Shri Shuka said: Hearing the story of Lord Hari, narrated by the sage Kousharya, Vidura, who was not yet satisfied, again inquired with folded hands.

Vidura said: It is said that the great sage, in the form of a deer, performed a sacrifice, and the demon Hiranyaksha was killed.

By the playful act of the Lord, with His own tusk, the demon king was lifted from the earth. Why did this happen, O Brahman?

(For the faithful devotee, please narrate in detail the birth of the Lord. My mind is not satisfied, for I am indeed very curious.) Maitreya said: O hero, you have asked about the descent of the Lord.

The son of Uttanapada, who was sung about by the sage, ascended the feet of Lord Hari, having conquered death.

Now, this history has been narrated to me by Brahma, the Lord of Lords, when he was asked by the gods.

Diti, the wife of Kashyapa, desiring offspring, was afflicted in the evening by the desire for a son.

Worshipping the fire with oblations, he who is the master of the Yajus, was seated in the fire's abode, focused.

Diti said: 'O wise one, this is for you, the one who wields the bow, who crushes the distressed like an elephant crushes a Ramba.'

May you, who are being burned by the afflictions of your co-wives, grant prosperity to your progeny. May you bestow your grace upon me.

The glory of the husband who has achieved greatness is indeed born from the progeny of such a wife.

Long ago, our father, the Lord Daksha, who was affectionate towards his daughter, asked us, 'Whom shall I choose as a boon, my dear calf?'

Knowing the essence of our own kin, he who is the progenitor of the lineage, bestowed upon us the threefold blessings.

Now, O Lotus-eyed one, please fulfill my wish for welfare. I bow to you, O Earth, who is indeed the greatest.

Thus, the brave Maricha, addressing the many-tongued miser, spoke with persuasive words to the greatly distressed Anga.

I shall grant you what you desire, O timid one. Who can deny the wish of one who seeks fulfillment, as it is the essence of all three paths?

One who is devoted to all shelters, with a family in his own abode, crosses the ocean of miseries just as a boat crosses the sea.

That which is said to be half of the self, O noble one, is the essence of the desires of the seeker, where the man afflicted by fever resides in the middle of his own burden.

Taking refuge in the senses, we shall conquer the enemies, just as the great lord conquers the fortresses.

We are not able to worship you, O mistress of the household. Even those who are greedy for other qualities do not have a long life.

Even if you desire this, it is enough to fulfill your wish. Let me not be displeasing to you for even a moment.

This is the most terrifying time, the time of the terrifying beings. In which the beings that follow the Lord of beings wander.

In this auspicious twilight, the Lord, the creator of all beings, is pleased and moves with the assembly of beings.

The one adorned with ashes, with a crown of smoke and dust, the deity with a body of pure gold, is seen by the three gods.

In this world, there is no one who is not disregarded, whether a relative or a stranger. We, who are bound by vows, are indeed consumed by the pleasures of this world.

Those who sing the faultless deeds of the wise, fearlessly delve into the ocean of ignorance. Even if they are free from excess, they themselves engage in the behavior of demons.

Those unfortunate ones laugh at the deeds of the wise, which are indeed hidden from the ignorant. With garments, garlands, and ornaments, they indulge in the food prepared for their own satisfaction.

Brahma and others, who are the guardians of the bridge created by their actions, are the cause of this entire universe, which is indeed an illusion. How astonishing is the behavior of the Supreme Being, who commands the demonic actions!

Maitreya said: When the Lord was thus understood, the senses of Cupid were agitated. He seized the garment of the Brahmarshi's wife, who was devoid of shame.

Knowing this, she (his wife) did not engage in sinful acts. Bowing down, she entered into the secret place.

Then, touching the water, controlling the breath, she meditated and chanted the eternal Brahman light.

But Diti, being ashamed, spoke to the sage, bowing her head.

Diti said: O Brahman, do not let this embryo be destroyed by the lord of beings. For Rudra is indeed the lord of all beings.

Salutations to Rudra, the great god, fierce and powerful. To Shiva, who holds the staff and is the protector of the righteous.

May that Lord, the benefactor of all, be pleased with us. He is the deity of women, the husband of the virtuous.

Maitreya said: The Prajapati, having established the rules of the evening, grants the blessings of the heavenly realms to those who are deserving.

Kashyapa said: Your faults do not arise from the moment of ignorance, but from my instructions and the excessive indulgence of the gods.

In the future, O auspicious one, the lowly will cry out, and the women will lament in the world.

Among the creatures that are being harmed, the helpless ones, and those who are oppressed, the great souls will be angry.

Then, the Lord of the Universe, angry, will destroy that one who is like a mountain, as he destroys the hundred peaks.

Diti said: I hope for the destruction of my sons by the Lord, who is directly the son of the great sage, and I pray that the Brahmana does not become angry with me.

Neither those who are burned by the rod of Brahma nor those who are afraid of beings are taken to hell by him to whom they go.

Kashyapa said: By the grief and remorse of one who is afflicted, the Lord will surely have compassion and will also honor me.

Indeed, it is said that the son of a son will be the only one among the virtuous, and they will sing his pure fame equal to that of the Lord.

The virtuous ones will contemplate the essence of the self, which is of a different hue, through yoga. They will follow the nature of the self, free from enmity and other impurities.

By whose grace this universe is pleased, and whose essence is the Supreme Being, He who is satisfied by the undivided vision of His devotees.

He is indeed a great devotee, a great soul, and a person of great significance. With profound devotion, he will enter Vaikuntha and enjoy it.

The unpretentious one, endowed with good character, who brings joy, and is distressed by the suffering of others, is the remover of the world's sorrow, like a king who dispels the heat of summer.

Within and without, with pure lotus-like eyes, in the form favored by His own will, may your grandson, O Lord, behold the face adorned with sparkling earrings.

Maitreya said: Hearing about the Bhagavata, Diti rejoiced greatly, knowing the death of her sons by Krishna.