Chapter 276 - The manifestations of Lord Viṣṇu

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Fire-god said:

1-2. (The patriarch) Kaśyapa manifested as Vasudeva and Aditi (his wife) as the excellent Devakī. Kṛṣṇa was born to Devakī and Vasudeva being endowed with penance for the sake of the protection of righteousness, removal of unrighteousness, protection of the celestials and others and the destruction of the demons and others.

3-5a. Rukmiṇī, Satyabhāmā, Satyā, Nāgnajitī, Gāndhārī, Lakṣmaṇā, Mitravindā, Kālindī, Jāmbavatī, Suśīlā, Mādrī, Kauśalyā, Vijayā, Jayā and others were the sixteen thousand wives (of Kṛṣṇa) among whom Satyabhāmā served (Lord) Hari (Kṛṣṇa).

5b-6. Pradyumna and others were born to Kṛṣṇa through Rukmiṇī, Bhīma and others through Satyabhāmā, Sāmba and others through Jāmbavatī and thus were among the one hundred thousand sons of that wise man.

7-9. Yādavas were eighty thousand that were protected by (Lord) Kṛṣṇa. Pradyumna (son of Kṛṣṇa) had Aniruddha, who was fond of war, as his son through Vaidarbhī. The mighty Yādavas Vajra and others (were the sons) of Aniruddha. Thus there were three crores and sixty lakhs of Yādavas. He (Kṛṣṇa) appeared for the destruction of the demons that afflicted men. (Lord) Hari (Viṣṇu) is born as a mortal in order to regularise the duties (of men).

10. There were twelve battles between the celestials and the demons for the sake of their (legitimate) portions. The first (war of Viṣṇu was in) the man-lion form. The second war (was) as a dwarf.

11. The battle (fought) as the boar (was) the next one. The fourth one was for the churning of the nectar. The sixth one was the battle involving all the celestial bodies for the sake of resuscitation.

12. (The seventh one was the destruction of) the three cities. (The eighth one was for) the destruction of (the demon) Andhaka. The ninth one (was) the killing of (the demon) Vṛtra. The deadly (poison of) hālāhala was conquered (in the tenth one). (The demon) Kolāhala (was subdued in the next one).

13. (The next one was) the form as the man-lion, the protector of the celestials in olden days, that pierced the chest of (the demon) Hiraṇyakaśipu with his nails and made Prahlāda the king.

14. In (the dispute between) the celestials and the demons, (the Lord) was born of Kaśyapa and Aditi as a dwarf, deceived the powerful (demon) Bali and restored the kingdom to Indra.

15. The manifestation as a boar (was made by Lord Viṣṇu) and the demon Hiraṇyākṣa was killed, protecting the celestials thus. He lifted up the earth that got submerged and was praised by the celestials.

16. (The mount) Mandara was made the churning rod, (the serpent) Vāsuki as the string and (the ocean) was churned by the celestials and the demons. The ambrosia (that was obtained) was given to the celestials.

17. The celestials were in the same way protected at the time of the battle of the stars after preventing Indra, Guru, the celestials and demons (from a combat) and thus the Lunar race was made to flourish.

18. (The sages) Viśvāmitra, Vasiṣṭha, Atri and Brahmā protected the celestials in the battle after warding off the demons that were having infatuation and hatred.

19. Lord Hari (Viṣṇu) was the refuge of (Lord) Īsāna (Śiva) that had (Lord) Brahmā as the charioteer of the earth, the chariot. The protector of the celestials and the destroyer of the demons burnt the three cities.

20. (Lord) Rudra (Śiva) was attacked by (the demon) Andhaka desirous of carrying away Gaurī (consort of Śiva). (Lord) Hari, who was fond of (his beloved) Revatī killed the demon Andha.

21. (Lord) Viṣṇu became the foam of the water at the time of the battle between the celestials and the demons and killed (the demon) Vṛtra that afflicted the celestials, and protected the virtues of the celestials.

22. (Lord) Hari, (manifested as) Paraśurāma, conquered the demons such as Śālva and protected the celestials after killing the wicked kṣatriyas (kings).

23. Madhusūdana (the destroyer of demon Madhu) took away the demon of Hālāhala poison from Maheśvara and destroyed the fear of the celestials.

24. The demon Kolāhala was conquered by Him at the battle of the celestials and demons. All the celestials were protected by (Lord) Viṣṇu by protecting righteousness.

25. The kings, princes, sages and the gods are the manifestations of (Lord) Hari, whether (their names) have been narrated or not (in the traditional list).