GARUDA PURANA

...to the Devas celestial beings or gods the Sankhya an ancient system of philosophy based on the enumeration of cosmic principles,* which ascertains the Tattwas the fundamental elements or true nature of reality which had been lost to time. In his sixth incarnation, He was born as the son of the sage Atri and his wife Anasuya; in this form, He communicated the knowledge of Anvikshiki the science of logic and metaphysics to Alarka, Prahlada, and others.

His seventh incarnation, occurring during the Svayambhuva Manvantara the vast cosmic age of the first Manu, or progenitor of humanity, was Yajna the personification of Sacrifice. He was the son of Akuti and performed sacred rites alongside the other celestial beings.

In His eighth incarnation, He was born as the powerful son of King Nabhi and Queen Merudevi. Adored by all social orders, He pointed out the true path of spiritual life to mankind original: "pointed out to men the real road". Solicited by the Rishis divinely inspired sages, He assumed the body of King Prithu as His ninth incarnation; through him, the Brahmins priests and scholars and all other creatures were sustained by the "milk" of the earth's herbs This refers to the legend where King Prithu leveled the earth and milked it in the form of a cow to provide nourishment for all living things..

When the Earth was submerged under water at the end of the Chakshusha Manvantara the sixth cosmic age, He assumed the form of a Fish and saved the Manu Vaivasvata the progenitor of the current human race by guiding his boat through the deluge.

In His eleventh incarnation, the Lord, in the shape of a Tortoise, held the mountain Mandara upon His back to serve as a pivot while the gods and the Asuras titans or demonic rivals of the gods churned the great ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality.

In His twelfth incarnation, as well as in the thirteenth—where He took the form of an enchanting Woman known as Mohini—He deluded the Asuras and brought joy to the celestial gods.

Assuming the form of a Man-lion in His fourteenth incarnation, He subdued the chief of the Daityas a race of giants by tearing open his chest with His fierce claws.

Assuming the form of a Dwarf in His fifteenth incarnation, He attended the sacrifice of King Bali; there, He requested only as much ground as He could cover in three steps, and through those steps, He reclaimed the universe.

Beholding how the kings of the earth began to oppress the Brahmins original: "aggrandise the Brahmanas" — likely meaning the kings grew arrogant and overstepped their bounds against the priestly order in His sixteenth incarnation, He, filled with righteous anger, cleared the earth of the Kshatriyas the warrior and ruling caste twenty-one times.

In His seventeenth incarnation, He was fathered by the sage Parashara upon Satyavati as the sage Veda-Vyasa. Observing that the intellect of people was becoming weak in the coming age, He divided the single Veda into multiple parts for easier study. Then, for the purpose of accomplishing...

original note: It is a system of philosophy ascribed to Kapila. It is called Sankhya because it enumerates twenty-five Tattwas or principles. According to this system final liberation is obtained by a true knowledge of these principles.