neck, and in some that of a string of pearls.  Bearing these diverse kinds of hues on his person, the eternal Deity appeared before Narada.  He had a thousand eyes and was possessed of great beauty.  He had a hundred heads and a hundred feet.  He had a thousand stomachs and a thousand arms.  He seemed to be still inconceivable to the mind.  With one of his mouths he uttered the syllable Om and then the Gayatri following Om.  With mind under complete control, the great Deity, called by the names of Hari and Narayana, by his other mouths, multitudinous in number, uttered many mantras from the four Vedas which are known by the name of Aranyaka.  The Lord of all the deities, the great God who is adorned in sacrifices, held in his hands a sacrificial altar, a Kamandalu, few white gems, a pair of sandal, a bundle of Kusa blades, a deer-skin, a toothstick, and a little blazing fire.[1829] With cheerful soul, that foremost of regenerate persons, viz., Narada of restraining speech, bowed unto the great God and adored Him.  Unto him whose head was still bent low in veneration, the first of all the deities, who is free from deterioration, said the following words.

“’The Holy one said, The great Rishis, Ekata, Dwita, and Trita, came to this realm from desire of obtaining a sight of me.  They, however, were unable to have the fruition of their wishes.  Nor can any one have a sight of me save those persons that are devoted to me with their whole hearts.  As regards thee, thou art verily the foremost of all persons devoted to me with all their souls.  These are my bodies, the best ones that I assume.  These were born, O regenerate one, in the house of Dharma.  Do thou worship them always, and do thou perform those rites that are laid down in the ordinances with respect to that worship.  O Brahmana, do thou ask of me the boons thou desirest.  I am gratified with thee to-day, and I appear unto thee now in my universal form as freed from decay and deterioration.

“Narada said, Since, O holy one, I have today succeeded in obtaining a sight of thee.  I regard that I have won without any delay the fruits of my penances, O God, of my self-restraint, and of all the vows and observances that I have gone through.  This, indeed, is the highest boon thou hast granted me for thou hast shown thyself to me today.  O Eternal Lord, Thou, O holy one, hast the universe for thy eye.  Thou art the Lion.  Thy form is identifiable with everything.  Possessed of puissance, thou, O Lord, art vast and infinite.

Bhishma continued, ’Having thus shown Himself unto Narada, the son of Parameshthi, the great God addressed that ascetic and said,—­Go hence, O Narada, and do not delay!  These worshippers of mine, possessed of lunar complexions, are divested of all senses and do not subsist upon any kind of food.  They are, again, all Emancipate; with minds wholly concentrated upon Me, people should think of Me.  Such worshippers will never meet with any impediments.  These men are all crowned with ascetic