DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.638#0170
MYSTERIES OF CREATION 105
mortals, each human year being composed of 360 days.
A thousand of these periods of 4,320,000 years equals
one day (Kalpa) of Brahma. During " the day of
Brahma" fourteen Manus reign: each Manu period is a
Manvantara. A year of Brahma is composed of 360
Kalpas, and he endures for 10O of these years. One
half of Brahma's existence has now expired.
At the end of each "day" (Kalpa) Brahma sleeps for
a night of equal length, and before falling asleep the
Universe becomes water as at the beginning. He creates
anew when he wakes on the morning of the next Kalpa.1
One of the most interesting accounts of the Yugas is
given in the Mahdbhdrata. It is embedded in a narrative
which reflects a phase of the character of that great epic.
Bhima of the Pan'davas, the human son of the wind
god Vayu, once went forth to obtain for his beloved
queen the flowers of Paradise—those Celestial lotuses of
a thousand petals with sun-like splendour and unearthly
fragrance, which prolong life and renew beauty: they grow
in the demon-guarded woodland lake "in the region of
Kuvera, god of treasure. Bhima hastened towards the
north-east, facing the wind, armed with a golden bow and
snake-like arrows; like an angry lion he went, nor ever
felt weary. Having climbed a great mountain he entered
a forest which is the haunt of demons, and he saw stately
and beautiful trees, blossoming creepers, flowers of various
hues, and birds with gorgeous plumage. A soft wind
blew in his face; it was anointed with the perfume of
Celestial lotus; it was as refreshing as the touch of a
father's hand. Beautiful was that sacred retreat. The
great clouds spread out like wings and the mountain
seemed to dance; shining streams adorned it like to a
necklace of pearls.
Abridged from Muir's Original Sanskrit Texts, pp. 43, 44, and Wilson's Manu, p. 50.
mortals, each human year being composed of 360 days.
A thousand of these periods of 4,320,000 years equals
one day (Kalpa) of Brahma. During " the day of
Brahma" fourteen Manus reign: each Manu period is a
Manvantara. A year of Brahma is composed of 360
Kalpas, and he endures for 10O of these years. One
half of Brahma's existence has now expired.
At the end of each "day" (Kalpa) Brahma sleeps for
a night of equal length, and before falling asleep the
Universe becomes water as at the beginning. He creates
anew when he wakes on the morning of the next Kalpa.1
One of the most interesting accounts of the Yugas is
given in the Mahdbhdrata. It is embedded in a narrative
which reflects a phase of the character of that great epic.
Bhima of the Pan'davas, the human son of the wind
god Vayu, once went forth to obtain for his beloved
queen the flowers of Paradise—those Celestial lotuses of
a thousand petals with sun-like splendour and unearthly
fragrance, which prolong life and renew beauty: they grow
in the demon-guarded woodland lake "in the region of
Kuvera, god of treasure. Bhima hastened towards the
north-east, facing the wind, armed with a golden bow and
snake-like arrows; like an angry lion he went, nor ever
felt weary. Having climbed a great mountain he entered
a forest which is the haunt of demons, and he saw stately
and beautiful trees, blossoming creepers, flowers of various
hues, and birds with gorgeous plumage. A soft wind
blew in his face; it was anointed with the perfume of
Celestial lotus; it was as refreshing as the touch of a
father's hand. Beautiful was that sacred retreat. The
great clouds spread out like wings and the mountain
seemed to dance; shining streams adorned it like to a
necklace of pearls.
Abridged from Muir's Original Sanskrit Texts, pp. 43, 44, and Wilson's Manu, p. 50.