages and ascetics have shed off their sins. If the lord be delighted with the sages who have sought refuge in you, who are desirous of your perfect vision and whose Atmans are purified, it behoves you to impart to them that divine wisdom in my presence.
O Siva, indeed, you know your own Atman. No one else does so. You explain your own Atman yourself. Reveal your Atman to the leading sages".
After saying thus, Hrsikesa (Narayana) looked at the bull-bannered Deity (Siva) and exhibiting his accomplishments in Yoga, instructed the great sages (as follows):
"It behoves you to realise precisely that you are all blessed by the vision of the Trident-bearing Sankara, the great Isa. You now deserve to know precisely (the divine knowledge).
It behoves you to see the lord of devas who stands in front and who is visible in form. He alone is capable to say precisely everything in my presence".
After hearing the words of Visnu and bowing down to the bull-bannered deity, those sages the chief of whom was Sanatkumara, asked Mahesvara:
In the meanwhile, a holy auspicious divine seat shone there for the sake of Isvara. It appeared from the sky in an unimaginable way (lit. was beyond the ken of imagination).
The creator of the universe, the Yogic Atman, occupied it along with Visnu. Lord Mahesvara shone there filling the universe with his brilliance.
Then the expounders of the Brahman saw Sankara, the overlord of the chiefs of Devas, shining brilliantly on the faultlessly pure seat.
They saw the lord of the Bhutas (goblins or living beings) seated on the throne, the lord, within whom all the universe exists, and from whom the universe does not exist separately. They saw Isana, the great Isa accompanied by Vasudeva. On being asked, Paramesvara spoke to the sages about the excellent Yoga of the Atman, after glancing at Pundarikaksa. "O sinless ones! Listen ye all, with calm minds the knowledge (as it is) recounted by me. It is the pure knowledge pertaining to Isvara. Be ye all calm in minds."