125 - Mäyächakra

Süta said:

1. After listening to the actions to be performed in the six seasons, Earth again asked Lord Näräyana. 

2. “You have explained the auspicious and sacred actions to be performed, that indeed gladden your mind.

3. Knowing these from you, O Mädhava, I have become free from stain like the moon in autumn.

4. I am now eager to know another secret which you may be pleased to enlighten me about, namely.

5. What is it that you speak of as my mäyä (illusory power); what is its nature, O Vishnu.

6. I wish to know this great secret, namely the meaning of Maya.” 

7. Vishnu, who is the very repository of mäyä, laughed a little at this, and then told Earth:

8. “You ask this quite earnestly, but why do you ask this since you see it yourself?

9. But know this that even Rudra, Indra and Brahma have not known me fully even now; then how can you, O Earth, know my Mäyä?

10. Where the clouds shower rain, there water accumulates, but there are also places without any water. This is due to my maya.

11. The moon wanes in one fortnight and waxes in the next and does not appear at all on new moon day. This is really due to my maya.

12. In Winter, the water in the well is warm, but in summer it is cool. This really is due to my mäyä.

13. The sun sets in the west and rises in the east the next morning. This is due to my mäyä.

14. The generative fluid is in the female and the semen is in the male. In the womb they combine to form a being. This is due to my måyã.

15. The soul entering the embryo knows pleasure and pain, but when once born, it forgets the whole thing. This is due to my mäyã.

16. The soul depends upon its own actions but is quite unaware of it and is free from desire. But by its actions it is led elsewhere. This is due to my mãyä.

17. Living beings are born (in the human and animal world) by the combination of semen of the male and the generative fluid of the female.

18. The fingers, feet, hands, head, waist, hip, belly, teeth, lips, nose, ears, eyes, cheeks, forehead and tongue, all these are produced in association with my mäyä.

19. By the same mãÿã do they deteriorate like fire transforming the food eaten and the liquids drunk.

20. Sound, touch, colour, taste and smell all act in a living being due to food. All this is by my mãyä.

21. The cause of the effects on stationary and mobile objects in each season is not known because of my mäyä, O fair damsel.

22. The celestial waters as well as terrestrial waters by which the rivers are flooded are all due to my mäyä.

23. During the rainy season, all ponds and lakes are full of water, but in summer season, they all dry up. This is due to the power of my mäyä.

24. The river arising from the peak of Himavän with the name Mandäkini and flowing in earth with the name Gañgä is because of my mäyä.

25. The clouds drawing water from the saline ocean and showering it on the land as sweet water is due to my mäyä.

26. Beings afflicted by disease take in medicine. The efficacy of such medicines is due to my müyä.

27. That in spite of medicine, a being sometimes dies is because of thc fact I take it away making the medicine ineffective.

28. First thc embryo is formed, then the child is born, afterwards he becomes a youth and finally becomes old. In due course the senses are lost. All this is due to my mäyä.

29. The seed sown in the field sprouts and then gets foliage. by my mäyã.

30. From a single (aggregate) seed grow numerous plants and they all become perennial because of my mäyä.

31. People say that Garuda is the vehicle of Lord Visnu. Really I become' Garuda and bear myself.

32. Different gods are made to be pleased by the offerings in sacrifices. Really it is I that please them by my mäyä.

33. All people believe that the gods always eat the sacrificial offerings. Really the sacrifices propitiating thc gods are due to my mäyä.

34. All people consider Bruhaspati as the sacrificer. Actually, it is I that do the sacrifice by my mäyä Äñgirasi.

35. All people believe that Varuna protects the sea. It is I that protect the sea by my mäyä Vãruni.

36. All people take it that Kubera is the lord of wealth. It is I that protect that wealth by my Kuberamäyä.

37. All people think that Vrutra was killed by Indra. Vrutra was really killed by me by Aindri mäyä.

38. All people believe that the sun remains constant by itself. But the fact is that by producing Meru by my mäyä, I hold the sun.

39-40. All people take it that water (in the ocean) is consumed (by the submarine fire). Really it is I that sit at the mouth of Badava (the submarine fire) and consume the water. And by producing wind by my mãyä, the water is lodged in the clouds.

41. All people ask, “Where is water deposited?” Even the gods do not know where amruta remains. By my mäyä the medicine remains (in the herbs) in the forest.

42. All people think that it is the king who protects his subjects. It is I that really rule the earth by producing Räjamäyä.

43. Twelve suns appear at the time of deluge. I enter them, O Earth, and create mäyä in the world.

44. O Earth, it is by (the heat of) rays of the sun that all cooking is made possible. But it is really my Amšhumayi mäyä in the form of these rays.

45. The Samvarta clouds (at the time of deluge) pour down water in torrents. It is really I that fill the world with water by my mäyä sämvartiki.

46. O Earth, that I repose over the serpent Shesha is because Of my Anantamäyä.

47. What I do by Varähamäyä you already know.

48. Do you not know that the Devas are all enveloped by my Vaishnavi mäyã?

49. O beautiful damsel, I have raised you up from the big ocean and held you (in my tusk) seventeen times by my mäyä.

 50. That I remain in this water is also due to my mäyä.

51. I create Brahma and Rudra and hold them. But due to the power of my mäyä they do not know it.

52. The group of Pitrus resplendent like the sun, I hold by my Pitrumayi mäyä ultimately, but apparently by you.

53. I shall now tell you how by the power of a sage was made to enter the womb of a woman”.

54. Extremely eager to hear this, Earth said with folded hands.

55. “What was the difficult task done by that sage that gave him womanhood and was made to enter a woman's womb?

56. I am very much curious to know this. What was the sinful action of the great Brahmin that brought him womanhood?”

57. Hearing the words of Earth, Lord Vishnu was very much pleased and spoke to her in sweet words.

58. “O lovely goddess, listen to this. By my exciting mäyã Rohini, Somašharmä was tormented.

59. He had numerous lives exalted, ordinary and despicable, but became a Brähmana again because of my mäyã.

60. That he was led to the womb of a woman was not because of any prohibited action or offending deed of his.

 61. He was always worshipping me and performing deeds that would please me. He was always meditating on my attractive form.

62. After a long time, I was very much pleased with his penance, devotion and unchanging mind.

63. I then appeared before him and asked him to seek a boon.

64. I said: “O Brahmin, ask of me anything you have in mind, gems, gold, cows or even a kingdom free from trouble.

65. If you desire heaven where you get all pleasures, beautiful women and gems and gold in abundance,

66. And where there are celestial Apsarases, I shall give you”.

67. Hearing my words, the Brahmin prostrated before me and said:

68. “If you will not feel angry, I shall tell you what boon I desire now that you have offered me many things to choose from.

69. I don't desire gold, cows, women or kingdom; nor do I desire Apsarases or abundant wealth.

70. I do not wish even one among the thousand heavens. I wish to know only about your Mäyä by which you play”.

71. Hearing his words, I spoke to him: ‘O virtuous Brahmin, what have you to do with Mäyä? Why do you ask about this irrelevant thing?

72. Deluded by Vishnumãyä, even the gods do not know about it”.

73. Hearing my words, the great Brahmin spoke being induced by mãyä:

74. “If you are pleased with me, O great god, by my actions or penance, give me the boon I have asked”.

75. Then I asked that ascetic Brahmin to go to the place called Kubjämraka on the bank of the river Gañgä and take bath there in order to know Mäyä. He then circumambulated me and went there.

76. O goddess, at Kubjämraka hc carefully placed on the bank his staff, vessel and bundle of cloth.

77. Then performing thc prescribed rites for the bath, he got down on the river.

78. As soon as his whole body was immersed in water, he found himself in the womb of a woman in a hunter's hut.

79. Troubled by being deposited there, he thought: “what a pity! what bad deed did I do that I am now in the hell of the womb of the wife of a hunter?

80. Fie on my penance, fie on my righteous deeds, fie on the effects of these, fie on my life, that now I am placed in the womb of this wife of the hunter full of filth.

81. With three hundred bones, nine openings, full of urine and faecal matter and flesh and blood.

82. Foul smelling, unbearable, full of air, phlegm and bile, with numerous diseases.

83. Or why say all this? I am undergoing a lot of suffering.

84. Where is Vishnu? Where am I? Where is Gañgä? Having been placed in this womb, I have to face all the consequences”.

85. While he was thinking like this, he was cast out of the womb, and falling on the earth, he lost all his reminiscence.

86. The Brahmin was born as a girl in the hunter's house which, however, was affluent.

87. Being deludcd by the mäyä of Vishnu, the girl did not remember anything (about her previous life).

88. In due time she was well married, and she begot sons and daughters.

89. She ate permitted as well as prohibited food and drank permitted as well as prohibited drink. She also killed several creatures.

90. Deluded by mäyä she could not discriminate between good and bad actions or good and bad utterances, so too between permitted and forbidden contacts.

91. After fifty years, I decided to call back that Brahmin (now living as the hunter's wife).

92. In order to wash dirty cloth, she went to the Ganges with a pot and, placing thc cloth and the pot on the bank, plunged into the water.

93. When she dipped herself into the river being oppressed by heat and sweat, she was retransformed into the ascetic Brahmin holding the staff and vessel.

94. He found himself holding the staff and the vessel. He could see the bundle of cloth he had placed formerly on the bank.

  95. When knowledge dawned upon him as before, he was able to know the power of the mayä of Vishnu.

96. He took his original clothes from there and began, as before, his yogic practice sitting on the sands of Ganges.

97. Then he understood himself and also what happened. He cursed himself for having done heinous things.

98. He felt sorry for the loss of his ãcära in the despicable life he was subjected to.

99. (He repented:) “I was born in the family of a hunter. I ate forbidden food. I killed many creatures. terrestrial, celestial and aquatic.

100. I drank forbidden drinks and traded on prohibited things. The prohibitions relating to contacts and utterances were not observed by me.

101. Doubtless I ate in the home discarded food. I gave birth to sons and daughters begot in me by the hunter.

102. What a crime have I done? But who thinks of this that I have been brought to this state of being the wife of a hunter?” 

103. In the meantime, the hunter became angry and came to that Mayätirtha in the Ganges together with his children.

104. He searched there for his devoted and beautiful wife and asked every ascetic he saw there about her.

105. (He wailed:) “O my dear, where have you gone leaving me and the children at home? The little girl cries for breast-milk”.

106. (He asked the sages:) “Did you find my wife who came to the bank of the Ganges with a pot in hand to fetch water”?

107. People flocked thcre and they saw the ascetic with the pot near him.

108. Seeing the cloth and the pot and not the wife, the hunter was grief-stricken, and he lamented a lot.

109. “The cloth and pot are left on the bank of the river, but my wife who took them here is not to be seen.

110. Can it be that some crocodile snatched her away for delicious food.

111. I never spoke to her anything harsh even in dream.

112. Perhaps she is devoured by some spirit, goblin or demon. Or some (sudden) disease caught hold of her when she entered the river (and she became senseless and was carried away by the stream).

113. What bad thing did I do in my former life that my wife met with her end this way?

114. O my dear wife who used to follow my mind always, look at these pitiable children moving about in fear here and there.

115. Look at me, my dear, and the three little sons and the four daughters.

116. The boys cry to see you. The daughters seek your help.

How cursed am I!

117. You certainly know that I am hungry and thirsty. Please be kind assuage my grief”.

118. To the hunter who was wailing like this and was restlessly moving about, the Brahmin said without going near him.

119. “After being with you and giving you pleasure, she has departed never to return.

120. Go away without uselessly lamenting any more. Bring up these children with the necessary food. They should never be given up”.

121. Hearing these words of the ascetic, the grief-stricken hunter said in soft tone:

122. “O great sage, the upholder of dharma, I am really consoled by your sweet words”.

123-124. When the hunter spoke thus, the ascetic spoke again feeling great pity for him.

125. “Please don't cry. I shall tell you the truth. It was I that was your wife. When I came to the bank of this Ganges, I was transformed like this.”

126. Hearing the words of the ascetic, the hunter felt much consoled and spoke to him again.

127. “O Brahmin, what do you say? This is mystifying. How can a woman be transformed into a man? “

128. The Brahmin felt very sad at this and told that fishhunter softly.

129. ''Go to your house with these children and give them the attention they deserve”.

130. In spite of the persuation of the Brahmin, the hunter was at a loss to know, and so asked him again.

131. ''What wrong had you done in the past that you became a woman, as you say, and how did it happen?

132. And having become a woman, by whatever fault, how did you become a man again? Please tell me”.

133. At this the ascetic replied to that fish-hunter in the Mäyätïrtha in Ganges.

134. “O hunter, hear my story. Really, I did not do anywhere anything which I should not have done.

135. I was taking food only once a day and that too was never of any prohibited article. Janärdana (Vishnu) the lord of the worlds, was worshipped by me by various rites with a view to seeing Him.

136. After a long time, Janärdana appeared before me and asked me to seek a boon.

137. I did not, however, desire any boon and requested that I may be shown his Mäyä.

138. The lord told me: “Enough of mäyã, O Brahmin (Ask something else)”. But I insisted on the mäyä being shown to me.

139. Then he said that I will know what mäyä is and asked me to take bath in the Ganges at the place called Kubjämraka.

140. Anxious to know about mäyä, I immediately went there, and placing-my staff, vessel and cloth on the bank, dipped myself in the river after performing the due rites.

141. I am unable to know what happened then. But I was born as a hunter's daughter and became your wife.

142. For some reason I entered the Ganges again and I become the old ascetic again.

143. See here my old vessel, staff and cloth. Though this is after fifty years, the river Ganges has kept them all intact”.

144. As he said this, the hunter disappeared and none of his children could be seen there.

145. O Earth, the Brahmin then performed penance with upward breath and arms held upwards and living on air alone.

146. In the afternoon he offered water ritualistically.

147. Sitting in the Viräsana pose, he worshipped me with the prescribed flowers.

148. The Brahmins going for bath in thc Ganges asked him.

149. “In the forenoon you placed your bundle, cloth and veseel here, and went to the fishermen (hunters). Did you forget this that you did not return soon?”

150. Hearing these words of the Brahmins, the ascetic simply remained quiet, contemplating on the self. 

151. Then, O goddess, the Brahmin thought: “Now fifty years are over, and it is Amäväsyä today.

152. Then why do these Brahmins say that I left these things here just this forenoon?”

153. Just then I appeared before him and asked him.

154. “Why are you stupefied? What have you? Finding you perplexed, I came here”.

155. Asked thus by me, he prostrated before me and told me with great distress, frequently heaving.

156. “O preceptor of the whole world, these Brahmins tell me that I left this staff, this vessel and this cloth here in the forenoon and I returned in the afternoon and whether I forgot them.

156 (a) Actually I was born as daughter to a hunter, was married to another hunter and remained in that state for fifty years.

157. I bore three sons and three daughters by him probably a result of my misdeed in earlier lives.

 158-159. Once I happened to go to the Ganges bath and when I dipped myself in it, leaving my cloth bundle on the bank, I became converted into the Brahmin again.

160. What fault d d I commit when I was worshipping you or performing penance?

161. Did I eat any prohibited food or commit any error in worship to you?

162. Please tell me the truth as to why I had this hell. Please know that I am extremely tormented by these thoughts.

163. I was eager to know about mäyä and so I asked you about it. I do not remember to have committed any sin to be put to hell like this”.

164. Nothing his pitiable lament, I told the distressed Brahmin:

165. “O Brahmin, don't be sorry. There is no fault in you nor have you committed any error in worship by which you were afflicted and made to have a inferior birth.

166. I asked you formerly to seek a boon, but you chose to have knowledge of mäyä. 

167. I offered you heavenly pleasures or worldly pleasures if such was your desire. But you wanted to get the knowledge of mäyã.

168. You have, therefore, Seen Vaishnavi mäyä according to your desire. There is no day, no afternoon nor the life of yours in the hunter's house for fifty years.

169. I shall tell you another thing about the Vaishnavi mäyä which you desired to know.

170. You did neither good nor bad. Everything is due to mäyä which stupefies all.

171. You have not done any bad action or swerved from the proper path. Nor have you committed anything wrong in worship or in penance.

172. The suffering you were subjected to be the result of your actions in previous birth. I shall tell you about it.

173. This predicament of yours was the result of the sin incurred by your failing to revere the Brahmins who were devoted to me.

174. My devotees are really my own manifestations. Those who honour such Brahmins really honour me. I am known by them.

175. People should know that my devotees deserve to be worshipped by those desiring to attain me.

176. Particularly in Kali age, I am manifest in Brahmins. Therefore, those who honour Brahmins do really honour me.

177. He who is irreproachable and desires to attain me, let him turn his attention towards my devotees.

178. O Brahmin, you have now accomplished your desire. When you die, you will surely reach my place, Shvetadvipa”.

179. So, saying, the lord disappeared. The Brahmin too cast off his mortal coil at Mayätïrtha and reached Shvetadvipa.

180. By the power of mäyä he attained bow, arrow, quiver and sword and supreme valour and rcmains always seeing me.

181. O Earth, why do you ask about mäyä? You cannot know mäyä. My mãyä is incomprehensible even to gods and Räkshasas.

182. I have now told you about this mighty mãyã. This is called 'Mäyächakra' and it brings about good. 

183. This is the greatest of all narratives, the highest of penance, the best of merits and thc most important of all paths.

184. This should be narrated to devotees and not to nondevotees. This should not be recited in the midst of the bad or those who find fault with scripture.

185. Thc Brahmin should recite it before devotees, and not before those who dishonour scripture.

186. O Earth, he who recites it with due adoration, attains result equivalent to reciting it a dozen times in my presence.

187. And at the end of his full life, becomes my perpetual devotee and never takes birth in any inferior family.

188. He, who listens to this great story also, is never born dull and never takes birth in any inferior family.

189. I have thus told you what you desired to know. What else do you wish to ask?