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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 12: Chapter 3: Verses 1-13
Sri Suka began again: Seeing the kings (so) impatient to conquer her, this earth laughs at them (and says):-" How surprising it is that these kings, (mere) playthings (in the hands) of Death, wish to conquer me thoroughly ! Fruitless is this ambition of the kings, by which these rulers of men have been led to repose utter faith in the (human) body, which is (evanescent) like a bubble of water, even though they are aware of this fact. (They say to themselves:-) 'Having at the outset conquered the six Indriyas (the five senses of perception and the mind), we shall then reduce to submission the counsellors and ministers of (hostile) kings as well as their relations and friends, the citizens and drivers of elephants (in fact, the entire army of the enemy); and having removed (all) thorns (in the form of thieves and robbers), we shall thus by degrees bring under subjection the (whole) earth with the oceans as its girdle.' With their hearts held fast by such aspirations they fail to see Death standing at hand. Having conquered by their might one Dwipa surrounded by the ocean, they embark on a sea-voyage (in order to conquer other continents). What a poor reward it is for their conquest of the mind and senses (since all this is transient) ! Liberation is the (true) recompense for subduing the self." "These stupid fellows", Mother Earth goes on, O jewel among the Kurus, "hope to conquer through war me, whom (even) the Manus and their sons had only to leave (in the end) and departed as they came ! For my sake indeed springs up a conflict between father and sons as well as between brothers of evil intent, whose mind is held fast by the notion of myness with respect to their kingdom.Contending with one another in the words. This entire globe is mine and not yours, 0 fool I' rulers of men strike one another and die on my account. Prthu, Pururava, Gadhi, Nahusa, Bharata, (the thousand-armed) Arjuna, Mandhata, Sagara, Rama, Khatwanga, Dhundhumara. Raghu, Trnabindu and Yayati, Saryati, Santanu, Gaya, Bhagiratha, Kuvalayaswa, Kakutstha, Nala (king of the Nisadhas), Nrga, Hiranyakasipu, (the demon) Vrtra, Ravana who caused people to cry (in terror), Namuci, Sambara, the demon Naraka (son of Earth), Hiranyaksa and Taraka, and many other demons and kings, who were suzerain rulers (of the world), who understood everything and were all brave and conquerors of all, and were invincible (themselves), claimed me as their own and led an exalted life; but mortal as they were by nature, they were actually converted into (mere) themes of a story by (the cruel hands of) Death, their object remaining unaccomplished." So concluded Mother Earth, 0 Pariksit !
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