Bhushunda Recollects World-Cycles - 7

Sage Vasishtha

VASISHTHA asked:

You enjoy such longevity as would suggest that you have attained final liberation! And you are wise, brave and you are a great yogi. Pray, tell me what extraordinary events you remember relating to this and the previous world-cycles.

BHUSHUNDA said:

I remember that once upon a time there was nothing on this earth, no trees and plants, not even mountains. For a period of 11,000 years the earth was covered by lava. In those days, there was neither day nor night below the polar region: for in the rest of the earth neither the sun nor the moon shone. Only one half of the polar region was illumined.

Then demons ruled the earth: they were deluded, powerful and prosperous. The earth was their playground. 

Apart from the polar region, the rest of the earth was covered with water. And then for a very long time, the whole earth was covered with forests, except the polar region. Then there arose great mountains, but without any human inhabitants. For a period of 10,000 years, the earth was corpses of the demons.

At one time, the gods who used to roam the skies had vanished from sight on account of fear. And the earth had become more like a single mountain! I remember many such events: but let me narrate to you what is important.

During my life-time I have seen the appearance and disappearance of countless Manus (the progenitor of the human race). At one time the world was devoid of gods and the demons, but was one radiant cosmic egg. At another time, the earth was populated by Brahmanas (members of the priest-class) who were addicted to alcohol, shudras (servant-class) who ridiculed the gods, and by polyandrous women. I also remember another epoch when the earth was covered with forests, when the ocean could not even be imagined when human beings were spontaneously created. At another time there was neither mountain nor earth; the gods and the sages dwelt in space. At another time there were neither the gods nor the sages, etc.; darkness prevailed everywhere.

First there arose the notion of creation. Then light and the division of the universe arose. Then one after the other the diverse beings were created, as also the stars and the planets.

I saw that during one epoch it was lord Vishnu (generally considered the protector) who created the universe, during another it was Brahma who created the universe and in another it was Shiva who became the creator.