Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/39

Rh Munis, saw him, he was surprised; and standing with joined palms, he bowed and he ordered a seat to be brought. And Vyasa having gone round him who is called Hiranyagarbha seated on that distinguished seat, stood near it; and being commanded by Brahma Parameshti, he sat down near the seat, full of affection and smiling in joy. Then the greatly glorious Vyasa, addressing Brahma Parameshti, said, 'O divine Brahma, by me a poem hath been composed which is greatly respected. The mystery of the Veda, and what other subjects have been explained by me; the various ritual of the Vedas and of the Upanishads with the Angas; the compilations of the Puranas and history formed by me and named after the three divisions of time, past, present, and future; the determination of the nature of decay, death, fear, disease, existence, and a description of creeds and of the various modes of life; rules for the four castes, and the import of all the Puranas; an account of asceticism and of the duties of a religious student; the dimensions of the sun and moon, the planets, constellations, and stars, together with that of the four ages; the Ruk, Sama, and Yajur Vedas; also the Adhyatma; the sciences called Nyaya, Orthoepy, and treatment of disease; charity and Pasupata; birth, celestial and human, for particular purposes; also a description of places of pilgrimage and other holy places; of rivers, mountains, forests, and the ocean; of heavenly cities and the kalpas; the art of war; the different kinds of nations and language; and what is the nature of the manners of the people; and the  spirit; all these have been represented. But, after all, no writer of this work is to be found on earth.'

"Brahma said: 'I esteem thee, for thy knowledge of divine mysteries, before the whole body of celebrated Munis distinguished for the sanctity of their lives. I know thou hast revealed the divine word, even from its first utterance, in the language of truth. Thou hast called thy present work a poem, wherefore it shall be a poem. There shall be no poets whose works may equal the description of this poem, even as the three other modes, called Asramas, are ever unequal in merit to the domestic Asrama. Let Ganesa be thought of, O Muni, for the purpose of writing the poem.