Mahabharata, Book 12, Section CLXXXIIIशान्तिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 12.183.

183Sanskrit adhyāya 12.183 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

भरद्वाज उवाच।
पार्थिवं धातुमाश्रित्य शारीरोऽग्निः कथं भवेत्।
अवकाशविशेषेण कथं वर्तयतेऽनिलः।।
भृगुरुवाच।
वायोर्गतिमहं ब्रह्मन्कीर्तयिष्यामि तेऽनघ।
प्राणिनामनिलो देहान्यथा चेष्टयते बली।।
श्रितो मूर्धानमग्निस्तु शरीरं परिपालयन्।
प्राणो मूर्धनि चाग्नौ च वर्तमानो विचेष्टने।।
स जन्तुः सर्वभूतात्मा पुरुषः स सनातनः।
मनो बुद्धिरहंकारो भूतानि विषयाश्च सः।।
एवं त्विह स सर्वत्र प्राणेन परिपाल्यते।
कोष्ठतस्तु समानेन स्वां स्वां गतिमुपाश्रितः।।
वस्तिमूलं गुदं चैव पावकं समुपाश्रितः।
वहन्मूत्रं पुरीषं चाप्यपानः परिवर्तते।।
प्रयत्ने कर्मणि बले य एकस्त्रिषु वर्तते।
उदान इति तं प्राहुरध्यात्मकुशला जनाः।।
संधिष्वपि च सर्वेषु सन्निविष्टस्तथाऽनिलः।
शरीरेषु मनुष्याणां व्यान इत्युपदिश्यते।।
धातुष्वग्निस्तु विततः समानोऽग्निः समीरितः।
रसान्धातूंश्च दोषांश्च वर्तयन्नवतिष्ठते।।
अपानप्राणयोर्मध्ये प्राणापानसमाहितः।
समन्वितस्त्वधिष्ठानं सम्यक्पचति पावकः।।
आस्यं हि पायुसंयुक्तमन्ते स्याद्गुदसंज्ञितम्।
स्रोतस्तस्मात्प्रजायन्ते सर्वस्रोतांसि देहिनाम्।।
प्राणानां सन्निपाताच्च सन्निपातः प्रजायते।
ऊष्मा सोग्निरिति ज्ञेयो योऽन्नं पचति देहिनाम्।।
अग्निवेगवहः प्राणो गुदान्ते प्रतिहन्यते।
स ऊर्ध्वमागम्य पुनः समुत्क्षिपति पावकम्।।
पक्वाशयस्त्वधो नाभ्या ऊर्ध्वमामाशयः स्मृतः।
नाभिमध्ये शरीरस्य सर्वे प्राणाः समाश्रिताः।।
प्रसृता हृदयात्सर्वास्तिर्यगूर्ध्वमधस्तथा।
वहन्त्यन्नरसान्नाड्यो दशप्राणप्रचोदिताः।।
एष मार्गोऽथ योगानां येन गच्छन्ति तत्पदम्।
जितक्लमासना धीरा सूर्धन्यात्मानमादधन्।।
एवं सर्वेषु विहितः प्राणापानेषु देहिनाम्।
तस्मिन्योऽवस्थितो नित्यमग्निः स्थाल्यामिवाहितः।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि
मोक्षधर्मपर्वणि त्र्यशीत्यधिकशततमोऽध्यायः।। 183।।

English Ganguli

"'"Bharadwaja said, 'Tell me, O best of Brahmanas, how the puissant Brahman residing within Meru, created these diverse kinds of objects.'

"'"Bhrigu said, 'The great Manasa (in his form of Brahman) created the diverse kinds of objects by fiat of Will. For the protection then of all creatures, he first created water. Water is the life of all creatures, and it is water which aids their growth. If there be no water, all creatures would perish. The whole universe is pervaded by water. Earth, mountains, clouds, and all things which have form, should all be known as transformations of water. They have all been produced by the solidification of that element.'

"'"Bharadwaja said, 'How did water spring? How Fire and Wind? How also was the earth created? I have great doubts on these points.'

"'"Bhrigu said, 'O regenerate one, in very ancient times called the Brahma-kalpa, the high-souled Rishis of the regenerate order, when they assembled together, felt this very doubt about the creation of the universe. Re-straining speech, they remained immovable, engaged in (ascetic) contemplation. Having given up all food, they subsisted upon air alone, and remained thus for a thousand celestial years. At the end of that period, certain words as sacred as those of the Vedas simultaneously reached the ears of all. Indeed, this celestial voice was heard in the firmament to say, "Formerly there was only infinite Space, perfectly motionless and immovable. Without sun, moon, stars, and wind, it seemed to be asleep. Then water sprang into existence like something darker within darkness. Then from the pressure of water arose wind. As an empty vessel without a hole appears at first to be without any sound, but when filled with water, air appears and makes a great noise, even so when infinite Space was filled with water, the wind arose with a great noise, penetrating through the water.[553] That wind, thus generated by the pressure of the ocean of water, still moveth. Coming into (unobstructed) Space, its motion is never stopped. Then in consequence of the friction of wind and water, fire possessed of great might and blazing energy, sprang into existence, with flames directed upwards. That fire dispelled the darkness that had covered Space. Assisted by the wind, fire drew Space and Water together. Indeed, combining with the wind, fire became solidified. While failing from the sky, the liquid portion of fire solidified again and became what is known as the earth. The earth or land, in which everything is born, is the origin of all kinds of taste, of all kinds of scent, of all kinds of liquids, and of all kinds of animals."'"'"