On The Descent of the Divine into Mortal Form

“That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”

“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”

“And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.'”

“And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells.”

“"And, O monarch, know thou that king Yudhish-thira was a portion of Dharma; that Bhim-sena was of the diety of wind; that Arjuna was of Indra the chief of the celestials; and that Nakula and Sahadeva, the handsomest beings among all creatures, and unrivalled in beauty on earth, were similarly portions of the twin Aswinas. And he who was known as the mighty Varcha—the son of Shoma—became Abhimanyu of wonderful deeds, the son of Arjuna. And before his incarnation, O king, the god Soma had said these words to the celestials:—'I cannot give (part with) my son. He is dearer to me than life itself. Let this be the compact and let it not be transgressed. The destruction of the Asuras on earth is the work of the celestials and therefore is it our work as well. Let this Varcha therefore go thither but let him not stay there long. Nara, whose companion is Narayana, will take his birth as Indra's son and, indeed, will be known as Arjuna the mighty son of Pandu. This boy of mine shall be his son and become a mighty charioteer in his boyhood. And let him, ye best of immortals, stay on earth for sixteen years. And when he attaineth to his sixteenth year that war shall take place in which all who are born of your portions shall achieve the destruction of mighty warriors. But a certain encounter shall take place without both Nara and Narayana (taking any part in it.) And, indeed, your portions, ye celestials, shall fight having made that disposition of the forces which is known by the name of the Chakra-vuha . And my son shall compell all foes to retreat before him. The boy of mighty arms having ​ penetrated the impenetrable Vuha shall range within it fearlessly and send a fourth part of the hostile force, in course of half a day, unto the regions of the king of the dead. Then numberless heroes and mighty charioteers returning to the charge towards the close of the day, shall my boy of mighty arms re-appear before me. And he shall beget one heroic son in his line who shall continue the almost extinct Bharata race.' Hearing these words of Shoma, the dwellers of heaven replied, 'So be it.' And they then all together applauded and worshipped (Shoma) the king of the stars. Thus, O king, have I recited to thee the (particulars of the) birth of thy father's father!”

“Vaisampayana said, "O king of men, I shall first tell thee all about those celestials and Danavas that were born among ​ men. The first of Danavas who was known by the name of Vipra-chitti became that bull among men notes as Jarasandha. And, O king, that son of Diti who was known as Hiranya-kasipu was known in the world among men as the powerful Shishupala. He who had been known as Sang-hlada , the younger brother of Prahlada, became among men the famous Salya,—that bull amongst the Vahlikas. The spirited Anuhlad who had been the youngest became noted in the world as Dhrista-ketu . And, O king, that son of Diti who had been known as Shivi became on earth the famous monarch Druma. And he who was known as the great Asura Vashkala became on earth the great Bhaga-datta . The five great Asuras gifted with great energy, Aya-shira , Aswa-shira , the spirited Aya-shanku , Gagana-murdha , and Vegavana, were all born in the royal line of Kekaya and all became great monarchs. That other Asura of mighty energy who was known by the name of Ketumana became on earth the monarch Amitouja of terrible deeds. That great Asura who was known as Swarvanu became on earth the monarch Ugra-sena of fierce deeds. That great Asura who was known as Aswa became on earth the monarch Asoka of exceeding energy and invincible in battle. And, O king, the younger brother of Aswa who was known as Aswapati, a son of Diti, became on earth the mighty monarch Hardikya. The great and fortunate Asura who was known as Vrisha-parva became noted on earth as king Dhirgha-prajna . And, O king, the younger brother of Vrisha-parva who was known by the name of Ajaka became noted on earth as king Shalya. The powerful and mighty Asura who was known as Aswa-griva became noted on earth as king Rocha-mana . And, O king, the Asura who was known as Suksma, endued with great intelligence and whose achievements also were great, became on earth the famous king Vrihad-ratha . And that first of Asuras who was known by the name of Tuhunda became noted on earth as the monarch Senavindu. That Asura of great strength who was known as Ishupa became the monarch Nagna-jita of famous prowess. The great Asura who was known as Ekachakra became noted on earth as Priti-vindhya . The great Asura Virupaksha capable ​ of displaying various modes of fight became noted on earth as king Chitravarma. The first of Danavas, the heroic Hora, who quelled the pride of all foes became on earth the famous and fortunate Suvahu. The Asura Suhara of great energy and the destroyer of foemen beame notes on earth as king Vahlika. That best of Asuras called Nichandra whose face was as handsome as that of the Moon became noted on earth as the fortunate monarch Munka-kesha . That Asura of great intelligence called Nikumbha who was never vanquished in battle was born on earth as king Devadhipa the first among monarchs. That great Asura known amongst the sons of Diti by the name of Sharava became on earth the royal sage called Paurava. And, O king, the great Asura of exceeding energy, the fortunate Kupatha was born on earth as the famous monarch Suparsha. The great Asura, O king, who was called Kratha was born on earth as the royal sage Parvatya of form resplendent like a golden mountain. He amongst the Asuras who was known as Shalava the second became on earth the monarch Prahlad in the country of the Vahlikas. The foremost among the sons of Diti known by the name of Chandra and handsome as the lord of the stars himself became on earth noted as Chandra-varma the king of the Kambojas. That bull amongst the Danavas who was known by the name of Arka became on earth, O king, the royal sage Rishika. That best of Asuras who was known as Mritapa became on earth, O best of kings, the monarch Paschimanupaka. That great Asura of surpassing energy known as Garishta became noted on earth as king Druma-sena . The great Asura who was known as Mayura became noted on earth as the monarch Viswa. He who was known as the younger brother of Mayura became noted on earth as the monarch Kalakirti. The mighty Asura who was known as Chandra-hanta became on earth the royal sage Sunaka. The great Asura who was called Chandra-vinashana became noted on earth as the monarch Janaki. That bull amongst the Danavas, O prince of the Kuru race, who was called Dhirgha-jihva , became noted on earth as Kashi-raja . The Graha who was brought forth by Singhika and who persecuted the Sun and ​ the Moon became noted on earth as the monarch Kratha. The eldest of the four sons of Danayu who was known by the name Vikshara became on earth the spirited monarch Vasumitra. The second brother of Vikshara—that great Asura, was born on earth as the king of the country called Pandya. That best of Asuras who was known by the name of Valina became on earth the monarch Paundra-matsyaka . And, O king, that great Asura who was known as Vitra became on earth the royal sage known by the name of Mani-mana . That Asura who was the younger brother of Vitra and known as Krodga-hanta became noted on earth as king Danda. That other Asura who was known by the name of Krodha-vardhana became noted on earth as the monarch Danda-dhara . The eight sons of the Kaleyas that were born on earth all became great kings endued also with the prowess of tigers. The eldest of them all became king Jayat-sena in Magadha. The second of them, in prowess like to Indra, became noted on earth as Aparajita. The third of them, endued with great energy and power of producing deception, was born on earth as the king of the Nishadhas gifted with great prowess. That other amongst them who was known as the fourth was noted on earth as Sreniman, that best of royal sages. That great Asura amongst them who was the fifth became noted on earth as king Mahouja the oppressor of enemies. That great Asura possessing great intelligence who was the sixth of them became notes on earth as Abhiru that best of royal sages. The seventh of them became known throughout the earth, from the centre to the sea, as king Samudra-sena well-acquainted with the truths of the Dharma Shastras . The eighth of the Kaleyas known as Vrihat became on earth a virtuous king ever engaged in the good of all creatures. The mighty Danava known by the name of Kukshi became known on earth as Parvatia of form resplendent as a golden mountain. The mighty Asura Krathana gifted with great energy became noted on earth as the monarch Suryaksha. The great Asura of handsome features known by the name Surya, became on earth the monarch of the Vahlikas by name Darada, the foremost of all kings. And, O king, from the tribe ​ of Asuras called Krodhavasa, of whom I have already spoken to thee, were born many heroic kings on earth. Madraka, and Karna-veshta , Sidhartha, and also Kitaka; Suvira, and Suvahu, and Mahavira, and also Vahlika; Kratha, Vichitra, Suratha, and the handsome king Nila; and Chiravasa, and Bhumi-pala ; and Duntavakra, and he who was called Durjaya; that tiger amongst kings named Rukmi, and king Janamejaya; Ashada, and Vahu-vega , and also Bhuriteja; Ekalavya, and Sumitra, Vatadhana, and also Gomukha; the tribe of kings called the Karushakas, and also Khema-dhurti ; Srutayu, and Udvaha, and also Vrihat-sena ; Kshema, Ugra-tirtha , the king of the Kalingas; and Matiman, and he who was known as king Iswara; these first of kings were all born of the Asura class called Krodhavasa.”

“Whenever there is a decay of righteousness, O Bharata, and an uprising of unrighteousness, then I send forth Myself.”