the auditions in the Vedas disappeared from the world, I brought them back.  The Vedas with the auditions in them, were re-created by me in the Krita age.  They have once more disappeared or may only be partially heard here and there in the Puranas.  Many of my best appearances also in the world have become events of the past.  Having achieved the good of the worlds in those forms in which I appeared, they have re-entered into my own Prakriti.  Brahman (the Creator) himself never obtained a sight of me in this form of mine, which thou, O Narada, hast seen today in consequence of thy entire devotion to me.  I have now said everything, O Brahmana,—­unto thee that art devoted to me wholly, I have disclosed to thee my ancient appearances and future ones also, O Best of men, together with all their mysteries.  “Bhishma continued, The holy and illustrious deity, of universal and immutable form, having said these words unto Narada, disappeared there and then.  Narada also, endued with great energy, having obtained the high favour that he had solicited, then proceeded with great speed to the retreat called Vadari, for beholding Nara and Narayana.  This great Upanishad, perfectly consist with the four Vedas, in harmony with Sankhya-yoga, and called by him by the name of the Pancharatra scriptures, and recited by Narayana himself with his own mouth, was repeated by Narada in the presence of many hearers in the abode of Brahman (his sire) in exactly the same way in which Narayana (while that great god had showed himself unto him) had recited it, and in which he had heard it from his own lips.

“Yudhishthira said, ’Was not Brahman, the Creator of all things, acquainted with this wonderful narrative of the glory of Narayana endued with intelligence that he heard it from the lips of Narada?  Is the illustrious Grandsire of all the worlds any way different from or inferior to the great Narayana?  How then is it that he was unacquainted with the puissance of Narayana of immeasurable energy?’

Bhishma continued, ’Hundreds and thousands of great-Kalpas, hundreds and thousands of Creation and Dissolutions, O king of kings, have been over and have become incidents of the past.[1840] In the beginning of every cycle of Creation, Brahman, endued with great puissance and who creates all things, is remembered (by Narayana).  Brahman knows well, O king, that Narayana, that foremost of all gods is very much superior to him.  He knows that Narayana is the Supreme Soul, that he is the Supreme Lord, that He is the Creator of Brahman himself.  It was only unto that conclave of Rishis, crowned with ascetic success, that came to the abode of Brahman, that Narada recited his narrative which is a very ancient one, and which is perfectly consistent with the Vedas.  The deity Surya, having heard that narrative from those Rishis crowned with ascetic success,[1841] repeated it to the six and sixty thousands of Rishis, O king, of cleansed souls, that follow in his train.  And