A hidden gem from the Anushasana Parva of Mabhabharata
Chaitra-K10 ☆24 1946 S.E.
The following episode from the Mahabharata Anuṡāsana Parva is found in the southern recesion (not in Gita Press Nīlakaṇṭhīya recension). It is found in all south Indian manuscripts (Grantha, Telugu, Malayalam, Kumbhakonam edition, P.P.S. Sastri’s Madras edition) and even the great Dvaita philosopher Ṡrī Vādirāja Tīrtha (fl. 16th c.) has commented upon this in his famous Lakṣālaṅkāra.
It is such a rare eposide between gransdire Bhīṣma to King Yudhiṣṭhira:
- The meaning of the word Nārāyaṇa is revealed by Nārada Maharṣi to devotee Puṇḍarīka.
- Meditating upon the mantra “Namō Nārāyaṇāya” is prescribed (prefixing with Ōṃ makes it the well-known Aṣṭākṣari mantra).
- Prapatti or self-surrender to Viṣṇu is the final injunction (prapadyasva viṣṇum).
- Puts great emphasis on arcana, ārādhana (image worship) and devotional practices like japa and kīrtana.
- Equal emphasis is placed on the path of right knowledge (jn̄āna-yōga, vijn̄āna).
- Quotes the Vedic Nārāyaṇa sūkta verbatim (nārāyaṇaḥ paraṃ brahma tattvaṃ nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ).
- Accepts Sāṅkhya classification of Puruṣa and Prakṛti and the Vedānta teaching of “Brahman is one”.
- It contains the famous conclusion of Vyāsa bhagavān (ālōḍya … nārāyaṇaḥ sadā): “After churning all the scriptures and deliberating again and again, this conclusion is derived – ‘Nārāyaṇa alone is to be meditated upon always.’”
The following is my somewhat literal English translation of Appendix I, No. 13 of the Critical Edition’s Anushasana parva’s Dāna-dharma upaparva, following Malayalam recension, inserted after 13.124 in BORI (same as Chap 109 in PPS Sastri’s, Chap 186 in Kumbhakonam’s):
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ –
¹yac chrēyaṃ paramaṃ kṛtyam anuṣṭhēyaṃ mahātmabhiḥ
sāraṃ mē sarvaṡāstrāṇāṃ vaktum arhasy anugrahāt /1/
¹ yaj jn̄ēyaṃ
That which is the highest welfare, that which should be performed by the great-minded, that which is the essence of all scriptures, you should tell me out of kindness, O Bhīṣma!
bhīṣmaḥ –
ṡrūyatām idam atyantaṃ gūḍhaṃ saṃsāra-mōcanam
ṡrōtavyaṃ ca tvayā samyag jn̄ātavyaṃ ca viṡāṃ patē /2/
Bhīṣma – Listen, O ruler of the world, to this supreme and most secret knowledge, the profound science of liberation, which ought to be thoroughly known by you.
puṇḍarīkaḥ purā vipraḥ puṇyatīrthē japānvitaḥ
nāradaṃ paripapraccha ṡrēyō ¹yōgivaraṃ munim /3/
¹ yōgaparaṃ
In the past, a Brahmin named Puṇḍarīka, endowed with japa (silent chanting of mantras, etc.), inquired Nārada Muni, who is the best among yogis, about the highest good.
nāradaṡ cābravīd ēnaṃ brahmaṇōktam ¹athātmanaḥ
ṡṛṇuṣvāvahitas tāta jn̄āna-yōgam anuttamam /4/
¹ mahātmanā
Narada said to him – listen attentively, O dear one, to the most excellent jn̄āna-yōga (yoga of knowledge), which Lord Brahma spoke thus of the Soul.
¹alpagranthaṃ prabhūtārthaṃ vēda-ṡāstrārtha-sārakam
yaḥ paraḥ prakṛtēḥ prōktaḥ puruṣaḥ pan̄ca-viṃṡakaḥ /5/
¹aprabhūtaṃ
It is a little-known text, abundant in meaning, the essence of all Vedic scriptures. That which is beyond Prakṛti (material nature) is called the puruṣa (individual spirit soul), the twenty-fifth principle (of reality).
sa ēva sarva-bhūtātmā nara ity abhidhīyatē
narāj jātāni tattvāni nārāṇīti tatō viduḥ
tāny ēva cāyanaṃ tasya tēna nārāyaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ /6/
He alone is said to be the soul of all beings, called “Nara”. Hence, know that the tattvas (principles of reality) born out of “Nara” as “nārāṇi” (√nāra - neuter gender, nārāṇi - nom. plural). He alone is their refuge (ayana), by virtue of which He is known as Nārāyaṇa.
Nara is the 26th tattva, the earlier-mentioned 25 tattvas being manifested out of Him – five mahābhūtas, five tanmātras, five jn̄ānēndriyas, five karmēndriyas, manas, buddhi (or mahat-tattva), ahaṁakāra, mūla-prakṛṭi and puruṣa itself.
nārāyaṇāj jagat sarvaṃ sargakālē prajāyatē
tasminn ēva punas tac ca pralayē saṃpralīyatē /7/
From Nārāyaṇa, at the time of creation, the universe manifests. Again, it dissolves into Him alone during dissolution.
nārāyaṇaḥ paraṃ brahma tattvaṃ nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ
parād api paraṡ cāsau tasmān nāsti parāt param /8/
Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Brahman. Nārāyaṇa is the ultimate reality (tattva). He is beyond the transcendent and the manifest, therefore there is nothing superior to Him.
vāsudēvaṃ tathā viṣṇum ātmānaṃ ca tathā viduḥ
saṃjn̄ā-bhēdaiḥ sa ēvaikaḥ sarva-ṡāstrābhisaṃskṛtaḥ /9/
Know Him as Vāsudeva and Viṣṇu and also Ātman. He is only One but known by different names as sancitfied in all the scriptures.
saṃjn̄ā-bhēda, non-identity of names/nouns, is discussed in the Brahma Sutra 3.3.8. This duality of names is the sole teaching of the Brahma Sutras.
ālōḍya sarvaṡāstrāṇi vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ
idam ēkaṃ suniṣpannaṃ dhyēyō nārāyaṇaḥ sadā /10/
After churning all the scriptures and deliberating again and again, this conclusion is derived – “Nārāyaṇa alone is to be meditated upon always.”
tasmāt tvaṃ gahanān sarvāṃs tyaktvā ṡāstrārtha-vistarān
ananya-cētā dhyāyasva nārāyaṇam ajaṃ vibhum /11/
Therefore, abandoning all the extensive scriptural debates, meditate with single-pointed mind on the unborn and omnipresent Nārāyaṇa.
muhūrtam api yō dhyāyēn nārāyaṇam atandritaḥ
sō’pi ¹sadgatim āpnōti kiṃ punas tat-parāyaṇaḥ /12/
¹ tadgatim
Even for a muhūrta (moment or instant or ~48 minutes), he who meditates on Nārāyaṇa tirelessly, attains the ultimate goal of happiness (sadgati or mōkṣa), what to speak then of one who is wholly devoted to Him?
namō nārāyaṇāyēti yō vēda brahma ṡāṡvatam
antakālē japann ēti tad viṣṇōḥ paramaṃ padam /13/
One who knows the eternal Brahman while chanting ‘Namō Nārāyaṇāya’ (salutations to Nārāyaṇa), at the time of his death, he attains the supreme abode of Viṣṇu.
ṡravaṇān mananāc caiva gīti-stuty-arcanādibhiḥ
ārādhyaṃ sarvadā brahma puruṣēṇa hitaiṣiṇā /14/
By hearing, contemplating, singing, praising, idol-worshipping (arcana) and so on, one should always propitiate (ārādhana) the Brahman, who is the well-wisher of all beings.
lipyatē na sa pāpēna nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ
punāti ¹lōkaṃ sakalaṃ sahasrāṃṡur ivōditaḥ /15/
¹sakalaṃ lōkaṃ
One devoted to Nārāyaṇa is not tainted by sin. He purifies the entire world like the sun with a thousand rays.
brahmacārī gṛhasthō’pi vānaprasthō’tha bhikṣukaḥ
kēṡavārādhanaṃ hitvā naiva yāti parāṃ gatim /16/
A student, a householder, a forest-dweller, or a mendicant, by abandoning the worship of Kēṡava, does not attain the supreme goal.
janmāntara-sahasrēṣu durlabhā tadgatā matiḥ
tad bhakta-vatsalaṃ dēvaṃ samārādhaya suvrata /17/
In thousands of births, rare is the attainment of such understanding. So worship that beloved god of devotees, O virtuous one!
nāradēnaivam uktas tu sa viprō’bhyarcayad dharim /18/
Thus instructed by Narada, the learned Brahmin worshipped Lord Hari.
svapnē’pi puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ ṡaṅkha-cakra-gadādharam
kirīṭa-kuṇḍala-dharaṃ lasac-chrīvatsa-kaustubham taṃ dṛṣṭvā dēva-dēvēṡaṃ prāṇamat-saṃbhramānvitaḥ /19/
In his dream, envisioning the lotus-eyed Lord Punḍarīkākṣa holding the conch, discus, and mace, adorned with crown and earrings, the shining ṡrīvatsa sign and the Kaustubha gem, the Lord of gods, he (brahmin Puṇḍarīka) became possessed of vigour and excitement.
atha kālēna mahatā tathā pratyakṣatāṃ gataḥ
saṃstutaḥ stutibhir vēdair dēva-gandharva-kiṃnaraiḥ /20/
Then, by the passage of a long time, he attained direct perception of Him. He (Lord Viṣṇu) was praised by the Vedas, gods, Gandharvas, and Kinnaras.
atha tēnaiva bhagavān ātma-lōkam adhōkṣajaḥ
gataḥ saṃpūjitaḥ sarvaiḥ sa yōgi-nilayō hariḥ /21/
Thus, by those praises, the Supreme Lord Adhokṣaja Himself took him (brahmin Puṇḍarīka) and ascended to His abode. Having reached (Vaikuṇṭha), Lord Hari, the refuge of yogis, was worshipped by all.
tasmāt tvam api rājēndra tad-bhaktas tat-parāyaṇaḥ
arcayitvā yathā-yōgaṃ bhajasva puruṣōttamam /22/
Therefore, O king of kings (Yudhiṣṭhira), you also, being devoted to Him and making Him as your chief object, worship the Lord Puruṣōttama (the Supreme Person) according to your ability.
ajaram amaram ēkaṃ dhyēyam ādy-anta-ṡūnyaṃ
saguṇam aguṇam ādyaṃ sthūlam atyantasūkṣmam /23/
nirupamam upamēyaṃ yōgi-vijn̄āna-gamyaṃ
tribhuvana-gurum īṡaṃ tvaṃ prapadyasva viṣṇum /24/
The ageless, the deathless, the only one to be meditated upon, who is devoid of beginning and end, who is both with and without attributes, the primeval who is gross yet extremely subtle, the incomparable yet the subject of comparison, the one who is attained by the yogis through spiritual knowledge, the teacher of the three worlds, the ruler of all – surrender yourself, O Yudhiṣṭhira, unto that Lord Viṣṇu.