# The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section LXIV

Section LXIV. ( Adivansavatarana Parva continued. )
Janamejaya said, "O Brahmana, those thou hast named and thou hast not named, I wish to hear of in detail, as also of other kings by thousands. And, O thou of great good fortune, it behoveth thee to tell me in full the object for which those Maharathas, equal unto the celestials themselves, were born on earth."
Vaisampayana said, "It hath been heard by us, O monarch, that what thou askest is a mystery to even the gods. I shall, however, speak it unto thee, after bowing down to Swayamvu (the self-born.) The son of Jamadagni (Parushurama) after thrice seven times making the earth bereft of Kshatrias wended to that best of mountains—Mahendra—and there began his ascetic penances. And then when the earth was made bereft of Kshatrias, the Kshatriā ladies, desirous of offspring, came, O monarch, to the Brahmanas. And Brahmanas of rigid vows had connections with them during the womanly season alone, but never, O king, lustfully and out of season. And Kshatriā ladies by thousands conceived from such connections with Brahmanas. Then, O monarch, were born many Kshatrias of greater energy—boys and girls—so that the Kshatria race might thrive. And thus sprung the Kshatria race from Kshatriā ladies by Brahmanas of ascetic penances. And the new generation, blessed with long life, began to thrive in virtue. And thus the four orders having Brahmanas at their head were reestablished. And every man at that time went unto his wife during season, and never from lust and out of season. And, O thou bull of the Bharata race, in the same way, other creatures also, even those born in the race of birds, went unto their wives during season alone. And, O thou protector of the earth, hundreds of thousands of creatures were born, and all were virtuous and began to multiply in virtue, all being free from sorrow and disease. And, O thou of the elephant's tread, this wide earth having the ocean for her boundaries, with her mountains and woods and towns, was once more ​governed by the Kshatrias. And when the earth began to be again governed virtuously by the Kshatrias, the other orders having Brahmanas for their first were filled with great joy. And the kings, forsaking all vices born of lust and anger and justly awarding punishments on those that deserved them, protected the earth. And he of a hundred sacrifices possessed also of a thousand eyes, beholding that the Kshatria monarchs ruled so virtuously, pouring down vivifying showers at proper times and places, blessed all creatures. And, O king, then no one of immature years died, and none knew a woman before attaining to age. And thus, O bull of the Bharata race, this earth to the very shores of the ocean became filled with men that were all long-lived. The Kshatrias performed great sacrifices bestowing much wealth. And the Brahmanas also all studied the Vedas with their branches and the Upanisadas. And, O king, no Brahmana in those days ever sold the Vedas (i. e. taught for money) or ever read aloud the Vedas in the presence of the Sudras. And the Vaisyas with the help of bullocks caused the earth to be tilled. And they never yoked the cattle themselves. And they fed with care all cattle that were lean. And men never milched kine as long the calves drank only the milk of their dams (without having taken to grass or any other food.) And no merchant in those days ever sold his articles by false scales. And, O tiger amongst men, all persons living in the ways of virtue did everything with eyes set upon virtue. And, O monarch, all the orders were mindful of the respective duties that appertained to them. Thus, O tiger among men, virtue in those days never sustained any diminution. And, O bull of the Bharata race, both kine and women gave birth to their offspring at the proper time. And the trees bore flowers and fruits duly according to the seasons. And thus, O king, the krita age having then duly set in, the whole earth was filled with numerous creatures.
"And, O bull of the Bharata race, when such was the blessed state of the terrestrial world, the Asuras, O lord of men, began to be born in kingly lines. And the sons of Diti (Daityas) being repeatedly defeated in war by the sons of Aditi (celestials) and deprived also of sovereignty and heaven, began ​to be incarnate on earth. And, O king, the Asuras possessed of great power, and desirous of sovereignty among men, began to be born on earth amongst various creatures, such as kine, horses, asses, camels, buffaloes, among creatures such as Rakshasas and others, and in elephants and deer. And, O protector of the earth, owing to those already born and those that were being born, the Earth became incapable of supporting herself. And amongst the sons of Diti (Daityas) and of Danu (Danavas) cast out of heaven, some were born on this earth as kings of great pride and insolence. And possessed of great energy, they covered the earth in various shapes. And capable of oppressing all foes, they filled this earth having the ocean for her boundaries. And by their strength they began to oppress Brahmanas and Kshatrias and Vaisyas and Sudras and all other creatures also. Terrifying and killing all creatures, they traversed the earth, O king, in bands of hundreds and thousands. And bereft of truth and virtue, proud of their strength and intoxicated with the wine of insolence, they even insulted the great Rishis in their asylums.
"And the Earth thus oppressed by the mighty Asuras endued with great strength and energy and possessed of abundant means, began to think of going to Brahma. The united strength of the creatures (such as Shesha, the tortoise, and the huge Elephant), and of many Sheshas too, became incapable of supporting the Earth with her mountains, burdened as she was with the weight of the Danavas. And then, O king, the Earth, oppressed with the weight and afflicted with fear, sought the protection of the Grand-father of all creatures. And she beheld the divine Brahma—the creator of the worlds knowing no deterioration—surrounded by the gods, Brahmanas, and great Rishis, of exceeding good fortune, and adored by delightful Gandharvas and Apsaras always engaged in the business of the celestials. And the Earth then adored the Grand-father, having approached him. And the Earth, desirous of protection, then represented everything unto him, in the presence, O Bharata, of all the Protectors of the world. But, O king, the Earth's object had been known before-hand to the Omniscient Self-create Supreme Lord. And, O Bharata, ​creator as he is of the universe, why should he not know fully what is in the minds of all his creatures including the gods and the Asuras? And, O king, the lord of the Earth, the creator of all creatures, Isa, Sambhu, Prajapati, then spake unto the Earth. And Brahma said, 'O thou holder of wealth, for the accomplishment of the object for which thou hast approached me, I shall appoint all the dwellers of the heavens.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Having said so unto the Earth, O king, the divine Brahma bade her farewell. And the creator then commanded all the gods saying, 'To ease the Earth of her burden, go ye and take your births on 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, 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 on Earth in their respective parts, then went to Baikuntha where was Narayana—the slayer of all foes, he who has the discus and the mace in his hands, who is clad in purple, who is of bright splendour, who hath the lotus on his navel, who is the slayer of the foes (in yoga attitude), who is the lord of the Prajapati himself, the sovereign of all the gods, of mighty strength, who hath the badge of the Sreevatsa (the biggest jewel), who is the mover of every one's faculties, and who is adored by all the gods. Him—the most exalted of persons, Indra addressed, saying, 'Be incarnate.' And Hari replied, saying, 'Let it be.'
And thus endeth the sixty-fourth Section in the Adivansavatarana of the Adi Parva.