410 Narada PurFa

66b-67a. At the end of the Pralaya (Dissolution), Janär.

dana gets up in the form of Brahma, and creates everything in
the whole universe consisting of the mobile and immobile
beings as before.
67b-68a. O leading Brähmana, Brahm makes even the
immobile beings positioned in the sanme manner and place
as they were before.
68b-69. Hence, O excellent one, the fruit of the actions
meritorious or sinful must, compulsorily be experienced. The
fruit of an action is inexhaustible or inevitable and must be
enjoyed. Even in the course of hundreds of crores of Kalpas,
no action perishes without being borne and experienced.
70. The action performed, whether auspicious or inaus-
picious must, of necessity, be enjoyed. He who is the lord of all
worlds is the immanent soul of all andis identical with
the universe. He is perfect and eternal and he
enjoys through
all the fruits of all actions.4
71.
The God who pervades all universe and who is
endowed with different Gunas, creates,
protects and swallows
up everything. The immutable Lord is the enjoyer of
everything.
 CHAPTER THIRTYONE
The Duties of the
Emissaries of Tama
1.This horrible description
of the
journey of the
of Yama has little basis in
the Vedic literature. departed soul to the capital
Puranas used this deterrence The medieval authors of
the
against immoral tendencies to maintain a
standard of morality in the public and their success certain
can be
fact that the illiterate Hindu masses are gauged from the
still under the
Yama and his emissaries. Puränic influenceof
2. VV 5-16 graphically
depict the crude tortures of those times. But this
Puränic author seems to be unaware that the departed
soul has no physical
body of gross elements as the two gross elements, viz. the earth and water are
left behind and the body that goes ahead consists of fire, wind and ether
and as such many of the tortures are not applicable to such a body.
3. Cf. Manu XII.54 ff and Yajñavalkya. III.206 ff which state that sinners
after serving their term in hells are born as lower animals, insects, trees,
shrubs, etc.
4. The doctrine of Karmavipäka is common to all Indian religions-Bråhman-
their doctrine of No Soul-
ism,
1Sm, Jainism and Buddhism (despite
Anattä ). The Buddhist Avadna Satakas and the Jain Vipäka Sätra (Vivága
sufferings due to evil deeds. The Witäksarä
Suya) testify to their belief in
III.216 regards this as an arthavãda, i.e. it should not be taken
on Yajñavalkya to undergo expiations
for their
iterally but is attempt to persuade people
an
Indian (Jain, Buddhist and Brahmanical)
of the
Sins. The relieving feature of their redemp-
is the hope it offers to fallen persons
doctrine of Karma-vipäka secure
liberation
(nay their birthright) to
tion from sin and the possibility

from Sarhsära).
 CHAPTER THIRTYTHREE
A Discourse on Yoga
Narada said
1-2 Whatever has been asked by me has been recounted
by you of scholarly attainments. A great many miseries of those
who are bound by the noose of Sarsära (worldly existence)
also have been described by you). Who is remembered as the
person who severs the noose of worldly existence? O sage,
rich in penance, kindly enlighten me in the means whereby
liberation from Samsra is achieved.
3. O excellent sage, series of actions are being performed
by living beings every day and are enjoyed also. How can they
armas) be destroyed?
4. The embodied soul takes up the body as a result of
his Karman; he is bound by lust. As a result of lust he is over-
whelmed by avarice and avarice makes him prone to anger.
5. Due to anger, Dharma perishes and the destruction
of Dharma leads to A man of confused
misapprehension.
intellect commits sin again.
6. Hence, the body has its root in sins. It is always
engaged in sinful activities. Narrate to me how one attains
liberation after eschewing the misconception about the body.

Sanaka said:
7. Well done, O highly intelligent one, well done.
Your mind is noble and free of impurities, since you desire to

know from us the means of liberation from the misery of worldly

existence.
8. O strict observer of religious vows, indeed, it is only
that Deity who is the bestower of salvation-the deity at whose
behest Brahmå creates the entire universe; Hari protects it and

Rudra annihilates it.

9. Know Vi_nu3 to be the bestower of salvation. He is

Närayana free from ailments. Thanks to his prowess, are born

the principles beginning with Ahankra (the Ego) and ending
with Visesa (particularities).
I.33.21-30
423

all free from old age and death, is the

beings, one
support of
liberation from Samsra.
bestower of
after worshipping his lotus-like feet,
21. O leading sage,
souls immediately attain to immortality (i.e.
the embodied
him to be the Supreme Person.
know
Moksa). They the greatest splendour,
22. The Brahman is bliss." He is
is eternal, greater than the greatest.
devoid of old age. He
of Vi_nu.
That is the highest region devoid
to be one without a second,
23. They know him
incomparable
non-dual and matchless, eternal,
of attributes, He is the deity
who
embodiment of knowledge.
and perfect
salvation.
enables one to achieve
who always worships thisSupreme entity
24. The Yogin attains
the rites of the Yogic path,
of such a nature, through
the greatest region. and associa-
who has eschewed all contacts
25. The Yogin other good
endowed with Sama
(self-control) and
who is
tions, and similar bad qualities
who is devoid of lust
qualities and
attains the highest region.

Narada said of the Yoga

achievement
what holy rite is the
26. By most excellent among
O sage the
attained by the Yogins? for the same.

precisely the
means
tell me
the eloquent ones,

Sanaka said:
the meanings of
principles
over
27. Those who ponder is attainable
salvation
that the greatest
(or the Reality) say has its
This perfect knowledge
knowledge.
through perfect devotion is engendered
in those
this
root in devotion. Similarly
rites.
persons who perform holy by whom,
28. Devotion to Hari is
generated in that person different
charitable gifts,
In the course of
thousands of births,
etc. have
been pertormed.
kinds of sacrificcs and pilgrimages, is produced
inexhaustible Dharma
29. highest and
The
All sins perish
of devotion and piety.
even through the slightest
through the deepest faith. the intellect
becomes
the sins a r e quelled,
30. When all wise
intellect is declared by
ree from impurities. That same
Sages by the word Jiäna (knowledge).
424
Närada PurFa
31. They say that
knowledge bestows salvation. It is the
Yogins who acquire that knowledge. Yoga is said to be of
two
kinds, diferentiated by holy rites and by perfect
32. The jñäna Yoga (path
knowledge.
of knowledge) cannot be accom-
plished without the Kriy Toga (path of holy rites). Hence,
one who is
engaged in the Ariy Toga should worship Hari with
deep faith.
33. With devotion the
following idols of Ke[ava
be worshipped; the idols termed as are to
Dvija (BrähmaFa), Bhümi
(Earth), Agni (fire), Sürya (Sun), Ambu (Water) Dhäu (metals
or the essential
Citra (Picture).
ingredients of body), Hrt (the heart) and
34. Hence, becoming completely averse to (i.e.
absolutely from) inflicting pain on others in thought, abstaining
word and
deed, one, endowed with devotion, should
who pervades everything. worship Lord Vi_Fu
35. The
following good qualities are common to both
types of
Yogas-viz. nonviolence, truthfulness, absence of anger,
celibacy, non-acceptance of gifts (and
non-possession of pro
perty), absence of jealousy and mercifulness.
36. Firmly
determining mentally that "the eternal Vi_Fu
is identical with the
universe consisting of the mobile and
immobile beings, one shall
37. The learned men who
practise the two types of Yogas.
consider all living
own Atman realise the beings their
of Devas (viz. supreme nature of the
discus-bearing lord
Vi_nu).
38. If a
person whose soul is defiled by fury, etc. becomes
devoted to worship and
meditation,
him, since he is the lord of Dharma. Visnu is not pleased with
39. If a
person whose soul is defiled
devoted by lust, etc. becomes
to
worship, he should be known
on a
par with all sinners.
as a
hypocrite.
He is
40. If a
person full of envy and
in
austerities, worship and meditation, jealousy becomes absorbed
and his austerities, worship
meditation-everything
41. Hence, a
is futile.
man, eagerly
good qualities of engaged in practising the
Sama (self-control),
Kriyã-Yogas should duly worship etc. and who is absorbed in
with them), for the Vi_nu who is the Soul ot
all (and is one
Sahsãra). purpose of liberation (trom
I.33.42-53

425
42. If a person interested in the
welfarc of all
mentally, verbally and
physically, worlds,
of Devas, it is called Kriy Yoga.
dcvoutly worships the lord
43. The person who culogiscs through hymns, etc.
the source of the
Lord
NärayaFa, origin of the universe, Visnu, Hari,
the immanent soulot everyone, through hymns, ctc., he is called,
a harma Togin.
44 The worship of Vi_Fu through flowers, etc., by means
of observance of fasts, etc. as well as listening to PurFas (and
other forms of devotion), etc., is declared as Kriy Yoga.
45. All the sins accumulated in the course of previous
births of those who are devotionally attached to Vi_nu and
whose minds are absorbed in Kriy Yoga, perish completely.
46. One whose intellect is purified through the destruction
of sins, desires the excellent knowledge. Perfect knowledge should
be known as the bestower of salvation. I shall narrate to you the
means thereof.
47. In the company of saintly persons who are adepts in
the interpretation of scriptural texts, the intelligent man shall
deeply ponder over what is permanent and what is non-perma-
nent in the world consisting of the mobile and immobile

beings. Hari is
48. All the sense objects are evanescent. Only
objects and resort
eternal. One should eschew the non-eternal
only to the eternal one (viz. Hari).
of this
49.He should also be unattached to the pleasures
as well as of the other world. He who
is not detached becomes
involved in the cycle of worldy existence.
the bond of worldly
50. Never c a n he be severed from
to non-eternal
EXIStence,-the man who is passionately attached
objects. endowed with self-control
51. Only he who is richly liberation can
and other good qualities and whois desirous of
never
in self-control
practise knowledge. One who is wanting
realizes the spiritual knowledge. endowed
is richly
2. He who is devoid of lust and hatred,
meditation
in the
nself-control and is
perpetually absorbed liberation ).
(one who is desirous of
O lari, is called a Mumuksu these four is called a
means
m a n of

53. One who possesses

absorbed in the feelings of
pure intellect. One who is