From the mighty being arose the skilled Sūta and Māgadha, and through his efforts, O best of sages, the very earth—likened to a cow—was milked by the king to yield crops for all. With the desire to sustain the living, the gods, accompanied by hosts of sages, ancestors, Dānavas, Gandharvas, and Apsarases, as well as serpents, the virtuous, plants, and even the mountains themselves, each took their turn to milk the earth in their own unique vessels. The earth, generous and nurturing, gave milk according to each one’s wish, and thus all beings were able to sustain their lives. Pṛthu, the great king, had two sons—one righteous, the other destined to vanish at the end of the sacrifice. In the lineage, Śikhaṇḍinī bore Havirdhāna from Antardhāna, and from Havirdhāna, Āgneyī gave birth to six sons, the foremost among them named Dhiṣaṇa. Among these sons were Prācīnabarhiṣ, Śukra, Gaya, Kṛṣṇa, and Vrajājina. Prācīnabarhiṣ, blessed and illustrious, was a great Prajāpati, the nurturer of people and lord of all who move upon the earth. Prācīnabarhiṣ took as his wife the daughter of the ocean, and after great austerity, Prajāpati was born to Savarṇā. From Savarṇa, the ocean-born, Prācīnabarhiṣ had ten sons, all called Pracetas, renowned for their mastery of archery. These Pracetas, upholding undivided righteousness, performed severe austerities for ten thousand years, dwelling in the waters of the ocean. While the Pracetas were absorbed in their penances, the trees, left unprotected, spread unchecked across the earth, leading to a decline in other living beings. The wind could not blow, and the sky was blocked by the thick canopy; for ten thousand years, creatures were unable to move. Hearing of this plight, the Pracetas, empowered by their asceticism and filled with wrath, released wind and fire from their mouths. The wind uprooted and dried the trees, while the fierce fire consumed them, resulting in the near destruction of all trees. When only a few branches remained, Soma, the lord of the nectar, approached the Pracetas and spoke gently to them: “Restrain your anger, O kings, for the earth has been rendered barren of trees. Let the fire and wind subside.” Soma then presented to them a radiant maiden of excellent complexion, a jewel among the trees, whom he had held in his womb with knowledge of the future. “She is Māriṣā, created for the trees. Let her be your wife, O fortunate ones, and the enhancer of the Soma lineage. By half your energy and half of mine, a wise lord of creatures named Dakṣa will be born from her. Endowed with your fiery energy, he will restore and increase the creatures of this earth, which has been scorched.” Heeding Soma’s words, the Pracetas withdrew their anger and, in accordance with righteousness, accepted Māriṣā as their wife. From Māriṣā and the ten Pracetas was born the mighty Dakṣa, a lord of creatures, radiant with great energy and a portion of Soma. Dakṣa then created both immobile and mobile beings—bipeds and quadrupeds—by his mind, and afterwards created women. He gave ten daughters to Dharma, thirteen to Kaśyapa, and the rest to Soma, the king, to whom he also gave the daughters known as the Nakṣatras, the lunar constellations. From these unions were born the gods, birds, cows, serpents, Dānavas, Daityas, Gandharvas, Apsarases, and other kinds of beings. From that time onward, O best of the twice-born, creatures have been born from sexual union, whereas before, it is said, beings arose from will, sight, and touch. Thus, we have heard of the origin of the gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, serpents, Rākṣasas, and the great-souled Dakṣa. It is said that Dakṣa, of auspicious vows, was born from Brahmā’s thumb, while his wife was born from Brahmā’s left thumb. The sages then wondered: How did that great ascetic regain the state of Prācetasa? And how did the grandson of Soma become his father-in-law? O twice-born ones, the origin and dissolution of beings is eternal. The wise, possessing true knowledge, are never confused by this. In every age, rulers like Dakṣa arise and dissolve again and again, and the wise are not bewildered by this. In those ancient times, there was neither seniority nor juniority among them; only austerity was revered, and its power was the cause of greatness. Whoever knows this creation of Dakṣa, with its moving and unmoving beings, is blessed with offspring, long life, and honor in the heavenly world. Then, addressing Lomaharṣaṇa, the sages requested: “Tell us in detail, O Lomaharṣaṇa, about the origin of the gods, demons, Gandharvas, serpents, and Rākṣasas.” Lomaharṣaṇa replied: “Dakṣa, at the command of Svayambhū, once created beings. Listen, O twice-born ones, to how he produced the creatures. At first, the Lord created beings only by his mind: sages, gods, Gandharvas, Asuras, Yakṣas, and Rākṣasas. But when these mind-born beings did not multiply, Prajāpati, reflecting for the sake of progeny, considered how to create various beings through lawful union. He took Asikni, the wife of Vīraṇa Prajāpati. Endowed with great austerity and sustaining the worlds, Asikni bore thousands of powerful sons in Vairaṇī. Dakṣa Prajāpati himself begot them in Asikni. Seeing these greatly fortunate sons, eager to increase progeny…” Thus, the sacred lineage of creation continued, each generation upholding the order of the world, as established by the will and actions of the ancient lords.