Vaishampayana Recounts the Restoration and Oppression of Earth
After a golden age of righteousness, the defeated Asuras begin to take birth on earth as kings and beasts, oppressing all beings until the planet itself can no longer bear the weight. The overburdened Earth seeks refuge with Brahma, who commands the gods, gandharvas, and apsaras to incarnate on earth to relieve her.
Vaishampayana began his narration. After Parashurama of the Bhrigu lineage had destroyed the Kshatriyas (warriors) twenty-one times and retired to the mountains, the world was bereft of its rulers. To restore the race, Kshatriya women came to Brahmanas (priests) who were rigid in their vows. These Brahmanas had intercourse with them only during their productive seasons, not out of lust, and from these unions, thousands of Kshatriya children were born.
This new generation lived long and prospered through righteous conduct. The four castes were re-established with Brahmanas at the head. Every being, human or otherwise, went to their mates only at the right season. All subjects followed dharma (righteousness). Men were free from sorrow and disease. The Kshatriyas governed the wide earth righteously, and Indra, the king of the gods, poured down sweet rain at the proper times. No child died young. The earth was full of people who lived long lives. Brahmanas studied the sacred texts, Vaishyas (merchants and farmers) tilled the earth without yoking cows, and no one used false scales. It was a time like the Krita Yuga (the golden age), and the entire earth flourished.
But then, the asuras (demons) began to take birth in royal dynasties. Having been defeated by the gods and dislodged from heaven, the sons of Diti sought to attain divinity in the world of men. They took birth as kings—powerful, insolent, and swollen with valour—and also as beasts: cows, horses, elephants, and predatory animals. They covered the earth, crushing their enemies and oppressing Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras (laborers) alike. They terrorized all creatures and even persecuted the great sages in their hermitages.
Oppressed by these great asuras, the earth could no longer support herself. Frightened and overburdened, she went to seek refuge with Brahma, the grandfather of all beings. She found the eternal god seated, surrounded by gods, Brahmanas, and great sages, with gandharvas (celestial musicians) and apsaras (celestial dancers) worshipping him with hymns. She saluted him and narrated all that had happened.
Brahma, the omniscient source of all beings, already knew her plight. He spoke to her, "O Vasundhara (earth), to accomplish the task for which you have come, I will appoint all those who live in heaven." Having addressed her, Brahma commanded the gods: "To free earth from this burden, all of you go and ensure parts of you are born on earth." Then the great lord summoned the hosts of gandharvas and apsaras and told them, "Go and ensure that parts of you are born on earth in the forms that please you."
Hearing these words, all the gods, with Shakra (Indra) at their head, accepted the command. Eager to be born on earth, they went to Vaikuntha, to Narayana—Vishnu, the wielder of the chakra (discus) and gada (mace). For the purification of the earth, Indra told the supreme being, "Please incarnate yourself." Hari (Vishnu) replied that thus it would be.