f the world, arrayed in
yellow, with hand ornaments of glowing gold, riding on Vinateya, as the
sun on a cloud, arrived with his conch, his discus, and his club in his
hand. Being adored by the excellent celestials, and welcomed by Brahma, he
drew near and stood before him. All the gods then addressed Vishnu, "O
Madhusudana, thou art able to abolish the distress of the distressed. We
intreat thee, be our sanctuary, O Vishnu." Vishnu replied, "Say, what
shall I do?" The celestials hearing these his words added further. "The
virtuous, the encourager of excellence, eminent for truth, the firm
observer of his vows, being childless, is performing an Asvamedha for the
purpose of obtaining offspring. For the sake of the good of the universe,
we intreat thee, O Vishnu, to become his son. Dividing thyself into four
parts, in the wombs of his three consorts equal to Hari, Sri, and Kirti,
assume the sonship of king Dasaratha, the lord of Ayodhya, eminent in the
knowledge of duty, generous and illustrious, as the great sages. Thus
becoming man, O Vishnu, conquer in battle Ravana, the terror of the
universe, who is invulnerable to the gods. This ignorant Rakshasa Ravana,
by the exertion of his power, afflicts the gods, the Gandharvaa, the
Siddhas, and the most excellent sages; these sages, the Gandharvas, and
the Apsaras, sporting in the forest Nandana have been destroyed by that
furious one. We, with the sages, are come to thee seeking his destruction.
The Siddhas, the Gandharvas, and the Yakshas betake themselves to thee,
thou art our only refuge; O Deva, afflicter of enemies, regard the world
of men, and destroy the enemy of the gods."

Vishnu, the sovereign of the gods, the chief of the celestials, adored by
all beings, being thus supplicated, replied to all the assembled gods
(standing) before Brahma, "Abandon fear; peace be with you; for your
benefit having killed Ravana the cruel, destructively active, the cause of
fear to the divine sages, together with all his posterity, his courtiers
and counsellors, and his relations, and friends, protecting the earth, I
will remain incarnate among men for the space of eleven thousand years."

Having given this promise to the gods, the divine Vishnu, ardent in the
work, sought a birth-place among men. Dividing himself into four parts, he
whose eyes resemble the lotus and the pulasa, the lotus petal-eyed, chose
for his father Dasaratha the sovereign of men. The divine sages then with
the G