g said these words unto
Narada, disappeared there and then. Narada also, endued with great
energy, having obtained the high favour that he had solicited, then
proceeded with great speed to the retreat called Vadari, for beholding
Nara and Narayana. This great Upanishad, perfectly consist with the four
Vedas, in harmony with Sankhya-yoga, and called by him by the name of the
Pancharatra scriptures, and recited by Narayana himself with his own
mouth, was repeated by Narada in the presence of many hearers in the
abode of Brahman (his sire) in exactly the same way in which Narayana
(while that great god had showed himself unto him) had recited it, and in
which he had heard it from his own lips."

"'Yudhishthira said, "Was not Brahman, the Creator of all things,
acquainted with this wonderful narrative of the glory of Narayana endued
with intelligence that he heard it from the lips of Narada? Is the
illustrious Grandsire of all the worlds any way different from or
inferior to the great Narayana? How then is it that he was unacquainted
with the puissance of Narayana of immeasurable energy?"

"'Bhishma continued, "Hundreds and thousands of great-Kalpas, hundreds and
thousands of Creation and Dissolutions, O king of kings, have been over
and have become incidents of the past.[1840] In the beginning of every
cycle of Creation, Brahman, endued with great puissance and who creates
all things, is remembered (by Narayana). Brahman knows well, O king, that
Narayana, that foremost of all gods is very much superior to him. He
knows that Narayana is the Supreme Soul, that he is the Supreme Lord,
that He is the Creator of Brahman himself. It was only unto that conclave
of Rishis, crowned with ascetic success, that came to the abode of
Brahman, that Narada recited his narrative which is a very ancient one,
and which is perfectly consistent with the Vedas. The deity Surya, having
heard that narrative from those Rishis crowned with ascetic
success,[1841] repeated it to the six and sixty thousands of Rishis, O
king, of cleansed souls, that follow in his train. And Surya, the deity
that imparts heat unto all worlds, repeated that narrative unto those
Beings also, of cleansed souls, that have been created (by Brahman) for
always journeying in the van of Surya.[1842] The high-souled Rishis that
follow in Surya's train, O son, repeated that excellent narrative unto
the deities assembled on the breast of Meru. That best of ascetics, viz.,
the re