Having bestowed the sacred mantra for righteousness, the Lord also granted knowledge of accomplishments. In this way, He imparted the supreme mantras and other divine teachings to Kubera and many others. Then, the Blessed Lord addressed Brahma, saying, “O greatly fortunate one, create the supreme and various forms of creation, O Vidhi.” Having spoken thus, Krishna presented Brahma with a beautiful garland. Sauti continued: In the beginning, the Lord fashioned the earth from the fat of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha. He then created eight principal and delightful mountains—Sumeru, Kailasa, Malaya, and Himalaya among them. The Lord also formed the seven oceans and rivers of various kinds: oceans of salt, sugarcane juice, wine, clarified butter, curds, milk, and water. Upon the lotus-shaped earth, He established seven continents. O Brahmin, listen to the account of the land called Dvīpa, which was created according to divine ordinance. The Lord built eight cities atop the eight peaks of Meru. At the base of Ananta, the Lord of the worlds constructed a city. He then made Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, and the exceedingly delightful Svarloka. At the summit of the peak lies Brahmaloka, a realm free from old age and suffering. Beneath that, the Lord of the universe fashioned the seven Pātālas: Atala, Vitala, Sutala, and Talātala among them. With the seven continents, the seven heavens, and the seven Pātālas, thus the entire countless universe was brought into being, artificial in its nature. In each universe, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara serve as the guardians of the directions. The Lord of the worlds cannot count the multitude of universes; though He is capable of reckoning, even He cannot enumerate them. There are worlds both artificial and established within the universe: Vaikuṇṭha, Śivaloka, and Goloka—with Goloka being superior to the other two. Sauti continued: The passionate one deposited his seed in Kāmuḳī, following the way of desire. She bore that divine and exceedingly difficult embryo for a hundred years. From her came forth various collections of treatises—logic, grammar, and others. The six delightful rāgas emerged, each endowed with various rhythms. The divisions of time—year, month, season, lunar day, daṇḍa, and kṣaṇa—were established. Nourishment, the army of the gods, intelligence, victory, and triumph appeared. The army of the gods was formed, along with the great Ṣaṣṭhī, the chaste one beloved of Kārttikeya. The three kalpas—Brahma, Padma, and Varāha—were known. The fourfold dissolution, time, and the maiden of death were brought forth. Then, from the posterior region of Dhātu, adharma (unrighteousness) was born. From the navel region, Viśvakarman emerged, the teacher of artisans. From the mind of Dhātu, boy-children appeared: Sanaka, Sananda, and Sanātana. From the mouth, a boy of golden radiance was born—the seed-form among kṣatriyas, named Svāyambhuva Manu. That Manu, together with his wife, remained as the protector by the command of Dhātṛ.