Description of the great yajna of Brahma

Vaishampayana said — О Janamejaya, in the valley of the Meru mountain, the Brahmanas, under the leadership of Brahma, sat for meditation. They possessed the matted locks of hair, besides the deer skins. They had discarded anger, controlling all the sense organs.

The valley of the Meru mountain had been surrounded by the other mountains, having a large number of trees. The mountain rocks had been coloured with various types of metals. In that plain area the thorns and hay were nowhere to be seen. With the (Brahmanas) who could enlighten people on Brahman, who recited the three Vedas in five tunes, the mountain peak looked quite graceful with them. The Brahmanas seated there, always engaged themselves in the performing of the yajna with the reciting of the mantras. They were always engaged in the reciting of the hymns for the welfare of others.

All the Brahmanas, consecrating a single fire altar, worshipped there with the concentration of mind. They divided the fire in many parts on the basis of the mantras.

The learned ascetics, well-versed in the Vedas, divided the fire in three parts, while establishing it. (These fires are known by the names of Ahavaniya, Garhapatya and Daksinagni) They divided one and the same fire in three parts, as a result of which, they could learn about the tattva.

O auspicious Janamejaya, one and the same fire, for the establishment of the task by mantras, consuming Svadha. in the form of havisya, getting enhanced, turns in flame in truthful manner.

The lord Daksa who is adorable by all reached there besides Brahma and other Brahmanas. He created the Brahmanas, being the grand sire of all the bhiitas in the world.

He was holding in his hands a danda, arrow, shield and a sword as his attributes. He had a tuft over his head. His face was shining like lotus flower. He was free of miseries and had controlled all his sense organs, besides the anger.

In the auspicious place of Puskara seated with Medha, he started performing Yajna. Several of the Brahmavadi ascetics started reciting the hymns as prescribed by Indra.

The ghee (clarified butter), payasam, barley, rice etc, all the excellent havisyas described in the Vedas, Brahma had arranged them all around him.

Taking the sticks of Sami shrubs, known as arani they were rubbed, Brahma, produced another fire.

It is prescribed that the fire should be produced with the rubbing of the arani wood sticks, and the offerings should be made in the same. There is no provision of offerings little dravya in it. A person performing the yajna, should produce the enough of dravya making parts of the same.

In the vast yajna, whatever is prescribed oblations were made use of and their respective fruits also appeared therefrom. The Brahmavadi ascetics, well versed in the procedure, used those oblations.

In the yajna Brhaspati, the preceptor of the gods, using the excellent fortunes of Brahman, recited the Vedas for sixmonths.

He recited the Vedic hymns, using the methods prescribed in the upanisads and karmakanda (cult science of rituals) studded with excellent knowledge of learnings, in a sweet voice.

О Bharata, with the reciting of the Vedic hymns by Brahmanas and the aforesaid reciting of the Vedic hymns, the vast mandapa of the yajna appeared graceful like an other Brahmaloka.

The yajna which was performed under the leadership of Brahma, was surely authentic. It was performed according to the Vedic hymns, and the procedure prescribed in the Srutis was appropriated, consecrated and appeared quite lively, which went on enhancing gradually.

The yajna appeared quite graceful with the presence of sarhidhas (burning sticks), the pitchers containing the soma-juice, Sruka, Sruva and other vases of yajna, the outer vases, barley, wild rice, ghee and the vases filled with water, added splendour to the yajna.

The yajna kept on growing with the gold and gems received from all the quarters, the Isti and other Karmas dedicated to the supreme soul, the milking cows, brought forth purpose of milk with calves which looked beautiful.

O Bharata, with the reciting of the Vedic hymns, the riches were spent in daksina and the Yajnadeva, who had grown with Brahma jnana.

О Naresvara, at that point of time Brahma, the soul of Yajna, in company of the Marutganas, together with the burning sticks of mental imagination, which had emerged out of him, besides the ghee etc. were the materials for performing homa. He started offering oblation in the fire.

О Janamejaya, the yajna performed by Brahma was unique, since it had been performed according the Vedic procedure, being divine. It was attended by the Dravya- devata and was performed in the true form of yajna. (such a yajna could never be performed by others).

Lord Brahma was performing the Yajna in the fire ignited from the asvattha tree (Ficers religiosa or peepal tree) by rubbing them. He was performing it in a proper manner.

During the time of the performing of the yajna, the sabha-mandapa was filled with the members and appeared graceful. All those present there spoke sweet words. All the activities were being performed with the help of the attendants.

O king, the yajna, looked graceful with the presence of the learned people, well - versed in the Vedic and related literature, besides the Brahmanas, who were shining like the moon, performing the activities of Soma.

With the lord pronouncing of the Vedas, the Yajnasala (the place of sacrifice) appeared like the second Brahmaloka. At that point of time, it appeared as if all the gods had descended on earth.

The Rishis who are well versed in the Vedas and the connceted literature and are speaker on Brahman who became lean and thin with the performing of tapas, could be seen attending the yajna. With their presence, the yajna appeared graceful as if having been established in the heaven itself.

The great Yajna of Brahma, was illuminated with the illutrious Brahmanas and the place of yajna, besides the three types of fire resembling the Brahmaloka.

In the vast yajna, the Brahmavadi, Rishis, were reciting the hymns from the Yajurveda, as prescribed by Indra.

The sages who with the performing of the tapas, had become peaceful, were devoted to Brahman, who were engaged in the performing the tapas and the related vratas, who followed the commands spoken (by the sages) earlier, arrived there.

О king, in the said yajna, Brahma's son Angira, and Brhaspati — the ancient Rishi were the hotas (performers) and were established over the position of Brahma.

О Naresvara, at the end of the yajna, the yajamana Brahma, after adoring Visnu, incarnated in the last pregnancy of Aditi.

Lord Visnu is enjoying the supreme position. The unborn Brahma then achieves the unparallel position of Visnu without any conflict. This is the place from where hundreds of Indras keep on appearing in future.

With the achieving of the position of Brahma., one achieves the fruit of all the karmas, because the position of Visnu is without any bondages. It is endless and is free from the karmas. The sages free from attachments are the souls of Visnupada.

O lord of the earth, the worldly pleasure which binds a person from all the sides are gained by blemishes of attractions. The blemishes, because of the earlier Saihskaras, overpowered the mind.

The sages are free from the lust of the pleasures, inspite of their remaining wandering always. (They never get attracted towards the worldly pleasures.) The learned people consider the Vedic dharma only as auspicious. But they consider the attachments as the cause of ignorance.

О Naresvara, in case the Brahmavadi people, with the speaking of the words which earns them the position of an ascetic make the performer grateful, then because of their association with the symptoms of the learnings, his mind cannot be overpowered with the blemishes like attractions.

О best of the race of Kuru, those, who completing the study of the Vedas performing the Brahmacarya vrata, becoming competent in the same, following the rules of purity, such energetic people achieve the place in the heaven, which is ment for the living of the noble people.

О Bharata, in their view the heaven is the place where the people having grown strong with the offering of oblation never get destroyed. О lord of earth, the performer of the yajna also, is established over a position in the heaven according to the past deeds, with the approval of the attendants of the heaven. Then he enjoys the comforts of the heaven with his wives blissfully.

At the conclusion of the yajna, the competent lord Brahma, showering compassion from his spotless heart on all the living beings, he gave away the excellent mountain to the Brahmanas.

The Brahmanas who possessed more competence than the others, got ready to break all the parts of the mountain to distribute them among themselves. But inspite of their best efforts they could not break it.

Then all the Bramhmanas getting tired sat down on earth. Their faces were faded out.

Then Suparsva, out of all the mountains, who spoke quite sweet words, bowed in reverence to all the Brahmanas and said.

"О Brahmanas, you are attached to your sence organs and as such you are in conflict with one another. In case the people like you make efforts to break this mountain in a hundred divine years, with force (you will not be sucessful).

When all the people are united with the concetration of mind, removing all the conflicts among themselves, then they can divide this mountain with comfort.

О best of the Brahmanas, the jealousy and selfishness causes decline of the strength. But in case one's mind is free from jealousy and selfishness, then the faith of the performer increases towards the eternal Brahman.

When I, getting inspired from the strength of the wild animals like tigers, lions, serpents, and others, put you on the task of breaking the mountain, only then you would be able to do the job. At that point of time several of its rocks, which are separated from the heaven, would fell and get scattered here and there. With the fall of the rocks continuously, the connected metals too would be shattered. With the shattred mountain peaks, the serpents would appear shattered with their broken snake holes. (From the divinity point of view, mountain suparsna is the noble preceptor). The mountain which is to be broken is the pride, the Brahmana stands for the learned sadhaka (researcher) and the wild animals dwelling in the caves stand for the accumulated samkaras of the heart."

The excellent words spoken by the king of mountains, were accepted by Brahmanas all of whom kept quiet.

Here ends chapter — 23, of Bhavisya Parva, of the Harivamsa Purana, a supplement of the epic of Mahabharata, relating to the description of the great yajna of Brahma. (Vrs. 1-49, P.T. - 10,613)

Chapter 24

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