Chapter XXII
On the part incarnations of the several Devas
1. Janamejaya asked :– O grandfather ! What bad act did that child commit, that no sooner he was born than he was killed by Kamsa?
2. Especially, Maharsi Narada is the the best amongst the Munis and foremost amongst the Brahma-vids (Knowers of Brahma), always doing virtuous acts, and learned; why did he become the agent in this very sinful act?
3. Pundits declare that the doers and stimulators of any evil deed both are equally responsible; then how is it that Narada, being the best of the Munis, instigated the wicked Kamsa to do this evil act !
4. I am very much in doubt on this point. Kindly describe, in detail, the act that the child did as the result of which be had to meet with this fate of being killed.
5. Vyasa said :– The Devarsi Narada is always fond of seeing quarrels brought about amongst parties; he always likes thus to see the fun. Here specially to serve the godS
purpose he went to Kamsa and incited him to such an act.
6. Really he never intends to speak a lie; he is always truth speaking; pure hearted, and always ready to serve the gods.
7. Thus the six sons were born to Devaki; and Kamsa, too, killed those six sons consecutively as they were born. These six sons named Sadgarbha, were killed just after their births, owing to their having been previously cursed.
8. O King ! Hear why they were cursed before. In the reign of Svayambhuva Manu, were born to Urna; the wife of Maharsi Marichi, the six powerful sons, all of a virtuous disposition.
9-11. Once, on an occasion, the Prajapati Brahma, on seeing his daughter, became passionate, and was ready to hold sexual intercourse with her. At this, those six sons laughed at him. Brahma cursed them saying “You all go quickly and take your birth in the wombs of the asuras.” Therefore those six sons became the sons of Kalanemi in their first birth. At their second birth, they became the sons of HiranyakaSipu. This second time they had the fear of curse in their minds and therefore were born endowed with knowledge.
1. In this birth they became peaceful and, collecting all their energies, they began to practise austerities. Brahma was pleased at this and asked the Sadgarbha to take boons.
2. Brahma said :– O my sons ! I was very angry to you before and cursed you; now I am very much pleased with you; ask boons from me that you all desire.
14-15. Vyasa said :– Hearing Brahma’s words, they were very glad and becoming very anxious to secure their objects of desire, said :– O our grand sire ! Today thou art pleased unto us; now favour us with our desired boons. That we may be invulnerable to all the Devas, human beings, the big serpents the Gandarbhas, and the Lord of Siddhas, (semi-divine beings supposed to be of great purity and holiness and said to be particularly characterised by eight supernatural faculties called Siddhis).
16. Vyasa said :– Brahma told them “What you have asked, you would certainly get; O blessed ones ! better go now; my words will be found to be literally true. No doubt in this.”
17-19. Granting them boons, Brahma went away; they then became very glad. O best of Kurus ! HiranyakaSipu began to think “My sons now have pleased the Grandsire Brahma and are now regardless of me” and got very angry and said :– You all are become very proud on account of receiving boons; and since you have ceased your good feelings towards me I also henceforth cut off my connection with you. Now better go to Patala; you will be known in this world as Sadgarbha.
20-21. At present you would be always involved in deep sleep and remain in Patala for many years; and when you will be born one after another in the womb of Devaki, then your father Kalanemi of previous birth will be born as Kamsa; and he would be cruel hearted and surely kill you all, no sooner you be born.
22. Vyasa said :– Thus because they were cursed, they took their births repeatedly and Kamsa, too, being urged on by the same curse, killed those sons of Devaki, the Sadgarbha, no sooner they were born.
23-24. In the seventh womb of Devaki, Ananta made his appearance. The foetus in the
womb was attracted by Yoga maya and placed in the womb of Rohini. But there was the rumour that there was miscarriage in the womb of Devaki in the fifth month; and this became known to the public.
1. Kamsa came to know that there had been miscarriage. That wicked soul became exceedingly glad to hear this gladdening news.
2. And at about this time the Bhagavan, the Protector of the devotee appeared in the eighth womb of Devaki to serve the purpose of the gods and to relieve the load of the Earth.
27-28. The King said :– O best of Munis ! “You have described the part incarnations of (1) KaSyapa as Vasudeva and (2) of Bhagavan Hari to relieve the burden of the Goddess Earth as prayed by Her; and (3) of Ananta Deva; but you have not described the part incarnations of the other Devas. How the other Devas incarnated as their parts on this earth, kindly describe them now.”
29. Vyasa said :– The part incarnations of Suras and Asuras on this earth, and their names I am now saying to you in brief; hear.
30-32. Vasudeva was the part incarnation of KaSyapa, Devaki was of Aditi, Baladeva, of Ananta; Vasudeva Sri Krisna, of Sriman Narayana; the son of Dharma existing even at that time in his physical body; Arjuna, of Nara, the younger brother of Narayana.
1. Yuidhisthira was part incarnate of Dharma, Bhimasena, of Vayu, the powerful twins of Madri, Nakul and Sahadeva, of ASvini-kumaras?
2. The valiant hero Karna, born of Kunti, was part incarnate of the Sun, and the high minded Vidura, the knower of the Supreme Essence, was incarnate of Yama, the kingDharmaraj. Drona, the Acharya of the Kurus and the Pandavas was the part incarnate of Brihaspati; and his son ASvatthama was part incarnate of Rudra Deva.
3. Santanu was the part incarnate of the Ocean; his wife, of the river Ganges in human farm. It is stated in the Puranas that the king Devaka was part incarnate of the Lord of Gandarvas.
36-41. The Grand-father of the Kauravas, the foremost of the heroes, Bhisma Deva was the incarnate of Vasu; Virata, the Lord of Matsya was the part incarnate of Maruts; Dhritarastra, of the Daitya Hamsa, the son of Arista Nemi; Kripa and Krita Varma, of Maruts; Duryodhana, of Kali and Sakuni, of Dvapara; Suvarchakhya Somapraru, of the son of the Moon; Dhristadyumna was part incarnate of Fire and Sikhandi of Raksasa; Pradyumna was part incarnate of Sanatkumara; the king Drupada was part incarnate of Varuna; Draupadi, of Laksmi; Draupadi’s five sons, of Visve-devas; Kunti was incarnate of Siddhi; Madri, of Dhriti; Gandhari, of Mati; the wives of Sri Krisna were the heavenly public women; thus all the Devas came as their part incarnations, urged on by Indra.
42-43. Amongst the Asuras, SiSupala was the incarnate of HiranyakaSipu; Jarasandha, of Biprachitti, Salya, of Prahlada; Kamsa, of Kalanemi and KeSi, of Haya Sira. The Asura named Arista of the form of a cow that was killed by Krisna was the son of Bali.
44. Dhristaketu was part incarnate of Anuhradha, Bhagadatta, of Vaskala; Pralamba, of Lamba; Dhenuka, of Khara.
45. Chanura and MuStika, the two athletes, were part incarnates of Varaha, and KiSora, the two dreadful Daityas.
46-47. Kubalaya, the elephant of Kamsa, was part incarnate of Arista, the sun of Diti. Vaki was the daughter of Bali, Vaka was her younger.
The powerful son of Drona, ASvatthama, though known as the part incarnate of Rudra, was really born of the four parts of Yama, Rudra, Cupidity and Anger.
48-49. The Daityas and Raksasas that were born to relieve the heavy burden of the Earth were all incarnates of Asuras. O king ! I have thus narrated to you in order the incarnations of the Suras and Asuras, as they are stated duly in the Puranas.
50-51. When Brahma and the other Devas went to Visnu and prayed to Him then Hari gave to Brahma one hair of a black colour and one hair of a white colour. The Bhagavan Sri Krisna was born of that black hair and Sankarsana Baladeva was born of the white hair. They were both the incarnations of Visnu.
Note here the black is the younger and the stronger; and they also represent the polarities. The Jivas are points of those hairs.
52. He who hears with devotion the story of these part incarnations becomes freed of all sins and passes away his time merrily, surrounded by his circle of friends; there is no doubt in this.
Thus ends the 22nd chapter in 4th book of Srimad Devi Bhagavatam the Maha Puranam, of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa on the part incarnations of the several Devas.