Sage Nārada, perceiving the unspoken desire of Dharmaja to behold the radiant abodes of the gods, began to unfold the mystery of those celestial regions and of the noble beings who, by their penance and virtue, have secured an eternal station there. Though his account seemed at first but a recital of the dwellings of the immortals, it was in truth a lofty answer to the king’s curiosity—a comparison to the wondrous Mayasabha itself, and a guide to the supreme order of the universe. With wisdom ripened through ages and knowledge drawn from the hidden past and the yet-unfolded future, he spoke to lift the mind of the son of Yama towards the higher realms.
“When I,” said the sage, “was once destined to walk the mortal world, the Sun-God himself came before me and, by his glowing words, awakened my longing to behold Brahmaloka. I journeyed thither, and what I beheld no tongue can wholly tell. The Great Creator, Brahma, has fashioned a hall of such majesty that even his four faces cannot exhaust its praise. It stands beyond the reach of mortal fancy: the sky itself forms its pillar; the sun and moon dwell as its ever-living lights, yet their own splendour is but a reflection of its inherent radiance.
“There preside the mighty progenitors of creation—Manu, Atri, Mariachi and their kin—guardians of the ceaseless birth and governance of worlds. There move the Sun and Moon, the planets and the constellations, each fulfilling the eternal law. The Vasus, embodiments of the elemental powers—of water and earth, of fire and sky, of the sun, the moon and the guiding stars—sustain the universal order: Apa, Dhruva, Soma, Adhvāra, Anila, Pratyusha, Anala and Prabhāsa. The Rudras, in their manifold forms, from fierce destroyers to gentle healers, hold the balance of dissolution and renewal: Aja, Ekapāda, Ahirbudhnya, Tvaṣṭa, Rudra, Hara, Sambhu, Trayambaka, Aparājita, Īśāna and Trivubhana.
“Not less august are the Siddhas—the perfected ones, masters of esoteric wisdom, whose spiritual triumph has freed them from the bonds of earth. With subtle powers, they guide the worlds and aid both gods and men. The Sādhyas, custodians of sacred rites, maintain the purity of sacrifice and instruct mankind in the four aims of life: Dharma, the steadfast fulfillment of duty; Artha, the righteous pursuit of prosperity; Kāma, the tempered enjoyment of love and pleasure; and Moksha, the ultimate liberation from the wheel of birth and death. They also teach the mysteries of the five subtle elements—sound, touch, form, taste, and scent—through which the senses fashion the tangible world, bridging matter and consciousness, and they show how, by transcending these, the soul may rise to non-duality and freedom.
“To the twin physicians of heaven, the Aśvins, belongs the knowledge of nature’s curative powers and of the secret harmonies of life. Thus is Brahmā’s assembly ceaselessly occupied with the labours of creation and the eternal cycle of being. No erring spirit can draw near that holy court.
“In Yama’s realm abide the righteous kings of old; among them your father Pāndu dwells. In the court of Indra shines the steadfast monarch Harischandra, son of Trisanku, scion of the Solar race, unshaken in truth and famed for the power of sacrifice. Bold and resolute, he mastered the inner meaning of the Vedas and, victorious over all the seven island-continents—Jambu, Plaksha, Śālmala, Kuśa, Krauncha, Śāka, and Puṣkara—he ruled without rival. His bounty knew no limit; scholars, priests and the gods themselves were gladdened by his gifts. Therefore, was he exalted to the assembly of the lord of Heaven?
“Know, O Dharmaja,” continued Narada, “that Harishchandra gained this glory through the rite of Rājasūya. By the same high sacrifice your father Pandu has found his place among the blessed in Yama’s domain. Those kings who achieve the Rājasūya are as Indra himself, fulfilled and crowned with eternal honour. Carry my words to your brothers: let them know their father dwells among the righteous, and let them prepare, as I counsel you, to perform the Rājasūya, that they too may win a station in the higher worlds and escape the weary circle of birth and death.”
Thus spoke the sage, his discourse at once a revelation and a charge, at once a glimpse of the divine order and a guide to kingly duty. In his words shone both the splendour of the heavens and the measured wisdom of the Veda, a beacon for the son of Yama to govern well and rise beyond the mortal sphere.
