[117]The three-fold means of attaining salvation are, the destruction of self, the acquisition of wealth and hard study.
[118]The three-fold qualities are namely, those of goodness, darkness and ignorance.
[119]Four classes of priests.
[120]Four stages of life namely that of a religious student, that of a householder, that of the anchorite, and that of the beggar.
[121](In anatomy) the blood before it receives the red particles, the Serum.
[122]The meaning is; as the cloud increases by the help of smoke, light, water and air so the embryo is nourished by food, fire and water. The air mentioned here refers to the vital power. The soul enters in the shape of the vital power.

CHAPTER XLI. THE INCARNATIONS OF VISHNU.

Vaishampayana said:—O my child, the question that you have put regarding Hari, the holder of Sranga bow, is indeed very great. Listen, I shall still describe the glory of Vishnu as much as lies in my power(1). Fortunately for you that our mind is bent upon listening to Vishnu's prowess. Hear, I shall describe the celestial origin of the lord (2). The Brāhmanas, well read in the Vedas, describe him as having a thousand eyes, thousand faces, thousand feet, thousand heads, thousand hands, as eternal, as having thousand tongues, as effulgent, as wearing thousand crowns, as giving away thousands presents, as having thousand origins and thousand arms (3–4); as sacrifice, oblation, Havya,[123] Hotā,[124] the sacred vessels, the sacrificial altar, the initiation, charu,[125] Sruva (5); as Sruk, Soma, Shurpa,[126] Musala,[127] Prakshanam, Dakshināyanam,[128] Adveryu, Sāmaga Brāhmana, as Sadasya,[129] Sadanam Sadas[130] (6); as Yupa, Samid, Kusha, Darvi,[131] Chamasa, Ulukhala, Prāgvangsham,[132] sacrifice, sacrificial ground, priest and Chayana[133] (7); as the small and big chariots, as the mobile creation, as the penance, as the good fruit thereof, as Sthandila[134] and Kushā (8); as Mantra, as fire that carries sacrificial offering, as Bhāga,[135] Bhagavaha,[136] Agrebhuj,[137] Somabhuj,[138] Ghritarchi,[139] Udaniya[140] (9); and in the sacrifice as the eternal Lord. That intelligent Lord of gods, Vishnu, having the mystic mark of Srivātsa on his breast, incarnated himself in thousands of forms. And thousands of his incarnations shall take place in future, Brahmā has said this (10-11). O great king, I shall describe at length, as accosted by you, the sacred and celestial theme, why the Divine lord Vishnu, the king of gods and the slayer of his enemies, took his birth leaving the celestial region, in the race of Vasudeva. For encompassing the well-being of the gods and men and the prosperity of all the worlds, the Soul of all, for a great work of his own, went through various incarnations (12–14). I shall describe the sacred and celestial incarnations of the Lord fraught with many virtues that have been recorded in metres and great Srutis (15). Purifying yourself and controlling your speech, listen to them, O Janamejaya. This highly sacred Purāna is equal to the Vedas (16). Hear, I shall describe this celestial story of Vishnu. O Bharata, whenever virtue suffers deterioration the Lord, for establishing it, incarnates Himself (17). O great king, he had one form partaking of the quality of goodness. In this form He is constantly practising hard austerities in Heaven (18). His second form[141] is possessed by yoga sleep for bringing about the destruction of creatures; and from this sleep originate persons of misconceived spiritual culture (19). Having slept for a thousand yugas He again appears for work. And after the completion of a thousand yugas, the god of gods, the lord of the universe, Vishnu, the Grandfather Brahmā, the Regents of all the worlds, the moon, the sun, the fire, Brahma, Kapila, Paramesthi, the gods, the seven Rishis, the highly illustrious, three-eyed god Siva, the air, the oceans and the mountains exist in His form (20–22). The great Sanatkumar and the high-souled Manu, the father of creation (also exist in His form). That ancient Lord, effulgent like the fire, has created all the forms (23). After the destruction of all creatures mobile and immobile, after the destruction of the gods and demons, serpents and Rakshasas that highly powerful Purusha killed the two irrepressible Dānavas, Madhu and Kaitava in the midst of the ocean and conferred upon them the boon of final liberation (24-25).

While in the days of yore the lotus-navelled Lord lay in the water of the ocean there sprang from His navel the gods and the Rishis (26). This is the Lotus incarnation of the Lord as recorded in the Vedas and Srutis (27). Next the Boar incarnation of the Lord is recorded in Srutis, where Vishnu, the foremost of the celestials, assumed the form of a boar and raised up the earth with her forests and mountains, with His tusks sunk in the all-spreading ocean. The (four) Vedas were his feet, the sacrificial altar was his tusk, the sacrifices were his teeth, the funeral pile was his mouth, the fire was his tongue, and the Darbhas were the hairs of his body. The great ascetic Brahmā was his head, the days and nights were the eyes of that eldest Purusha, the various divisions of the Vedas were the ornaments of his ears, the progenitors were his nose, the chanting of the Sama Veda was his great voice. He was identical with virtue and truth. Penance was his nostril; dreadful beasts were his nails and he had long arms. The air was his soul, the mantra was his hip, the sanctified Soma juice was his blood, the sacrificial altars were his shoulders. Havi was his smell, Havy and Kavya were his energies, Nagvangsha was his body. He was effulgent and sanctified by various forms of initiation. Dakshinā or gift was his heart. He was ascetic and great and the recitation of the Vedic hymns was the ornament of his lips. The great heroes, who stand in the way of virtue, were his ornaments. The various metres were his motion. The sacred Upanishad was his seat. The image of his wife was his help and he was tall like the summit of the mount Meru. This thousand-headed Prime Deity re-established the earth (28–37). Thus in the days of yore for encompassing the well-being of creatures the Lord, assuming the shape of a sacrificial boar, raised up the earth from the water of the ocean (38). This is an account of the boar incarnation. Listen now to an account of His man-lion incarnation where assuming the form of a lion he killed Hiranyakashipu.

O king, in the days of yore in the golden age, the first of the Daityas born, Hiranyakesipu, an enemy of the gods, practised most excellent penances (40). Observing the vow of silence and steadfastly carrying it on he alone, placed in the midst of water, spent eleven thousand and five hundred years (41). O sinless one, thereupon Brahmā was pleased with his self-control, equanimity of mind, asceticism and observance of rules and the vow of celibacy (42). O great king then the lord of all, the divine self-sprung Brahmā, the foremost of all, having the knowledge of Brahman, himself, in his effulgent and sun like car drawn by swans, came to him encircled by all the Adityas, Vasus, Sādhyas, Maruds, gods, Rudras, Viswas, Yakshas, Rakshas, Kinnaras, rivers, oceans, stars, Muhurthas, creatures ranging in the sky, planets, celestial saints, old ascetic Siddhas, the seven Rishis, the great royal saints and Apsaras. He then said to the Daitya:—"O you of firm vows, you are a disciple of mine. I have been pleased with your asceticism. Pray for a boon; may you fare well and acquire your wished-for objects (43–48)."