is that one, O Lord, that was worshipped by thy illustrious self with such humility and praised in such high words?  We desire to hear,—­Thus addressed, the illustrious Grandsire replied unto all the Gods, the regenerate Rishis, and the Gandharvas, in sweet words saying,—­He who is called tat, He who is Supreme, He who is existent at present and who will be for all time, He who is the highest Self, He who is the Soul of beings, and who is the great Lord, I was talking even with His ever-cheerful self, ye bulls among gods.  The Lord of the Universe was solicited by me, for the good of the Universe, to take his birth among mankind in the family of Vasudeva.  I said unto him,—­For the slaughter of the Asuras take thy birth in the world of men!—­Those Daityas and Rakshasas, of fierce form and great strength, that were slain in battle, have been born among men.  Indeed, the illustrious and mighty Lord, taking birth in the human womb, will live on the Earth, accompanied by Nara.  Those ancient and best of Rishis, viz., Nara and Narayana, are incapable of defeat in battle by even all the celestials united together.  Of immeasurable effulgence, those Rishis viz., Nara and Narayana, when born together in the world of men, will not be known (as such) by fools.  He, from whose Self, I, Brahman, the Lord of the whole Universe, have sprung that Vasudeva, that Supreme God of all the worlds, is worthy of your adoration.  Endued with great energy, and bearing the conch, the discus, and the mace, he should never be disregarded as a man, ye best of deities.  He is the Supreme Mystery, the Supreme refuge, the Supreme Brahma, and the Supreme glory.  He is without decay, Unmanifest, and Eternal.  He it is who hath been sung as Purusha, though none can comprehend him.  The divine Artificer hath sung of him as the Supreme Energy, the Supreme Felicity, and the Supreme Truth.  Therefore, the Lord Vasudeva of immeasurable prowess should never be disregarded as a man by all the Asuras and the gods with Indra at their head.  That person of foolish understanding is called a wretch, who, from disregard, speaketh of Hrishikesa as only a man.  People speak of him as one labouring under darkness who disregardeth Vasudeva, that Yogin of illustrious soul, for his entering into a human form.  People speak of him as one labouring under darkness who knoweth not that Divine personage, that Soul of the mobile and the immobile creation, that one bearing the auspicious wheel (on his breast), that one of dazzling effulgence, that one from whose navel hath sprung the (primeval) lotus.  He who disregardeth that wearer of the diadem and the Kaustuva gem, that dispeller of fears of his friends, that high-souled one, sinketh in thick darkness.  Having known all these truths duly, that Lord of the worlds, viz., Vasudeva, should be adored by every one, ye best of gods.’—­