Whenever unrighteousness prevails and righteousness declines in the world, O twice-born, it is then that the great god Janārdana himself takes birth among mortals. He divides his own form in two and incarnates for the protection of the virtuous and to reestablish dharma. Age after age, he descends to destroy the wicked and the enemies of the gods, and to safeguard all beings. Long ago, O brāhmaṇas, the earth found herself weighed down by a heavy burden. Distressed and unable to bear her load, she journeyed to Mount Meru and entered the assembly of the heavenly beings. There, bowing reverently to all the gods and to Brahmā, the earth, her voice filled with compassion and sorrow, poured out her troubles to them. She spoke, “Agni is the teacher of gold, Sūrya is the teacher of cows, but for me and all the worlds, Nārāyaṇa alone is the supreme teacher. Now, these Daityas, led by Kālanemi, have descended to the world of mortals and oppress the people day and night. Kālanemi, once slain by mighty Viṣṇu, has now been reborn as Kaṃsa, the powerful son of Ugrasena. Alongside him are Ariṣṭa, Dhenuka, Keśī, Pralamba, Naraka, the fierce Sūnda, Bāṇa son of Bali, and many other evil-hearted warriors who have taken birth in royal palaces. Their numbers are beyond counting. “Many divisions of gods, assuming divine forms, have come to my aid, but they are opposed by the proud and mighty lords of the Daityas. Thus, O lords of immortals, pressed down by this great burden, I can no longer support myself. I lay my plight before you. O greatly fortunate ones, do what must be done to relieve my burden, lest I, overwhelmed, sink into the netherworld.” Hearing these words, the gods, moved by compassion and concern, urged Brahmā to find a solution. Brahmā addressed the assembly, saying, “All that the earth has spoken is true, O dwellers of heaven. I, Bhava, and all of you are, in our essence, forms of Nārāyaṇa. Among his manifestations, there is a play of mutual superiority and subordination according to the needs of the world. “Come, let us go to the sacred shore of the Milk Ocean. There, let us worship Hari and present our concerns to him, for it is he, the soul of all, who descends with a portion of himself to restore dharma and relieve the world’s suffering.” So resolved, the grandsire Brahmā set out with the gods to the shore of the Milk Ocean. There, focusing his mind, he praised the Lord who bears the Garuḍa banner: “Salutations to you, O thousand-formed, thousand-armed, many-faced and many-footed one! O inscrutable Lord, who brings about the creation, dissolution, and preservation of the world, we bow to you. Subtle beyond subtle, vast beyond measure, you are the root and transcendent self of matter, intellect, senses, speech, and their sources. Blessed one, be gracious. “O Lord, this earth is oppressed by mighty demons born of her own substance and bound by mountains. She approaches you, the ultimate refuge of all worlds, seeking relief from her unbearable burden. Here are we—the slayer of Vṛtra, the two Aśvins, Varuṇa, the Rudras, Vasus with the Sun, the Wind, Fire, and others—all assembled for this purpose. Command us, O master, for we ever abide by your order, free from faults.” Thus praised, the blessed Supreme Lord drew from himself two hairs, one white and one black. He addressed the gods: “These two hairs of mine will descend to the earth and remove the suffering caused by its burden. Let all the gods, each with their own portion, also descend and wage war against the mad and mighty demons who have arisen. These Daityas will be utterly destroyed on earth, shattered by many weapons—there is no doubt of this. “Devakī, wife of Vasudeva and goddess among women, will bear the eighth embryo, which will be my very own hair, O gods. Descending there, he will slay Kaṃsa, who has arisen from Kālanemi.” Having spoken thus, Hari vanished from their sight. The gods, bowing to the great-souled Lord who had become invisible, returned to the summit of Meru and then descended to the earth. The sage Nārada declared, “The eighth embryo of Devakī will be born on earth for Kaṃsa.” When Kaṃsa heard this prophecy from Nārada, he was seized with rage and imprisoned both Devakī and Vasudeva in his palace, placing them under strict guard. As before, whenever a child was born to them, Vasudeva would hand the newborn to Kaṃsa, O twice-born ones. The six sons of Hiraṇyakaśipu, renowned as the Six Embryos, were, by Viṣṇu’s will, placed into Devakī’s womb one after another through the agency of Nidra. Yoganidra, the great enchantress and Vaishnavi power by whom the world is deluded, was addressed by the Blessed Hari: “Go, O Nidra, at my command, and transfer, one by one, the Six Embryos dwelling in the netherworld into Devakī’s womb. When they are slain by Kaṃsa, then the sinless one known as Śeṣa, by a portion of himself, will become the seventh in her womb. “In Gokula, Rohiṇī, wife of Vasudeva, resides. At the time of her delivery, you must transfer the embryo into her womb. Because of fear of the king of the Bhojas and due to various obstacles and restraints, people will believe that Devakī’s seventh embryo has perished.” Thus, in this way, the descent of the Lord and the gods was set in motion for the protection of the world and the destruction of evil, as the ancient burdened earth had prayed.