SECTION CCII

“Dhritarashtra said, Upon the slaughter of the Atiratha, viz., Drona, by Prishata’s son, what did my sons and the Pandavas next do?’

“Sanjaya, said, ’After the rout of the Kuru army, upon the slaughter of that Atiratha, viz., Drona, by Prishata’s son, Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti beholding a wonderful phenomenon in connection with his own victory, asked Vyasa, O bull of Bharata’s race, who came thither in course of his wanderings, saying, ’O great Rishi, while I was engaged in slaying the foe in battle with showers of bright shafts, I continually beheld before me, proceeding in advance of my car, a person of blazing hue, as if endued with the effulgence of fire.  Whithersoever he proceeded with his uplifted lance, all the hostile warriors were seen to break before him.  Broken in reality by him, people regarded the foe to have been broken by me.  Following in his wake, I only destroyed those, already destroyed by him.  O holy one, tell me who was that foremost of persons, armed with lance, resembling the sun himself in energy, that was thus seen by me?  He did not touch the earth with his feet, nor did he hurl his lance even once.  In consequence of his energy, thousands of lances issued out of that one lance held by him.’

“Vyasa said, ’Thou hast, O Arjuna, seen Sankara, that First cause from which have sprung the Prajapatis, that puissant Being endued with great energy, he that is the embodiment of heaven, earth and sky, the Divine Lord, the protector of the universe, the great Master, the giver of boons, called also Isana.  O, seek the protection of that boon, giving Deity, that lord of the universe.  He is called Mahadeva (the Supreme Deity), of Supreme Soul, the one only Lord, with matted locks (on head), the abode of auspiciousness.  Of three eyes and mighty arms, he is called Rudra, with his locks tied in the shape of a crown, and his body attired in skins.  That boon-giving lord of the universe, that Supreme Deity, is also called Hara and Sthanu.  He is the foremost of every being in the universe, he is incapable of being vanquished, he is the delighter of the universe and its supreme ruler.  The first cause, the light and refuge of the universe, he is ever victorious.  The Soul and the creator of the universe, and having the universe for his form, he is possessed of great fame.  The Lord of the universe, and its great Ruler, that puissant one, is also the master of all actions.  Called also Sambhu, he is self-born, he is the lord of all creatures, and the origin of the Past, the Future, and the Present.  He is Yoga and the lord of Yoga; he is called Sarva, and is the Lord of all the worlds.  He is superior to everything.  The foremost of everything in the universe, and the highest of all, he is called also Parumesthin.  The Ordainer of the three worlds, he is the sole refuge of the three worlds.  Incapable of being vanquished, he is the protector of the universe,