Vaishampāyana said;—In the Māthura Kalpa the high-souled Keshava, for the behoof of mankind, went through this incarnation which I have been, at present, describing (156). In this incarnation the powerful lord slew Salwa, Mainda, Dwivida, Kansa, Aristha, Vrishabha, Keshi, the demoness Putanā, the elephant Kuvalayapida, Chānura, Musthi and other demons in human forms (157-158). By Him of wonderful deeds the thousand arms of Vāna were chopped off. The Asura, Naraka and highly powerful Yavana were slain by him, in battle (159). He carried away by force all the jewels of the kings. And all the wicked kings of the earth were slain, by him (160). After the expiration of the ninth incarnation of the Dwapara Yuga included within the eighteenth Mahāyuga, the lord Vishnu, having sent beforehand Jātukarna, took his birth as Veda-Vyasa[143] (161). The one Veda was divided into four by that high-souled one. This Vyasa, the son of Satyavati,[144] procreated the race of Bharatas (162).
O king these incarnations, of the Lord, undertaken for the behoof of mankind, have been described. I shall now present an account of the future incarnations (163). The Lord again, for the well-being of mankind, will appear as Kalki in the house of a Brāhmana by name Vishnuyashas in the village of Sambhala (164). After the expiration of the tenth incarnation He will send Yajnavalka before Him and then engage in a discussion with the followers of Buddhism, who believe in the transcient science, who always praise the present and speak ill of the sacrifices. After defeating them he will disappear at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna with his followers. When all the families will be ruined, when all the kings, with their ministers and soldiers will be destroyed there will be none to look after the people. When they will all be killed by internal dessensions and when their riches will be pilfered by one another, they will begin to weep, being stricken with grief. Thus assailed by misfortune at the end of the Kaliyuga all the creatures will meet with destruction along with the Yuga itself (165–168).
After the termination of the Kali Yuga the Satya Yuga will again appear in due order. This is the outcome of the natural sequence and there can no perversion of it (169). These and various other celestial incarnations, consisting of gods, have been recorded in the Puranas by the Rishis conversant with the knowledge of Brahman (170). I have only given an outline of the incarnations of the Lord the preceptor of all the worlds, by the chanting of which even the gods are charmed and in which exist all the Srutis and Puranas (171-172). The ancestral manes of the person are delighted who, with folded palms, listens to or recites the incarnations of Vishnu of unlimited power. If a man listens to the illusive sports of this Lord of Yoga he is freed from all his sins and acquires, by the favour of the Lord, virtue, prosperity, ascetic wealth and various objects of enjoyment (173-174).
| [127] | A wooden pestle used for cleaning rice.
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| [128] | Offering of oblation.
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| [129] | Members of a sacrifice.
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