The various names of Vishnu

Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O you of great wisdom and invincible prowess in battle, I wish to hear fully of Krishna who is immutable omnipotent.

O foremost of men, tell me truly everything about his great energy and the great deeds performed by him in days of yore.

Why did that powerful one assume the form of an animal, and that for performing what particular act? Tell me all this, O mighty warrior.

'Formerly, on one occasion, while out on hunting, I arrived at the asylum of Markandeya. There I saw various classes of ascetics seated by thousands.

The Rishis honoured me by offering honey and curds. Accepting their adoration, I reverentially saluted them in return.

What I shall recite was described there by the great Rishi Kashyapa. Listen with rapt attention to that excellent and charming throne.

Formerly the principal Danavas, possessed by anger and cupidity, and hundreds of powerful Asuras having Naraka for their first, elated with power, and numberless other Danavas invincible in battle, became highly jealous of the peerless prosperity of the gods.

Oppressed by the Danavas and finding no peace, the gods and the celestial Rishis, fled away in all directions.

The dwellers of heaven saw the Earth loO king like one one sunk in sore distress. Overspread with mighty Danavas of terrible countenance, the Earth seemed to be oppressed with a heavy load, Cheerless and grief-stricken, she seemed as if going down into the neither region.

The Adityas, stricken with fear, went to Brahman, and said,-How O Brahman, shall we continue to put up with these oppressions of the Danavas.

The self-create answered them, saying,-I have already ordained what is to be done in this matter.

Having obtained boons, and possessed of power, and elated with pride, those senseless wretches do not know that Vishnu of invisible form, that god incapable of being defeated by the very gods in a body, has assumed the form of a boar. That Supreme Deity, going to the spot where those wretched Danavas, of terrible mien, are living in thousands below the Earth, will kill them all! Hearing these words of the Grandfather, those foremost one among the deities were overjoyed.

Sometime after, Vishnu of mighty energy, assuming the form of a Boar, penetrating into the neither regions, rushed against those children of Diti.

Seeing that extraordinary creature, all the Daityas, in a body stupefied by Time, quickly proceeded against it for displaying their strength, and stood encircling it.

Soon after, they all rushed against that Boar and caught it simultaneously. Filled with anger they tried to drag the animal from every side.

Those foremost of Danavas, of huge bodies, endued with mighty energy, swelling with strength, O monarch, could do nothing to that Boar.

At this they were stricken with wonder and fear. Numbering in thousands, they thought that their last hour had come.

Then that Supreme God of all the gods, having Yoga for his soul and companion, became immersed in Yoga, O chief of the Bharatas, and began to roar terribly agitating those Daityas and Danavas.

All the worlds and the ten cardinal points resounded with those roars, which for this reason, agitated all creatures and struck them with fear.

The very gods headed by Indra became terror-stricken. The whole universe became calm in consequence of that sound. It was a dreadful time.

All mobile and immobile beings became stupefied by that sound. The Danavas, terrified by that sound, began to fall down dead, paralysed by the energy of Vishnu. The Boar, with its hoops, began to pierce those enemies of the gods, those dwellers of the nether regions, and tear their flesh, fat, and bones.

On account of those tremendous roars, Vishnu passed by the name of Sanalana.

He is also called Padmanabha. He is foremost of Yogins. He is the Preceptor of all creatures, and their supreme Lord. All the sects of the gods then went to the Grandfather.

Going there, those illustrious addressed the Lord of the universe, saying-What sort of noise is this, O powerful one? We do not understand it. Who is this one, ones or whose is this sound by which the universe has been stupefied. With the power of this sound or of its maker, the gods and the Danavas have all been deprived of their senses.

Meanwhile, O mighty-armed one, Vishnu in his Boar form came before the assembled gods, his praises lauded by the great Rishis.

The Grandfather said That is the Supreme God, the Creator of all beings, the Soul of all creatures, the foremost of all Yogins. Of huge body and great strength, he comes here, having killed the leading Danavas.

He is the Lord of all beings, the master of Yoga, the great ascetic, the Soul of all living beings. Be silent, all of you? He is Krishna, the destroyer of all impediments.

That Supreme God of immeasurable sheen, that great refuge of all blessings, having performed a most difficult task that cannot be accomplished by others, has returned to his own pure nature.

It is He from whose navel the primeval lotus had sprung. He is the foremost of Yogins. Of supreme soul, He is the creator of all beings. There is no necessity for sorrow or fear or grief, ye foremost of celestials.

He is the Ordainer. He is the Creating Principle. He is all-destroying Time. It is He who maintains all the worlds. These roars that have alarmed you are being uttered by that great one.

Of mighty arms, He is the object of universal adoration. Incapable of deterioration, that lotus-eyed one is the origin of all beings and their lord.' He is the Ordainer. He is the Creating Principle. He is all-destroying Time. It is He who maintains all the worlds. These roars that have alarmed you are being uttered by that great one.

Of mighty arms, He is the object of universal adoration. Incapable of deterioration, that lotus-eyed one is the origin of all beings and their lord.'