SECTION –CXLVIII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva Continued)
Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed, the
powerful Bhimasena of mighty arms, affectionately, and with a cheerful heart,
bowed unto his brother, Hanuman, the monkey-chief, and said in mild words,
'None is more fortunate than I am; now have I seen my elder brother. It is a
great favour shown unto me; and I have been well pleased with thee. Now I wish
that thou mayst fulfil this desire of mine. I desire to behold. O hero, that
incomparable form of thine, which thou at that time hadst had, in bounding over
the main, that abode of sharks and crocodiles. Thereby I shall be satisfied,
and also believe in thy words.' Thus addressed, that mighty monkey said with a
smile, 'That form of mine neither thou, not anyone else can behold. At that
age, the state of things was different, and doth not exist at present. In the
Krita age, the state of things was one; and in the Treta, another; and in the
Dwapara, still another. Diminution is going on this age; and I have not that
form now. The ground, rivers, plants, and rocks, and siddhas, gods, and
celestial sages conform to Time, in harmony with the state of things in the
different yugas. Therefore, do not desire to see my former shape, O perpetuator
of the Kuru race. I am conforming to the tendency of the age. Verily, Time is
irresistible' Bhimasena said, 'Tell me of the duration of the different yugas,
and of the different manners and customs and of virtue, pleasure and profit,
and of acts, and energy, and of life and death in the different yugas.'
Thereupon Hanuman said, 'O child, that yuga is called Krita when the one eternal
religion was extant. And in that best of yugas, every one had religious
perfection, and, therefore, there was no need of religious acts. And then
virtue knew no deterioration; nor did people decrease. It is for this that this
age is called Krita (perfect). But in time the yuga had come to be considered
as an inferior one. And, O child, in the Krita age, there were neither gods,
nor demons, nor Gandharvas, nor Yakshas, nor Rakshasas, nor Nagas. And there
was no buying and selling. And the Sama, the Rich, and the Yajus did not exist.
And there was no manual labour. And then the necessaries of life were obtained
only by being thought of. And the only merit was in renouncing the world. And
during that yuga, there was neither disease, nor decay of the senses. And there
was neither malice, nor pride, nor hypocrisy, nor discord, nor ill-will, nor
cunning, nor fear, nor misery, nor envy, nor covetousness. And for this, that
prime refuge of Yogis, even the Supreme Brahma, was attainable to all. And
Narayana wearing a white hue was the soul of all creatures. And in the Krita
Yuga, the distinctive characteristics of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and
Sudras were natural and these ever stuck to their respective duties. And then
Brahma was the sole refuge, and their manners and customs were naturally
adapted to the attainment of Brahma and the objects of their knowledge was the
sole Brahma, and all their acts also had reference to Brahma. In this way all
the orders attained merit. And one uniform Soul was the object of their
meditation; and there was only one mantra (the Om), and there was one
ordinance. And although of different characteristics, all of them followed a
single Veda; and they had one religion. And according to the divisions of time,
they led the four modes of life, without aiming at any object, and so they
attained emancipation. The religion consisting in the identification of self
with Brahma indicates the Krita Yuga. And in the Krita Yuga, the virtue of the
four orders is throughout entire in four-fold measure. Such is the Krita Yuga
devoid of the three qualities. Do thou also hear from me of the character of
the Treta Yuga. In this age, sacrifices are introduced, and virtue decreaseth
by a quarter. And Narayana (who is the Soul of all creatures) assumeth a red
colour. And men practise truth, and devote themselves to religion and religious
rites. And thence sacrifices and various religious observances come into
existence. And in the Treta Yuga people begin to devise means for the
attainment of an object; and they attain it through acts and gifts. And they
never deviate from virtue. And they are devoted to asceticism and to the
bestowal of gifts.
And the four orders adhere to their respective
duties; and perform rites. Such are the men of the Treta Yuga. In the Dwapara
Yuga, religion decreaseth by one half. And Narayana weareth a yellow hue. And
the Veda becometh divided into four parts. And then some men retain (the
knowledge of) the four Vedas, and some of three Vedas, and some of one Veda,
while others do not know even the Richs. And on the Shastras becoming thus
divided, acts become multiplied. And largely influenced by passion, people
engage in asceticism and gifts. And from their incapacity to study the entire
Veda, it becomes divided into several parts. And in consequence of intellect
having decreased, few are established in truth. And when people fall off from
truth, they become subject to various diseases; and then lust, and natural
calamities ensue. And afflicted with these, people betake themselves to
penances. And some celebrate sacrifices, desiring to enjoy the good things of
life, or attain heaven. On the coming of the Dwapara Yuga, men become
degenerate, in consequence of impiety. O son of Kunti, in the Kali Yuga a quarter
only of virtue abideth. And in the beginning of this iron age, Narayana weareth
a black hue. And the Vedas and the institutes, and virtue, and sacrifices, and
religious observances, fall into disuse. And (then) reign iti 1, and disease,
and lassitude, and anger and other deformities, and natural calamities, and
anguish, and fear of scarcity. And as the yugas wane, virtue dwindles. And as
virtue dwindles away, creatures degenerate. And as creatures degenerate, their
natures undergo deterioration. And the religious acts performed at the waning
of the yugas, produce contrary effects. And even those that live for several
yugas, conform to these changes. O represser of foes, as regards thy curiosity
to know me, I say this,--Why should a wise person be eager to know a
superfluous matter? (Thus), O long-armed one, have I narrated in full what thou
hadst asked me regarding the characteristics of the different yugas. Good
happen to thee! Do thou return.'"
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