There had always been mutual hatred and battles among Devas and Daityas, the progeny of Sage Kashyapa and his wives Diti and Aditi; Diti’s offspring were Daityas and that of Aditi were Devas. There were several phases when wicked Daityas dominated the scene of the Universe and the virtuous Devas were defeated, kicked out of their rightful Place of Swarga and were humiliated and harassed; history was replete with innumerable instances when long spells of supremacy of Danavas were prominent as and when a powerful leader among them got floated. When such long and dark chapters occurred and Dharma, Nyaya and Devotion hit the lowest ebbs, the Preserver of the Universe, Vishnu had to intervene and revive moral values depending situations and exigencies.

Eversince Parameswara excused Mayasura at the time when Tripuras were destroyed, Mayasura and several of his associates were hiding under the Seas; they were awaiting opportunities to attack Indra and Devas to once again occupy Swargaloka. It was at that juncture that Maha Daitya Kalanemi joined Mayasura and fought so fiercely with Devas that Devas could not recover from their injuries for long. As Kalanemi’s evil deeds reached climaxes, Veda, Dharma, Kshama / endurance, Truth and Lakshmi were being gradually replaced with their opposite qualities. Kalanemi was curious-in fact envious of Narayana and saw him once with four hands wearing Shankha, Chakra, Gada and Padma and when Vishnu was rotating his mace to show off that he would destroy the Evil any time and anywhere. That particular scene of Narayana had badly hurt the Demon’s pride and ego and ruminated that after all it was that Vishnu who had been the sworn enemy of Daityas who killed stalwarts like Hiranyakashipu and Madhu-Kaitabha brothers. It was he who cheated King Bali as a ‘Vamana Brahmachari’ and pretended that only three-steps of narrow area was required and occupied Three Worlds! It was he under whose protection, Maharshis performed oblations of ghee into Agni and enabled various Devas to become prosperous and contented; it was he who was responsible for mass-murders of Daityas and made their wives hapless widows and rendered them and their children homeless! It was indeed due to him that all the Daityas got into the vicious circle of his Sudarshana Chakra! Kalanemi thus got tempted with a golden opportunity of being near to Bhagavan, little realising that ‘opportunity’ was created by Bhagavan Himself as it was time to terminate Kalanemi’s existence!

When Kalanemi prepared himself with his armoury and ‘Astras’ to attack Narayana by making huge shouts and allegations, Bhagavan smilingly replied:

Alpam darpabalam Daitya Sthiramakrodhajam Balam,
Hatastwam Darpajairdoshairhitwa yad bhashasay kshamaam/

(Boasting is a sign of cowardice and determination is a symbol of strength; since you are showing audacity and bluster, I am convinced of your timidity). He further said the norms of decency and regulations established by Brahma should never be infringed at any cost; and whoever tried to do so had no place for existence. As Vishnu was counselling Kalanemi, the latter raised his thousand hands and released ‘Astras’ on Vishnu which were deftly retaliated by Bhagavan, but as Garuda attacked the Davava, the latter hit the Giant Bird with his ‘Gada’ / mace which hurt Garuda Deva on his head. The infuriated Vishnu Bhagavan summoned his Sudarshana Chakra and insructed that his thousands of hands be mutilated first; but the Danava remained steady and like a tree without branches continued his fight with his utterances of Mantras which took various forms of ugly creatures that attacked Garuda as also Bhagavan. Garuda Deva expanded the length and breadth of his wings and as the velocity and might of Vayu helped his wings, thumped the Daitya’s huge chest and knocked him down from a sky-high elevation to fall on the ground with a thud. As Lord Brahma extolled Bhagavan Vishnu, the latter was no doubt happy but cautioned Devas not to be complacent as other Daityas like Virochana and the Rahu Graha ran away and should be on the constant vigil; he therefore appointed Indra to safeguard the East, Varun to keep alert on the Western front, Yama on the South and Kubera on the North. Surya Deva should ensure that the ‘Ayanas’-the Uttaraayana and Dakshinaayana-should be in Place always and similarly the ‘Ritus’ or the Six Seasons must not be disturbed and rains ought be timely. In the ‘Yagnaas’, the Devas ought to turn up without fail and repond as and when the Yagna kartaas recall them; Brahmanas should offer oblations with ghee into Agni; Devas should take advantage of the ‘Agnihotra Karyas’; Maharshis should be contented with ‘Swadhyaayaas’ and Pitru Devatas should be satisfied with ‘Shradhaas’ and finally all the Trilokas be contented.