O child, Brahma spoke gently to his son, saying, “By associating with Vaiṣṇavas and partaking of food sanctified by them, I will once again grant you that ancient, divine knowledge.” Having spoken thus, Brahma, the lord of the worlds, fell silent, leaving Nārada to reflect. Nārada, deeply moved, thought to himself, “Alas, the anger of the ascetic creator has not fallen upon me. A wise man should abandon or curse a son who goes astray.” Yet Nārada’s heart remained steadfast. He prayed, “May my birth be among those devoted to Brahman, in whatever wombs they may be. If a son of the sustainer of the worlds has no devotion to the feet of Hari, let him at least be born with remembrance of past lives and devotion to Hari—even if it be in the wombs of swine. I desire the honey-like devotion to the lotus feet of Govinda.” He continued, “O grandsire, even the holy places wish for the touch of Vaiṣṇavas. By the mere instruction of a mantra, men in Bhārata are liberated. By merely receiving the mantra, sins accumulated over millions of births are destroyed. Sons, wives, disciples, servants, and relatives—all depend on proper guidance. If a guru, having gained the trust of his disciples, shows them the wrong path, what kind of teacher is he? What kind of father, master, or son?” Nārada then addressed his father, “O Four-faced One, I have been cursed by you without fault. With armor, hymns, and worship, Manu, along with his mind, has acted. May you, O father, be unworthy of worship among all beings for three kalpas. Now, O virtuous one, your share in sacrifices and vows is lost.” Having spoken thus, Nārada became silent before his father. By the influence of Upabarhana the Gandharva, Nārada’s fate unfolded thus. Yet, Nārada again became a great sage. Sauti then continued the narration: “All the sages, O best of Brahmins, performed creation, except for Nārada. From Marīci’s mind was born Kaśyapa, the lord of creatures. From Pracetas’ mind was born Gautama. From Manu and Śatarūpā, three daughters were born, and two sons, Priyavrata and Uttānapāda, who were delightful to the mind. Manu gave Ākūti to Ruci and Prasūti to Dakṣa. From Prasūti, by Dakṣa’s seed, sixty daughters were born. One, Satī, was given to Śiva; thirteen were given to Kaśyapa. “O Brahmin,” Sauti said, “listen as I tell you the names of Dharma’s wives. Śānti’s son is Santoṣa; Puṣṭi’s son was the great Mahānabhūta. Kṣamā’s son is Sahiṣṇu, and Śraddhā’s son is Dhārmika. From his former wife and from Mūrti were born the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa. Now, hear attentively the names of Rudra’s wives: Kandalī, Bhīṣaṇā, Rāsnā, Pramocā, Bhūṣaṇā, and Śukī. Satī, devoted, abandoned her body in sacrifice due to her husband’s insult. “Now, hear, O righteous one, the names of Kaśyapa’s beloved wives. Kadrū is the mother of serpents, and Vinatā is the mother of birds. Saramā is the mother of four-footed creatures such as dogs and others.” Thus, the lineage and devotion of the sages, gods, and creatures were revealed, each playing their part in the unfolding cosmic order.