From the power of Dharma, Pāṇḍu’s noble son Yudhiṣṭhira was born; from Vāyu, the mighty Vṛkodara—known as Bhīma—was born to Kuntī; from Indra, Dhanañjaya, the valiant Arjuna, took birth; and from Mādrī came the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, completing the illustrious Pāṇḍava brothers. Elsewhere, Vasudeva and Rohiṇī were blessed with sons: Rāma (Balarāma), Sāraṇa, and Durgama. From Vasudeva and Devakī, the first to be born was Susenaka. Yet, the cruel Kaṃsa destroyed six embryos: Kīrtimān, Bhadrasena, Jārukhya, Viṣṇudāsaka, Bhadradeha, and Kaṃsa himself. Thereafter, Balarāma was born, followed by the divine Kṛṣṇa. Subhadrā, the auspicious speaker, also came into the world, as did Cārudeṣṇa, Śāmba, and others, children of Kṛṣṇa and Jāmbavatī. Agni explains: Kaśyapa himself became Vasudeva, and Devakī was the noble Aditi. From their union, Kṛṣṇa was born, endowed with great ascetic power. For the protection of dharma, for the destruction of adharma, for the preservation of the gods, and the subduing of demons, Kṛṣṇa took birth on earth. Among Kṛṣṇa’s cherished consorts were Rukmiṇī, Satyabhāmā, Satyā, Nagnajitī the beloved, Satyabhāmā, cherished of Hari, Gāndhārī, and Lakṣmaṇā. Mitravindā, Kālindī, the goddess Jāmbavatī, Suśīlā, Mādrī, Kauśalyā, Vijayā, and Jayā were also among his wives. In total, there were sixteen thousand queens. From Rukmiṇī was born Pradyumna and others; from Satyabhāmā came Bhīma and others; from Jāmbavatī, Śāmba and more. In all, Kṛṣṇa, the wise one, had a hundred thousand sons. Kṛṣṇa protected eighty thousand Yādavas. From Pradyumna and Vaidarbhī was born Aniruddha, a lover of battle. Aniruddha’s line continued with Vajra and other mighty Yādavas. Altogether, there were three crores of Yādavas and sixty thousand Dānavas. Those who were obstacles among men, Kṛṣṇa destroyed, for Hari is born as a man to establish the proper order of duties. There were twelve great battles between gods and demons for the sake of inheritance. The first was the Nārasiṃha battle, then Vāmana’s, followed by the Vārāha battle, and the fourth, the churning of the ocean for nectar. The Tārakāmaya battle came next, then the Ājīvaka battle. Afterward came the Tripura battle, the slaying of Andhaka, the defeat of Vṛtra, the overcoming of Hālāhala, and the dreadful Kolāhala battle. In ancient times, Nārasiṃha, the divine protector, tore apart Hiraṇyakaśipu with his claws, saving the noble Prahlāda. During the conflict between gods and demons, Vāmana—born of Kaśyapa and Aditi—subdued the mighty Bali and restored the kingdom to Mahendra, the king of gods. Varāha, after slaying Hiraṇyākṣa, protected the gods and, praised by the celestial hosts, lifted the earth from the cosmic waters. When the gods and demons churned the ocean using Mandara as the rod and Vāsuki as the rope, nectar was obtained for the gods. In the Tārakāmaya battle, the gods were protected; Indra was restrained, and the demons, creators of the Soma lineage, were checked by their teachers. Sages like Viśvāmitra, Vasiṣṭha, and three others shielded the gods in battle, overcoming the hostile demons. Hari, the refuge of Brahma, burned the city of Tripura, acting as the protector of the gods and destroyer of demons. Devoted to Revati, Hari struck down the blind demon who had afflicted Rudra, who had sought to seize Gaurī. Viṣṇu, upholding divine law, protected the gods by slaying Vṛtra, their destroyer. In the form of Paraśurāma, Hari defeated Śālva and other demons, protected the gods and their leaders, and destroyed wicked rulers. Madhusūdana removed the deadly poison Hālāhala and the demon from Maheśvara, dispelling the gods’ fears. The demon Kolāhala and the poison Hālāhala were conquered, and all the gods were protected by Viṣṇu through his preservation of righteousness. In the battle between gods and demons, Kolāhala was defeated, and the gods were again safeguarded by Viṣṇu’s upholding of dharma. Kings, princes, sages, and gods—whether mentioned or unmentioned—are all incarnations of Hari. Agni then recounted the lineage of Turvasu: his son was Varga, whose son was Gobhānu, followed by Traiśāni, and then Karandhama. Karandhama’s son was Marutta, whose son was Duṣmanta. Duṣmanta’s son was Varūtha, and Varūtha’s son was Gāṇḍīra. From Gāṇḍīra came Gāndhāra, and from him arose five mighty peoples: the Gāndhāras, Keralas, Colas, Pāṇḍyas, and Kolas. Druhyu and Vabhrusetu followed; Vabhrusetu’s son was Purovasu. From them came the Gāndhāras, and from them, Gharma, then Ghṛta. From clarified butter, the wise one was born, and from him came a hundred prudent sons: Ānadrā, Sabhānara, Ākṣupa, and Parameṣuka among them. From Sabhānara came Kālānala, then Kālānalaja Sṛñjaya; Sṛñjaya’s son was Purañjaya, whose son was Janamejaya. Janamejaya’s son was Mahāśāla, whose son was Mahāmanā. From Mahāmanā came Uśīnara, then Ṛgāyantu, and after him, Tṛga. From Narāyantu came Nara; Kṛmi was the son of Kṛmi; in Daśā, Subrata was born, and in Dṛśadvati, Śivi likewise. Śivi had four sons: Pṛthudarbha, Vīraka, Kaikeya, and Bhadraka—their names became those of auspicious peoples. From Uśīnaraja was born Titikṣu, from Titikṣu, Ruṣadraya; from Ruṣadratha, Paila, and from Paila, his son Sutapā. Thus, the divine lineages and the deeds of the incarnations of Hari, the protector of righteousness, unfolded upon the earth.