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3.4.2.269-277
Cosmic, as if it is the bright light of the moon. T h e greatness of the noble-souled R u d r a s who are equal to M a h ā d e v a has b e e n related by you, ( t h e n a r r a t i o n of which seems as though the n e c t a r is oozing out of your m o u t h . O lord of holy rites, it h a s b e e n entirely i m b i b e d by us along with devotion to Śarva ( G o d Ś i v a ) . Is there anything related to the followers (of R u d r a ) t h a t has n o t been understood by us ? O P r ā n a (Life-breath), the excellent god, it behoves you .to explain this question duly. Sūta said :— 269. T h a t lord s a i d — " W h a t else shall I explain to you? O sages of holy rites, I shall recount whatever should be narrated by m e . " The Sages said :— 270-271. " T h e Adityas, the lions of great fury a n d exploits on either side (of the l o r d ) , t h e Vaiśvānaras, t h e B h ū t a g a n a s (groups of goblins) a n d t h e tigers which are t h e followers—what will be the state of these d u r i n g the dreadful Ābhūta-Samplava (annihilation of all living beings), when all living beings are destroyed ? Kindly tell us this exactly after taking into a c c o u n t t h e existence of I ś v a r a a n d his origin t h a t it u n m a n i f e s t . " 1 Viyu said :— 272-277. " ( I t is the place) w h e r e formerly t h e sons of B r a h m a called K u m ā r a s viz. S a n a n d a n a , S a n a k a a n d S a n ā t a n a had gone. K a p i l a was their leader. Asuri of great fame, t h e Sage Pañcaśikha and others like t h e m went there. After t h e lapse of some time, when cycles of K a l p a s h a d been c o m p l e t e d . 1.
When
V ā y u has already described the Ābhūta-sampiava (world-end)
w h i c h destroys worlds like Bhūr, Bhuvah etc, sages naturally w a n t to k n o w the fate of the residents
of
Siva's
city at
that time.
T h e author wants to
establish the greatness of Maheśvara. He replies that they ultimately in H i m w h o is the Subtlest Anu. the
author.
Historical
teachers
enter
T h i s shows the influence of Vaisesikas on of the
Sāñkhya
School,
Kapila,
Pañcaśikha are e l e v a t e d like the sages Sanaka, S a n a n d a n a etc.
Asuri,