The Puranas and the epics give four means of handling enemies—that is, sama, dana, danda, and bhedha. Sama is conciliating; Dana is offering gifts and bribes. Danda is punishment, and Bhedha is sowing dissent among the enemies.

When he had been taunted by the two Danavas, Brahma wondered which would be the best means to apply against them.

It was not sensible to go to war against someone without knowing their strength, and Brahma was sure that if he praised the two Danavas, there was a chance the Danavas would become prouder, and on coming to know that Brahma was weak, the two Danavas would kill Brahma. Brahma realized that there was no question of offering a bribe to either of them, and finally Brahma felt that he did not know enough to sow dissensions between the two brothers.

So Brahma followed the only other option available to him. He tried to wake up Vishnu.

Brahma tried everything to wake up Vishnu. Brahma first meditated on Vishnu and then he tried praising Vishnu.

But Vishnu did not hear Brahma's words.

That was when Brahma realized that Vishnu was completely under the influence of his sleep and that was the reason none of Brahma's words reached Vishnu.

Yoganidra is the Goddess of Sleep, more particularly on the state of consciousness of a person between sleep and waking up.

Realizing that Goddess Yoganidra completely controlled Vishnu now, Brahma started meditating on Yoganidra. "Devi, please, if you do not help me now, the two Danavas would kill me. Please either be ready to fight these two Danavas yourself or wake up Vishnu, who will fight the two Danavas and save me."

Goddess Yoganidra was very happy on hearing Brahma's words.

She let go of her control over Vishnu to pave the way for the destruction of Madhu and Kaitabha.