Listen now to the wondrous story of the Lord’s manifestations, as recounted in the sacred tradition. The three divine and auspicious forms of the Lord are well remembered, but it was through a curse that he took on seven human births. Let me now tell you of these incarnations, each arising at a destined time for the welfare of the world. In the tenth Treta Yuga, when virtue was waning, the Lord was born as Dattatreya. Later, when righteousness had again faded, he took birth as the fourth incarnation, this time preceded by the sage Markandeya. In the fifteenth Treta, the Lord appeared as the fifth, during the reign of Mandhata, who, accompanied by Tathya, became emperor. In the nineteenth Treta Yuga, he alone arose as the destroyer of all kshatriyas, taking birth as the mighty Parashurama, son of Jamadagni—the sixth incarnation—preceded by the great sage Vishvamitra. Then, in the twenty-fourth age, for the sake of vanquishing Ravana, Rama was born as the seventh incarnation, son of Dasharatha, with the venerable Vasishtha as his priest. In the eighth Dvapara Yuga, during the twenty-eighth cycle, the Lord took birth from Parashara as Vedavyasa, the arranger of the Vedas, preceded by Jatukarṇa. Again, as the ninth, Vishnu, son of Kashyapa and Aditi, was born to Devaki and Vasudeva, preceded by Brahmagarga. Unfathomable and self-controlled, the Blessed One acts as he wishes, playing in this world as a child plays with toys. The mighty-armed Madhusudana cannot be measured; there is nothing higher nor any form greater than his universal form. In the twenty-eighth Dvapara Yuga, at its close, when righteousness was lost, the Lord was born in the Vrishni clan. To restore dharma and destroy the demons, he, the yogic self, took a form by his own yogic power, deluding all beings. He entered a human womb and moved secretly upon the earth, sporting among men, preceded by Sandipani. There, he slew Kamsa, Shalva, Dvivida the great demon, Arishta, Vrishabha, Putana, Keshi the horse, and many others. He vanquished the serpent Kuvalayapida, the lord of the wrestlers’ house, and other demons who dwelled in human bodies, displaying his valor. He cut off the thousand arms of Bana, the wondrous actor; he slew Naraka in battle, and the mighty Yavana as well. By his brilliance, he took all the jewels of the kings, and those wicked rulers who hid in the netherworld were destroyed. All these manifestations of the great soul arise for the welfare of the worlds. Now, in this very age, when the yuga is diminished and the twilight period has merged, another incarnation will come. Kalki, renowned as Vishnuyaśā, of the lineage of Parāśara and possessing great prowess, will be the tenth. He will be preceded by Yājñavalkya. Kalki will draw forth mighty armies, crowded with elephants, horses, and chariots, surrounded by Brahmins bearing weapons, numbering in the hundreds of thousands. He will confront those who are not exceedingly righteous, enemies of dharma, from the northern regions, the central lands, the Vindhya and western territories, the southern regions, the Dravidians and Sinhalas, the Gandharas, Paradas, Pahlavas, Yavanas, Shakas, Tusharas, Barbaras, Pulindas, Daradas, Khasas, Lampakas, Andhakas, Rudras, and Kiratas. With the power of the revolving wheel, mighty in strength, he will be the destroyer of the mlecchas; invisible to all beings, he will roam the earth. That man will be born through a portion of the wise deity; in a previous birth, he was Vishnu, known as Pramiti, endowed with valor. In form, he will be like the moon, and he will appear at the end of the Kali Yuga. Thus, these ten manifestations of the Lord are remembered. For every time, purpose, and reason, the Lord enters those wombs in the three worlds by a portion of himself. When the twenty-fifth cycle arises, for twenty-five years, he will destroy all beings, especially humans. Having left only the seeds remaining, through cruel deeds upon the earth, he will annihilate the outcastes, especially those who are unrighteous. When Kalki has fulfilled his purpose with his army, those who were slain by his actions will become perfected, and again, of their own accord, will suddenly become bewildered and angry with one another, destroying all those incited for the sake of the future. Kalki, together with his followers, will attain his abode between the Ganges and Yamuna. When Kalki has departed, along with his army, and the kings have perished, the people will be without restraint. With protection gone, they will slay each other in battle, losing all mutual comfort, and, greatly afflicted, will abandon cities and villages, living equally without possessions. Their sacred learning and dharma will vanish, as well as the dharma-ashramas; short-lived and of little vitality, these people will be remembered as forest dwellers. They will live among rivers and mountains, subsisting on leaves, roots, and fruits, clad in bark, leaves, or animal skins, embracing a harsh asceticism. Short-lived, forgotten by the world, afflicted by many troubles and greatly distressed, they will fall into hardship during the twilight of Kali. Thus, as the Kali Yuga declines, so too will the people. When Kali is exhausted and the Krita age begins anew, people will act properly, by their very nature, without deviation. Thus have all the deeds of gods and asuras been recounted. In the context of the Yadu lineage, your great Vaishnava glory has been described. Now, let me narrate the lineages of Turvasu, as well as Puru, Druhyu, and Anu. Turvasu’s son was Vahni; Vahni’s son was Gobhānu; Gobhānu’s son was the mighty Trisānu, whose son was Aparājita.