58. HE, having enacted this code of laws, himself 59. This my son BHRIGU will repeat the divine code 60. BHRIGU, great and wise, having thus been ap- pointed by MENU to promulge his laws, addressed all 61. FROM this MENU named SWA'YAMBHUVAa, Sprung from the self-existing, came six descendants, 6 6 SWA'RO'CHISHA, AUTTAMI, TA'MASA, RAIVATA like- 'wise and CHA'CSHUSHA, beaming with glory, and VAI- The seven MENUS, (or those first created, who are to be followed by seven more) of whom SWA'YAM- one muhúrta: and just so many muhúrtas let man- CHAP. 'kind consider as the duration of their day and night. 65. The sun causes the distribution of day and night, both divine and human; night being intended 66. A month of mortals is a day and a night of 67. 6 Gods, or regents of the universe seated round the "north pole; and again their division is this, their 6 68. Learn now the duration of a day and a night ⚫ mentioned in order succinctly. 69. Sages have given the name of Crita to an age containing four thousand years of the Gods; the 'twilight preceding it consists of as many hundreds, ' and the twilight following it, of the same number: 70. In the other three ages, with their twilights 6 71. The divine years, in the four human ages just enumerated, being added together, their sum, twelve thousand, is called the age of the Gods: 72. And, by reckoning a thousand such divine ages, a day of BRAHMA may be known: his night 73. Those persons best know the divisions of the days and nights, who understand that the day of 6 74. At the close of his night, having long re- posed, he awakes, and awaking, exerts intellect, or 75. Intellect, called into action by his will to cre- ate worlds, performs again the work of creation; 6 76. From ether, effecting a transmutation in form, springs the pure and potent air, a vehicle of all 6 77. Then from air, operating a change, rises light or fire, making objects visible, dispelling gloom, 78. But from light, a change being effected, comes CHAP. deposited earth with the quality of smell: such were I they created in the beginning. 79. The before-mentioned age of the Gods, or twelve thousand of their years, being multiplied by 80. There are numberless Menwantaras; creations also and destructions of worlds, innumerable: the 81. In the Crita age the Genius of truth and right, in the form of a Bull, stands firm on his four feet; 82. But in the following ages, by reason of unjust gains, he is deprived successively of one foot; and even just emoluments, through the prevalence of 85. Some duties are performed by good men in the 'Crita age; others, in the Trétà; some, in the Dwá- 6 para; others, in the Cali; in proportion as those 86. In the Crita the prevailing virtue is declared to be in devotion; in the Trétà, divine knowledge; in the Dwápara, holy sages call sacrifice the duty 87. FOR the sake of preserving this universe, the Being, supremely glorious, allotted separate duties to 88. To Bráhmens he assigned the duties of read- ing the Veda, of teaching it, of sacrificing, of as- 89. To defend the people, to give alms, to sacri- 'fice, to read the Veda, to shun the allurements of 90. To keep herds of cattle, to bestow largesses, to sacrifice, to read the scripture, to carry on trade, |