Adored, he adores, and honoured he honours; unto them that make offerings to him, he makes offerings in return. Worshipped, he worships in return, if seen always, he sees the seers always. If one seeks His refuge and protection, He seeks the seeker as his refuge in return. Ye foremost of all righteous ones, if adored and worshipped, He adores and worships in return. Even this is the high practice of the faultless Vishnu. Even this is the vow that is practised by all righteous people, of that first of all deities, that puissant Lord of all creatures. He is always worshipped in the world. Verily, that Eternal Being is worshipped by even the deities. Those persons that are devoted to Him with the steadiness of a vow become liberated from calamity and fear in proportion to his devotion. The regenerate ones should always worship Him in thought, word, and deed. The son of Devaki should be seen by them with reverence and in order to see Him with reverence they should address themselves to the performance of penances. Ye foremost of ascetics, even this is the path that I show unto you. By beholding Him, ye will have behold all the foremost of deities. I too bow my head in reverence unto that Lord of the universe, that Grandsire of all the worlds, that mighty and vast boar. By beholding Him one beholds the Trinity. Ourselves, i.e., all the deities, reside in Him. He will have an elder brother who will become known over all the world as Vala. Having a plough for his weapon, in form he will look like a white hill. In fact, he will be endued with might capable of uplifting the whole earth. Upon the car of that divine person a tall palmyra, three-headed and made of gold, will form his proud standard. The head of that mighty-armed hero, that Lord of all the worlds, will be shaded by many high-souled snakes of vast bodies. All weapons of attack and defence will also come to him as soon as he will think of them. He is called Ananta (Infinite).Mbh 13.147.2e · Mahabharata · ANUSASANA PARVA
Mbh 13.147.2e
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
WorshipThe DivineProtectionDevotionDharmaJusticeNatureStrength
Worship in other traditions
The same theme, as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hellenism address it.
And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.Numbers 29:31 · Bible · Numbers
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.Quran 109:5 · Quran · The Unbelievers
Whatever a man sacrifice in this world as an offering or as an oblation for a whole year in order to gain merit, the whole of it is not worth a quarter (a farthing); reverence shown to the righteous is better.Dhp 8.108 · Dhammapada · The Thousands
Full fifty more from Athens stem the main, Led by Menestheus through the liquid plain. (Athens the fair, where great Erectheus sway’d, That owed his nurture to the blue-eyed maid, But from the teeming furrow took his birth, The mighty offspring of the foodful earth. Him Pallas placed amidst her wealthy fane, Adored with sacrifice and oxen slain; Where, as the years revolve, her altars blaze, And all the tribes resound the goddess’ praise.) No chief like thee, Menestheus! Greece could yield, To marshal armies in the dusty field, The extended wings of battle to display, Or close the embodied host in firm array. Nestor alone, improved by length of days, For martial conduct bore an equal praise.Iliad 2.41 · Iliad · 2
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