of their numerous sacrifices. That reward, however,
is unattainable by men that are wicked in their deeds, overwhelmed by
covetousness, mean and disreputable with souls unblessed and impure.
Therefore, must thou know, O Brahmana that this reward which is obtained
by persons having their souls under control and which is unobtainable by
the ignorant and the foolish,--this which is attainable by asceticism
alone,--is productive of high merit. And, O best of men, at those times
when virtue and morality decrease and sin and immorality increase, I
create myself in new forms. And, O Muni, when fierce and malicious
Daityas and Rakshasas that are incapable of being slain by even the
foremost of the gods, are born on earth, I then take my birth in the
families of virtuous men, and assuming human body restore tranquillity by
exterminating all evils. Moved by my own maya, I create gods and men, and
Gandharvas and Rakshasas, and all immobile things and then destroy them
all myself (when the time cometh). For the preservation of rectitude and
morality I assume a human form, and when the season for action cometh, I
again assume forms that are inconceivable. In the Krita age I become
white, in the Treta age I become yellow, in the Dwapara I have become red
and in the Kali age I become dark in hue, I the Kali age, the proportion
of immorality becometh three-fourths, (a fourth only being that of
morality). And when the end of the Yuga cometh, assuming the fierce form
of Death, alone I destroy all the three worlds with their mobile and
immobile existences. With three steps, I cover the whole Universe; I am
the Soul of the universe; I am the source of all happiness; I am the
humbler of all pride; I am omnipresent; I am infinite; I am the Lord of
the senses; and my prowess is great. O Brahmana, alone do I set a-going
the wheel of Time; I am formless; I am the Destroyer of all creatures;
and I am the cause of all efforts of all my creatures. O best of Munis,
my soul completely pervadeth all my creatures, but, O foremost of all
regenerate ones, no one knoweth me. It is me that the pious and the
devoted worship in all the worlds. O regenerate one, whatever of pain
thou hast felt within my stomach, know, O sinless one, that all that is
for thy happiness and good fortune. And whatever of mobile and immobile
objects thou hast seen in the world, everything hath been ordained by my
Soul which is the Spring of all existence. The grandsire of all creat