A great disturbance had come upon the earth. Divine beings, the gods themselves, had arrived in countless divisions, assuming celestial forms, but they were relentlessly opposed by the proud and powerful lords of the Daityas—the mighty demons. Overwhelmed by this immense burden, the earth could no longer bear her own weight. In distress, she addressed the assembly of immortal gods, confessing her inability to support herself under such oppression and imploring them to act swiftly, lest she sink into the netherworld. The gods, hearing the earth’s plea, sought a way to relieve her suffering. They turned to Brahmā, the creator, urging him to take action. Brahmā spoke to the gods, affirming the truth of the earth’s words. “O dwellers of heaven,” he said, “what she has spoken is true. I, Bhava, and all of you—at our core—are forms of Nārāyaṇa. Among his manifestations, there exists a hierarchy, a play of dominance and subordination.” With resolve, Brahmā invited the gods: “Let us go to the excellent shore of the Milk Ocean. There, we will worship Hari and reveal everything to him.” For the sake of the world, Hari—the soul of all, who pervades the universe—descends to earth with but a fraction of his being, establishing dharma. Having spoken, the grandsire Brahmā departed with the gods to the shore of the Milk Ocean. Concentrating his mind, he praised Hari, the bearer of the Garuḍa banner: “Salutations to you, O thousand-formed, thousand-armed, many-faced and many-footed; salutations to you, inscrutable one, devoted to the origination, dissolution, and preservation of the world. O subtle, supremely subtle, vast in measure, whose greatness surpasses even the greatest; O root and transcendent self of matter, intellect, senses, speech, and their sources—O blessed one, be gracious.” Brahmā continued, “This earth, O god, oppressed by mighty demons born of herself, bound by mountains, approaches you, the ultimate refuge of the worlds, to relieve her unbearable burden. Here are we—the slayer of Vṛtra, the Aśvins, Varuṇa, the Rudras, Vasus with the Sun, the Wind, Fire, and others. All the gods are assembled for this task. Whatever I have done, O master, command us, for we ever abide by your order, free from faults.” Thus praised, the blessed Supreme Lord Hari drew forth from himself two hairs—one white and one black. He told the gods, “These two hairs of mine, descending to earth, will remove the suffering caused by its burden. Let all the gods, with their own portions, descend to earth and wage war against the mad, mighty demons who have arisen. Then, those Daityas on earth will be utterly destroyed, shattered by various weapons; there is no doubt about this.” Hari then revealed, “The wife of Vasudeva, Devakī, who is like a goddess, will bear the eighth embryo, which will be my hair, O gods. Descending there, he will slay Kaṃsa on earth, who has arisen from Kālanemi.” Having spoken thus, Hari vanished. The gods, bowing to the great-souled one who had become invisible, went to the summit of Meru and descended to earth. The sage Nārada declared, “The eighth embryo of Devakī will be born on earth for Kaṃsa.” Hearing this, Kaṃsa became enraged and confined Devakī and Vasudeva in his house under strict guard. Just as before, whenever a child was born, Vasudeva would hand the newborn to Kaṃsa. By the will of Vishnu, the six sons of Hiranyakashipu, renowned as the Six Embryos, were placed—through the agency of Nidra—into Devakī’s womb, one after another. Yoganidra, the great enchantress and Vaishnavi power by whom the world is deluded, was addressed by Hari: “Go, Nidra, at my command, and one by one transfer the Six Embryos, who dwell in the netherworld, into Devakī’s womb. When those are slain by Kaṃsa, then the sinless one known as Shesha, by a portion of himself, will become the seventh in her womb.” Hari continued, “In Gokula, Rohini, the wife of Vasudeva, resides; at the time of her delivery, you must transfer the embryo into her womb. Because of the fear of the king of the Bhojas and due to obstruction and restraint, people will say that Devakī’s seventh embryo has fallen. Because of the drawing out of the embryo, he will be known in the world as Sankarshana, the hero, resplendent like the peak of the white mountain.” “Then I shall be born in the auspicious womb of Devakī; you must go without delay to Yashoda. In the rainy season, on the eighth day of the dark fortnight, at night, I shall be born; and on the ninth day, you will give birth. On Yashoda’s bed, I shall be placed, and you, O blameless one, by the will of my power, Vasudeva will carry you from Devakī. Kaṃsa will seize you, O goddess, and hurl you upon the rocky summit of a mountain, but in the sky you will attain your place. Then Indra, bowing in reverence, will receive you as his sister after you have been divided into a hundred parts.” “After slaying Shumbha, Nishumbha, and thousands of other demons, you will adorn the entire earth with many abodes. You are prosperity, humility, fame, beauty, the earth, fortitude, modesty, nourishment, dawn, and whatever else exists—you are indeed all these. Those who call you Arya, Durga, Ambika in the Vedas, Bhadra, Bhadrakali, Kshemya, or Kshemankari—morning and afternoon, those of humble form will praise you; by my grace, all their desires will be fulfilled.” Thus, the gods and powers were set into motion, and the events unfolded by the divine will, to relieve the earth of her burden and restore righteousness.