From the union of Māriṣā and the ten Pracetas, Prajapati himself was born. In the earliest times, Daksha, the great progenitor, created living beings first through the sheer power of his mind, and then, in the course of creation, through physical union as well. After this initial creation by will, Daksha brought forth women, and among them he gave twenty-seven, who were endowed with the movement of time, to the Moon. He also gave two women to Bahuputra and two to Angiras. The period between the age of Cākṣuṣa and that of Manu is known as the sixth Manvantara. During these cycles, Vasudevas, birds, cows, serpents, Dānavas, and the sons of Diti were all brought into being. It is said that the creation of these earlier beings occurred through will, vision, and touch, manifesting from the mere intention and perception of the divine. The origin of the great-souled Daksha has already been recounted. But questions arise: How did you, O great ascetic, regain your former state? And how did Soma’s grandson attain the state of Śravaśura? Here, in this sacred realm, the sages and those who possess true knowledge do not take delight in mundane pleasures. They remain restrained, and the wise are not deluded by the world. Austerity alone became the greatest force, and power was its cause. One who is blessed with offspring and long life, having crossed over the ocean of existence, is honored in the heavenly realms. Thus, these six natural creations, each corresponding to a Manvantara, have passed. The wise have described these creations, O best of the twice-born. All these creations of Vivasvat have neither been more nor less than what has been stated. Whoever recites these qualities faithfully and without malice comes to possess them. Now, listen as I recount the story of creation, both in summary and in detail. From Marīci and Kaśyapa were born the gods and the supreme sages. The Bhṛgus and the Angiras are remembered as eight groups of deities. The Sādhyas, Vasus, Viśve, and the sons of Dharma are three further groups. In this present Vaivasvata Manvantara, these beings are said to be born of desire. Thus, the creation of Marīci is regarded as auspicious and relevant to our time. Those who have passed, those yet to come, and those who exist now—all are under the dominion of the lords of past, future, and present, the thousand-eyed Purandaras. Each of these lords has performed hundreds of sacrifices, each with its own distinct qualities. They prevail and endure through the power of dharma and other causes. The lords of past, future, and present are as mighty as the most powerful beings and are remembered by the twice-born as the triad of worlds. The future is regarded as heaven, and I will now explain the means by which it is attained. In the beginning, the syllable 'bhūḥ' was first uttered, and thus this world, Bhūloka, came into being. Because of its existence and perception, this world is called Bhūloka, the earthly realm. Afterward, in this world, the word 'bhūvaḥ' was spoken by Brahmā. From the word 'bhavana'—meaning becoming or existence—arose Bhuvarloka, the atmospheric world, so named according to its meaning. When that second world was thus produced, Brahmā uttered yet again. For what is yet to come, the word 'bhavya' is recognized as indicating the future. Thus, 'bhūḥ' is remembered as the earth, 'bhuvaḥ' as the atmosphere, and with these three utterances, connected to the three worlds, the three sacred Vyāhṛtis—'bhūḥ', 'bhuvaḥ', and 'svaḥ'—came to be.