Opening Jaya of the Bhavishya Purāṇa
Bhavishya Purāṇa Maṅgalācaraṇa · bhavishya-purāṇa-maṅgala-ācaraṇa, “the auspicious opening of the Bhavishya Purāṇa”
The opening jaya of the Bhavishya Purāṇa is the benediction that stands at the head of the Brahma Parva, before the account begins. It hails four devatās in turn: Bhagavān Sūrya, Bhagavān Vishṇu, Bhagavān Śaṅkara and Agni. No speaker is named; the printed text gives the meaning only.
The four sayings
- Jaya to Sūrya, who gives light to all the lokas, the maker of the world.
- Vijaya to Vishṇu, blue of body, who bears the divine bow named Śārṅga.
- Jaya to Śaṅkara, renowned by the name Rudra.
- Jaya to Agni, whose rays are many-coloured and wonderful.
What follows
After the benediction the great ṛshis, Bhṛgu, Vasishṭha, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and others, come to see King Śatānīka. Śatānīka asks to hear the highest dharmaśāstra, so that he may reach the highest goal as his father did by hearing the Bhārata, and Vyāsa appoints his disciple Sumantu to tell him the account, as Vaiśampāyana once told the Bhārata to his father.
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 1