Hear, then, the wondrous tapestry of creation, woven from the very fabric of Prakṛti, the primordial Nature. Radiance and burning heat are spoken of as the two wives of energy, ever accompanying its power. Time, too, has daughters—Death and Old Age—each dearly loved by Fever, who brings their presence to mortals. Sleep, the gentle mother, gives birth to drowsiness, while delight, cherished by happiness, springs forth as her other offspring. Detachment, honored among qualities, has two noble wives: faith and devotion, who support his path. In the divine order, Aditi is revered as the mother of the gods, while Surabhi is known as the progenitor of cows, both playing vital roles in the unfolding of the universe. All these, and many more, have been engaged in the work of creation, manifesting as aspects of Prakṛti herself. Among the celestial unions, Rohiṇī is the beloved wife of the Moon, and Saṃjñā is cherished by the radiant Sun. Tārā is wedded to Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of the gods, while Arundhatī is the devoted wife of Vasiṣṭha. Devahūti is joined with Kardama, and Prasūti is beloved of Dakṣa. Lopāmudrā and Hūti are also remembered, as is the beloved of Kubera, the lord of wealth. In the mortal realm, Kuntī, Damayantī, Yaśodā, and the virtuous Devakī are renowned for their piety and strength. Kalāvatī, the mother of Rādhā and beloved of Vṛṣabhānu, shines with virtue. Revatī, Satyabhāmā, Kālindī, and Lakṣmaṇā are celebrated among noble women, as are Lakṣmaṇā, Rukmiṇī, and Sītā—who is herself famed as Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune. The daughter of Bāṇa, Uṣā, and her companion Citralekhā are also counted among these illustrious women. Reṇukā, mother of Bhṛgu; Halimātā; and Rohiṇī are remembered for their roles in the divine play. Thus, throughout Bhārata, many powers and aspects of Prakṛti are manifest, taking form as women who are born from her portions and fragments, appearing in all the worlds. The Brāhmaṇī, who is worshipped for her chastity and for being blessed with husband and son, and the maiden of eight years, adorned in garments, ornaments, and sandal paste, are all born from Prakṛti—whether superior, middling, or inferior. Those of middling nature are portions of Rajas, considered fit for enjoyment, while the inferior are born of Tamas, often from unknown families. Among them are those who are wanton on earth, as well as the Apsarases, the celestial dancers in heaven. Thus is revealed the fivefold division of Prakṛti in its fullness. Durgā, destroyer of distress, was first worshipped by the king Suratha. Thereafter, she was honored as the mother of the worlds in all three realms. Yet, at a great sacrifice, due to the reproach of her husband, she abandoned her body. Gaṇeśa, Kṛṣṇa himself, Skanda, and the one born from Viṣṇu’s portion are all counted among the divine manifestations. Lakṣmī was first worshipped by Maṅgala-bhūpa, and Savitri was honored with devotion. At the beginning, Brahma himself worshipped the goddess Sarasvati. Rādhā was first worshipped in Goloka, within the sacred circle of the rasa dance—by the gopīs, the cowherds, the girls, and the boys. Later, she was continually worshipped and honored with flowers, incense, and devotion by Brahma, the other gods, sages, and Manus. On earth, the goddess was first worshipped by Suyajna. Afterwards, in all three worlds, by the command of the Supreme Soul, all such divine manifestations that arose were worshipped throughout Bhārata. Thus, all the auspicious deeds of Prakṛti have been told to you. Then the sage Nārada spoke: “For the sake of understanding, you should speak knowledge as received from Vyāsa.