me, O ruler of men,
relates to a deep mystery. No man that has not undergone penances, and
that is not acquainted with the Puranas, can speedily answer it. I shall,
however, answer thee by reciting to thee what my preceptor the
Island-born Krishna, otherwise called Vyasa, the great Rishi who has
classified the Vedas, had said unto us on a former occasion when
questioned by us. Sumanta, and Jaimini, and Paila of firm vows, and
myself numbering the fourth, and Suka forming the fifth, were disciples
of the illustrious Vyasa. We numbering five in all, endued with
self-restraint and purity of observances, had completely subjugated wrath
and controlled our senses. Our preceptor used to teach us the Vedas,
having the Mahabharata for their fifth. Once on a time, while we were
engaged in studying the Vedas on the breast of that foremost of
mountains, viz., the delightful Meru, inhabited by Siddhas and Charanas,
this very doubt arose in our minds that has been expressed by thee today.
We, therefore, questioned our preceptor about it. I heard the answer
that our preceptor made. I shall now recite that answer to thee, O
Bharata. Hearing these words that were addressed to him by his disciples
that dispeller of all kinds of darkness represented by ignorance, viz.,
the blessed Vyasa, the son of Parasara, said these words: "I have undergone
very severe, in fact, the austerest of penances. Ye best of men, I am
fully conversant with the Past, the Present, and the Future. In
consequence of those penances of mine and of the restraint under which I
kept my senses while I dwelt on the shores of the Ocean of milk, Narayana
became gratified with me. As the result of the great God's gratification,
this omniscience with respect to the Past, the Present, and the Future,
that was desired by me, arose in my mind. Listen now to me as I discourse
to you, in due order, on this great doubt that has disturbed your minds.
I have, with the eye of knowledge, beheld all that occurred in the
beginning of the Kalpa. He whom both the Sankhyas and those conversant
with Yoga call by the name of Paramatma (the Supreme Soul) comes to be
regarded as Mahapurusha (the Great Purusha) in consequence of his own
acts. From Him springs forth Abyakta (the Unmanifest), whom the learned
call Pradhana. From the puissant Unmanifest sprang, for the creation of
all the words, the Manifest (Byakta). He is called Aniruddha. That
Aniruddha is known among all creatures by the name of