Book 10: Forty-five Chapter (First Half)
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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 45: Verses 29-41
Having gone through the purificatory rite (of investiture with the sacred thread) and (thereby) attained the rank of a Dwija (the twice-born) the two Brothers of noble vows thereupon embarked on the vow of celibacy[1] under the instruction of Garga, the preceptor (of Yadu's race). Concealing by Their actions-which looked (more or less) human-Their unclouded wisdom, that had not been acquired through another, and seeking to reside in the house of a preceptor (with the object of attaining knowledge in order to set an example before the world), the two Brothers, who were the omniscient Rulers of the universe and the source of all learning, now actually sought the presence of a Brahmana of Ujjain, Sandipani (the son of Sandipana) by name, born in the family of Kasa. Having duly approached him the two Brothers tamely and reverently waited upon him as a god with devotion, (thereby) teaching (to the world) irreproachable behaviour towards one's preceptor. Gratified with Their services rendered with genuine devotion, Sandipani (the teacher), the foremost of Brahmanas, taught them all the (four) Vedas alongwith the (six) auxiliary branches of learning (viz., Siksa or phonetics, Chanda or prosody, Vykarana or grammar, Jyotisa or astronomy, Kalpa or the science prescribing the ritual and giving rules for ceremonial or sacrificial acts and Nirukta or etymology) and the Upanisads (the crowning part of the Veda expounding the secret meaning of the Vedas and treating of Brahma) as well as Dhanurveda (the science of archery) including its secrets (viz., the knowledge of Mantras by means of which the various Astras or mystic missiles are invoked and the deities presiding over them), the Dharmasastras (codes of laws such as the Manusmrti) and the various systems of philosophy (such as Mimarihsa) as well as the science of logic and the science of politics with its six branches (viz., those dealing with peace, warfare, expedition, encampment, exciting dissension or causing the separation of allies and depending on one's allies). The two Brothers, who were jewels amongst the foremost of men and the Originators of all sciences, learnt everything in a single lesson, 0 protector of men ! With their mind fully controlled They mastered in the course of sixty-four days and nights as many arts[2] and (then) persuaded the teacher to ask for the preceptor's fee of his liking,O King 1 (36) Clearly perceiving such marvellous glory of the two Brothers (in the shape of Their having mastered all sciences and the other branches of learning without any effort) as well as Their superhuman intelligence, and deliberating with his wife, 0 Pariksit, the aforesaid Brahmana (Sandipani) asked for (as his fee the restoration of) their child lost in the ocean at Prabhasa (the modern Prabhaspatan in Saurashtra), so the tradition goes. (37) Saying "So be it !" and mounting Their chariot, the two Brothers, who were great car-warriors, of endless powers, presently reached Prabhasa and, going near the seashore, squatted there for a moment. Coming to know of Their divine character, the god presiding over the ocean brought presents for Them. (38) The Lord said to him, "Let My preceptor's son be restored at once-the same child which was swallowed up by you in a great wave here." The god of the ocean replied : "I did not carry away the child, 0 Lord ! There is a great demon belonging to the Daitya class, Pancajana (by name), who lives underwater in the form of a conch, 0 Krsna ! The child was surely carried away by him." Hearing it the Lord speedily plunged into the water but on killing the demon did not find the child in his bowels. |
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References
- ↑ The vow of celibacy actually consists of three vows successively entered into by religious student belonging to the twice-born classes. The first of them, known by the name of Gayatra, is of three days' duration and is undertaken as a preparation for learning the holy Gayatri-Mantra. This is followed by the second vow, known by the name of Prajapatya, which extends to the time of commencing the study of the Vedas; and this is followed by the third, Brahma vow, which lasts till the end of the Vedic study.
- ↑ The following are the sixty-four arts mentioned in the Saiva Tantras---(1) Singing; (2) playing on various musical instruments; (3) dancing; (4) acting and gesticulation, mimicry etc.; (5) drawing and painting as well as calligraphy; (6) painting figures of various designs on the various parts of the body with musk-paste and other fragrant substances; (7) preparing for use in worship various designs with grains of rice, flowers etc.; (8) preparing a bed of flowers; (9) colouring the teeth and other limbs and articles of wearing apparel; (10) paving a floor with precious stones; (11) preparing a bed; (12) using a pot full of water as a musical instrument and treading on water; (13) showing miracles of various kinds; (14) preparing chaplets and wreathe of flowers; (15) making ornaments of flowers for the ears, braid etc.; (16) modes of beautifying the body with clothes and ornaments of various kinds; (17) painting ornamental figures on the ears; (18) making perfumes and cosmetics etc., of various kinds; (19) making ornaments of various designs; (20) jugglery; (21) appearing in various guises of one's choice; (22) sleight of hand; (23) culinary art; (24) making drinks of various tastes and colours and spirituous liqurs of various kinds; (25) weaving and needle-work of various kinds; (26) working puppets by strings; (27) making musical instruments of various kinds; (28) solving riddles: (29) capping verses; (30) skill in uttering tongue-twisters; (31) the art of reading manuscripts easily and quickly;(32) dramaturgy and story-writing; (33) completion of incomplete verses or part verses; (34) making ligatures, canes, arrows etc.; (35) spindle-work; (36) carpentry; (37) architecture; (38) testing valuable metals and precious stones; (39) alchemy; (40) colouring precious stones; (41) knowledge of latent minerals; (42) nursing and treating plants; (43) setting game rams, cocks and quails to fight as sport; (44) teaching parrots and other birds to imitate human speech; (45) making an enemy quit his place by means of a charm; (46) cleaning and dressing the hair; (47) reading letters removed from one's sight and divining the nature of substances held within one's palm; (48) knowledge of books written in the language of barbarians; (49) fluently talking in the different Indian dialects; (50) reading good or bad omens; (51) making diagrams etc., by means of letters arranged in different orders as mystical formulae to be worshipped or worn as an amulet; (52) splitting hard substances such as diamonds into two or more pieces of different shapes; (53) reading the thoughts of others and bringing them out in a verse; (54) lexicography; (55) knowledge of prosody; (56) increasing the number of an object by various devices; (57) playing tricks; (58) showing off one's clothes as made of a superior texture than what they actually are; (59) playing at dice; (60) attracting remote objects; (61) playing children's games; (62) the practice of charms; (63) fore knowledge of the party going to win in a debate and (64) keeping goblins and vampires under one's control.