अंशावतरण पर्व — देवताहरू आदिको अवतरणको संक्षिप्त वृत्तान्त

Janamejaya said : O Brahmana, I wish to hear in detail the accounts of those that you have named and of those that you have not named and other kings and potentates by thousands.

O great man, you should tell me in full the object for which these great car-warriors, all equal to the celestials, were born on earth.

Vaishampayana said : O king, we have heard that what you ask is a mystery even to the celestials. I shall however, speak of it, after bowing my head to the Self-Born (Brahma).

The son of Jamadagni, (Parshurama), after making the earth bereft of Kshatriyas for twenty-one times, went to the best of the mountains, named Mahendra and began his penances.

O king, when the earth was thus bereft of Kshatriyas, the Kshatriya women used to come to the Brahmanas for offspring.

O best of men, the Brahmanas had connections with them only at their seasons and not when they were not in their seasons and they the Brahmans did not do it with lust.

Thus thousands of Kshatriya women conceived through these connections with the Brahmanas and O king, thus were born many Kshatriyas of great prowess,

And many boys and girls, in order to thrive the Kshatriya race. Thus sprang the Kshatriya race from Kshatriya women from their connections with ascetic Brahmanas.

The new generation, blessed with long life, began to thrive in virtue and thus were again established the four castes having Brahmanas at their head.

At the time (of which I speak), every man went to his wife only at the time of her season and never from lust or when she was not at her season. Other creatures also, even those that were born in the race of birds, followed this example. O best of the Bharata race, thus were born hundreds and thousands of creatures and they all thrived in virtue.

O lord of the earth, all creatures were virtuous and religious and all men were free from sorrow and disease.

O king having the walk of an elephant, thus once more, the wide earth, with the ocean for her boundaries, with her mountains and woods and towns was governed by the Kshatriyas.

When thus the earth was again governed virtuously by the Kshatriyas, the other castes, having Brahmanas at their head, were filled with great joy.

All the kings (of the world), becoming free from vices born of lust and anger and punishing those that deserved punishment, protected the earth.

And (Indra) the deity that performed one hundred sacrifices and who has one thousand eyes, seeing that all the Kshatriya sovereigns ruled their kingdoms very virtuously, poured down vivifying showers of rains at the proper time and at the proper place and thus protected all creatures.

O king, no one died in early age and none took to wife before attaining to age.

O best of the Bharata race, thus was filled the earth to the very shores of the sea with long-lived men.

The Kshatriyas performed great sacrifices and bestowed much wealth on the Brahmanas and all the Brahmanas also studied the Vedas and the Vedangas and the Upanishads.

O king, no Brahmana ever sold the Vedas and none of them ever read them aloud before a Shudra.

The Vaishyas tilled well the earth with the help of bullocks and they never yoked kine to the plough. They carefully fed the lean ones.

Men never milched the cows as long as the calves could not live on the milk of their mothers. No merchant sold his goods with false scales.

O best of men, all men, thus virtuously inclined, did every thing with their eyes fixed on virtue.

O king, all men of all castes were mindful of the respective duties of their respective castes. O best of men, their virtue never sustained any diminution.

Both women and kine gave birth to offspring at the proper time and trees bore flowers and fruits at their proper seasons.

O king, the Krita (Satya) Yuga having come into the world, the whole earth was filled with numerous beings.

O best of the Bharata race, O lord of men, when such was the happy state of the world, the Asuras began to take birth in royal dynasties.

The sons of Diti, (the Asuras), having been continually defeated by the sons of Aditi, (the celestials) and deprived of sovereignty and heaven, began to take birth on earth.

O king, wishing to enjoy sovereignty in this earth, the powerful Asuras took birth among humens, cows, horses, mules, camels, buffaloes, elephants, deer; they also took birth as Rakshasas and others.

O protector of the world, owing to the birth of those (Asuras) that were already born and those that were being born, the Earth became incapable of supporting herself.

Amongst the sons of Diti and Danu, some, being thrown off from heaven, took birth as men and became proud and insolent monarchs on earth.

Possessed of great prowess, they covered the earth in various shapes. They, becoming great oppressors, filled the earth to the very shores of the sea.

They began to oppress the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras; they began to persecute all other creatures with their strength.

O king, frightening and killing all creatures, they roamed over the earth in hundred and thousands.

Bereft of virtue and truth, proud of their strength, intoxicated with their insolence, they even insulted the holy Rishis in their hermitages.

O king, the earth, thus oppressed by the Asuras of great strength, energy and abundant means, thought of appealing to Brahma.

The united strength of the Naga Shesha and other creatures (such as the tortoise and the elephant), could not support the earth, attacked by the powerful Danavas.

O protector of the world, thereupon the Earth, afflicted with fear and oppressed by the weight (of the Danavas went to the Grandfather of all creatures and asked his protection.

She saw the divine Brahma, the creator of the worlds, who is undeteriorating, seated (on his seat), surrounded by the celestials and great and illustrious Rishis and adored by the delighted Gandharvas and Apsaras who are always engaged in the services of the celestials.

The Earth adored the Grandsire and O best of the Bharata race, telling him all that had happened, before all the regents of the world she asked his protection.

O king, the object (for which she came) was already known beforehand to the Omniscient, Self-created and Supreme Lord.

O descendant of the Bharata race he is the creator of the universe, why should he not know fully what is in the minds of the creatures, including the very Devas and the Danavas?

O great king, the Lord of the earth, Prajapati, Isha, Shambhu, then thus spoke to her.

Brahma said: O Vasundhara (the holder of wealth,) I shall appoint all the dwellers of heaven in the work for which you have come to me.

Vaishampayana said : O king, having thus addressed the Earth, the divine Brahma, bade her farewell. Then the Creator commanded all the celestials, saying, "All of you go and take your birth on earth to free her from her burden. Go according to your respective parts and seek battles (with the Danavas).

Then the creator of all the creatures, calling all the tribes of the Gandharvas and Apsaras, spoke to them thus, “All of you go and take your birth amongst men according to your respective parts and in the forms you prefer.

All the celestials with Indra at their head, having heard these words of the lord of the celestials, words that were true, that were desirable under the circumstances and which were fraught with benefit, accepted them.

Having then resolved to take birth on the earth according to their respective parts, they all went to Vaikuntha to the slayer of foes, Narayana,

Who bears the discus and the mace in his hands, who wears yellow coloured cloth, who is greatly effulgent, who has the lotus in his navel, who is the slayer of the foes of the celestials, who is fixedly staring at his wide chest,

Who is the lord of the Prajapati (Brahma) himself, who is the sovereign of all the gods, who is of infinite strength, who has the mark of the auspicious wheel on his breast, who is the central force of every one's faculties and who is adored by all the deities;

To him, this most exalted of all persons, Indra said, “Be incarnate." And Hari replied, "Be it so."