The puranas discuss many basic features such as the primary and secondary creation, the concept of the cyclic time, etc. They tell us about how dharma that supports all existence and creation tends to get disrupted in the course of time. In the Devi Bhagavata Purana, it is shown that the task of restoring dharma is accomplished by the Supreme Yoga Maya who holds the entire sway over all, pointed out Sri K. Srinivasan in a discourse. She is the prime force behind all and even the powerful Trimurtis — Vishnu, Brahma or Rudra — are able to act according to Her Will. They are not swatantra. This truth is explained by Vishnu to Brahma, Indra and other celestial beings when they accompanied Goddess Earth to seek the Lord for His help to alleviate the burden of Bhu who was tormented by the power of the evil forces.
Vishnu states that all the control rests with Yoga Maya. He recalls the various incarnations He had taken and how He had undergone untold sufferings and miseries in each case. Why should He incarnate as a fish or a boar or a tortoise? Why should He take the forms of Vamana or Narasimha? There was no enthusiasm in taking these forms. He further asks that why should He suffer the trauma of staying in the mother’s womb, a destiny written for only the karma bound jivatmas? He did not get any personal benefit by all these acts. Or for that matter he asks if He would have ever taken a harsh and cruel avatar as Parasurama out of His own will. It was quite contrary to His nature. It is a contrast to Rama avatar when He was known to act with dharma and compassion. Rama was considerate to even Ravana, the enemy He had to defeat to rescue Sita. But Vishnu had to take such avatars under the command of Yoga Maya.