Offering his obeisance to
all-knowing Mahārśi Parāśara and
with folded hands, Maitreya said, _/\_ : "O venerable Mahārśi,
Jyotishya, the supreme limb of the Vedas, has three divisions, viz. Horā,
Ganita and Samhita. Among the said three divisions Horā, or
the general part of Jyotishya is still more excellent. I desire to know of its
glorious aspects from you. Be pleased to tell me, how this Universe is created?
How does it end? What is the relationship of the animals, born on this earth,
with the heavenly bodies? Please speak elaborately.."
Mahārśi Parāśara
answered : "O Brahmin, your query has an auspicious purpose in it for the welfare
of the Universe. Praying Lord Brahma and Śrī
Saraswatī, his
power (and consort) and Sun, the leader of the Planets and the cause of
Creation, I shall proceed to narrate to you the science of Jyotishya, as heard
through Lord Brahma. Only good will follow the teaching of this Vedic Science
to the students, who are peacefully disposed, who honor the preceptors (and
elders), who speak only truth and are God fe6thng. Woeful forever, doubtlessly,
will it be to impart knowledge of this science to an unwilling student, to a
heterodox and to a crafty person.
Śrī
Vishnu, who is the Lord (of all matters), who has undefiled spirit, who is
endowed with the three Gunas, although he transcends the grip of Gunas
(Gunatita), who is the Author of this Universe, who is glorious, who is the
Cause and who is endowed with valor, has no beginning. He authored the Universe
and administers it with a quarter of his power. The other three quarters of
Him, filled with nectar, are knowable only to the philosophers (of maturity).
The Principal Evolver, who is both perceptible and imperceptible, is Vasudeva. The
Imperceptible part of the Lord is endowed with dual powers, while the
Perceptible with triple powers.
The three powers are Śrī Shakti
(Mother Lakshmi) with Sattva-Gun, Bhū Shakti
(Mother-Earth) with Rajo-Gun and Nīla
Shakti with Tamo-Gun. Apart from the three, the fourth kind of Vishnu,
influenced by Śrī Shakti
and Bhoo Shakti, assumes the form of Shankarshan with Tamo-Gun, of Pradyumna
with Rajo Guna and of Anirudh with Sattva Guna.
Mahatatwa, Ahamkara and
Ahamkara Murti and Brahma, are born from Shankarshana, Pradyumna and Anirudha,
respectively. All these three forms are endowed with all the three Gunas, with
predominance of the Guna due to their origin.
Ahamkara is of three classes,
i.e. with Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic dispositions. Divine class, sensory
organs and the five primordial compounds (space, air, fire, water and earth)
are, respectively, from the said three Ahamkaras.
Lord Vishnu, coupled with Śrī
Shakti, rules over the three worlds. Coupled with Bhoo Shakti, He is Brahma
causing the Universe. Coupled with Neel Shakti, He is Shiva, destroying the
Universe.
The Lord is in all beings and
the entire Universe is in Him. All beings contain both Jivatma and Paramatmāńśas.
Some have predominance of the former, while yet some have the latter in
predominance. Paramatmāńśa is predominant in the
Planets, viz. Sun etc. and Brahma, Shiva and others. Their powers or consorts
too have predominance of Paramatmāńśa.
Others have more of Jivatmāńśa."
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