Gods Alarmed by Human Immortality Seek Brahma's Help
During a great sacrifice where Yama, the god of death, serves as priest, death itself is suspended. Humans stop dying and their numbers swell until they rival the gods. Alarmed by this loss of distinction, the gods go to the creator Brahma for a solution.
The gods were performing a great sacrifice in the Naimisha forest. For this rite, they had consecrated Vivasvata’s son — Yama, the lord of death — as the priest who would kill the sacrificial animals. Because Yama was fully engaged in this sacred role, he stopped performing his other duty: he stopped killing any creatures at all.
Death and time were suspended. No one died. The number of living beings increased so greatly that the worlds began to swell with immortal humans.
Shakra (Indra), Varuna, Kubera, the sadhyas, Rudra, the vasus, and the Ashvins — all the major gods — gathered together, alarmed at this unchecked proliferation. They went to Prajapati Brahma, the creator of the world, and assembled before the preceptor of all worlds.
“We are trembling with fear,” they told him. “We wish to be happy again. We have come to seek protection with you.”
Brahma replied, “Why are you frightened of humans, when all of you are immortal? There should not be any fear in you from mortals.”
The gods clarified their distress. “Since the mortals have become immortals, there is no difference any more. Upset at this equality, we have come to you to seek a distinction.”
Brahma understood. He explained the temporary nature of the crisis. “Vivasvata’s son is now engaged in the great sacrifice. It is for this reason that humans are not dying. When he has single-mindedly finished his sacrificial acts, death will again return among them.”
He also offered them a role in restoring the natural order. “When that time comes, Vivasvata’s son will be strengthened through your energies. When the time of death comes at the end, humans will have no energy left in them.”
Hearing these words of the first-born god, the assembled deities were reassured. They left Brahma and went back to where the gods were sacrificing. There, the immensely strong ones assembled and saw something unexpected in the Bhagirathi (the Ganga): a single, radiant lotus.