service of the
celestials. And the Earth, desirous of protection, then represented
everything to him, in the presence, O Bharata, of all the Regents of the
worlds. But, O king, the Earth's object had been known beforehand to the
Omniscient, Self-create, and Supreme Lord. And, O Bharata, Creator as he
is of the universe, why should he not know fully what is in the minds of
his creatures including the very gods and the Asuras? O king, the Lord of
the Earth, the Creator of all creatures, also called Isa, Sambhu,
Prajapati, then spake unto her. And Brahman said, 'O holder of wealth,
for the accomplishment of the object for which thou hast approached me, I
shall appoint all the dwellers in the heavens.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said so unto the Earth, O king, the
divine Brahman bade her farewell. And the Creator then commanded all the
gods saying, 'To ease the Earth of her burden, go ye and have your births
in her according to your respective parts and seek ye strife (with the
Asuras already born there)'. And the Creator of all, summoning also all
the tribes of the Gandharvas and the Apsaras, spake unto them these words
of deep import, 'Go ye and be born amongst men according to your
respective parts in forms that ye like.'

"And all the gods with Indra, on hearing these words of the Lord of the
celestials--words that were true, desirable under the circumstances, and
fraught with benefit,--accepted them. And they all having resolved to
come down on earth in their respected parts, then went to Narayana, the
slayer of all foes, at Vaikunth--the one who has the discus and the mace
in his hands, who is clad in purple, who is of great splendour, who hath
the lotus on his navel, who is the slayer of the foes of the gods, who is
of eyes looking down upon his wide chest (in yoga attitude), who is the
lord of the Prajapati himself, the sovereign of all the gods, of mighty
strength, who hath the mark of the auspicious whirl on his breast, who is
the mover of every one's faculties and who is adored by all the gods.
Him, Indra the most exalted of persons, addressed, saying, "Be
incarnate." And Hari replied,--'Let it be.'"

SECTION LXV

(Sambhava Parva)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Indra had a consultation with Narayana about
the latter's descent on the earth from heaven with all the gods according
to their respective parts. And, having commanded all the dwellers in
heaven, Indra returned from the abode of Narayana. And t