Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 1 - Chapter 1 - Verse 12


Sanskrit:

तत: सप्तम आकूत्यां रुचेर्यज्ञोऽभ्यजायत ।स यामाद्यै: सुरगणैरपात्स्वायम्भुवान्तरम् ॥ १२ ॥

ITRANS:

tataḥ saptama ākūtyāṁrucer yajño ’bhyajāyatasa yāmādyaiḥ sura-gaṇairapāt svāyambhuvāntaram

Translation:

The seventh incarnation was Yajña, the son of Prajāpati Ruci and his wife Ākūti. He controlled the period during the change of the Svāyambhuva Manu and was assisted by demigods such as His son Yāma.

Purport:

The administrative posts occupied by the demigods for maintaining the regulations of the material world are offered to the highly elevated pious living beings. When there is a scarcity of such pious living beings, the Lord incarnates Himself as Brahmā, Prajāpati, Indra, etc., and takes up the charge. During the period of Svāyambhuva Manu (the present period is of Vaivasvata Manu) there was no suitable living being who could occupy the post of Indra, the King of the Indraloka (heaven) planet. The Lord Himself at that time became Indra. Assisted by His own sons like Yāma and other demigods, Lord Yajña ruled the administration of the universal affairs.