s known. The universe revolves like a wheel depending upon that Lord of
all beings. O best of men, Kesava, that foremost of all beings, is said
to be that which is Indestructible, that which is Unmanifest, that which
is Immortal, Brahma, and Immutable. The highest of the high, and without
change or deterioration himself, he created the Pitris, the gods, the
Rishis, the Yakshas, the Rakshasas, the Nagas, the Asuras, and human
beings. It is He who also created the Vedas and the eternal duties and
customs of men. Having reduced everything into non-existence, he once
more, in the beginning of a (new) yuga, creates Prakriti (primordial
matter). As the diverse phenomena of the several seasons appear one after
another according to the season that comes, after the like manner
creatures start forth into existence at the beginning of every
(celestial) yuga. Corresponding with those creatures that start into life
is the knowledge of rules and duties that have for their object the
regulation of the world's course.[716] At the end of every (celestial)
yuga (when universal destruction sets in) the Vedas and all other
scriptures disappear (like the rest). In consequence of the grace of the
Self-born, the great Rishis, through their penances, first re-acquire the
lost Vedas and the scriptures. The Self-born (Brahman) first acquired the
Vedas. Their branches called the Angas were first acquired by (the
celestial preceptor) Vrihaspati. Bhrigu's son (Sukra) first acquired the
science of morality that is so beneficial for the universe. The science
of music was acquired by Narada; that of arms by Bharadwaja; the history
of the celestial Rishis by Gargya: that of medicine by the
dark-complexioned son of Atri. Diverse other Rishis, whose names are
connected therewith, promulgated diverse other sciences such as Nyaya,
Vaiseshika, Sankhya, Patanjala, etc. Let that Brahma which those Rishis
have indicated by arguments drawn from reason, by means of the Vedas, and
by inferences drawn from the direct evidence of the senses, be adored.
Neither the gods nor the Rishis were (at first) able to apprehend Brahma
which is without beginning and which is the highest of the high. Only the
divine creator of all things, viz., the puissant Narayana, had knowledge
of Brahma. From Narayana, the Rishis, the foremost ones among the deities
and the Asuras, and the royal sages of old, derived the knowledge of that
highest remedy of the cure of sorrow. When primordial m