In ancient times, there arose among the people those who were unpierced-eared, fierce, fearless, and unconquerable in battle. From the union of a Mleccha and the daughter of Kuvinda, the Jola caste was born; and from Jola, again with the daughter of Kuvinda, Śarāṅka came forth, as was proclaimed. Due to the mingling of varṇas, many new castes emerged—castes not heard of before. Among these stories, a physician was born from the divine Aśvinī-kumāra and a Brāhmaṇa woman. This child grew to be knowledgeable in the qualities of village life, and was deeply devoted to mantras and medicines. Śaunaka, pondering these events, exclaimed with sorrow, "Alas! By what lack of discernment was the depositing of seed done?" Sauti replied, "The passionate god beheld her, calm and serene, in a secluded flower garden. Though she resisted with all her strength, the powerful deity overpowered her. She quickly abandoned the child in that charming flower garden. Ashamed, she always returned to her master’s house, bringing her son with her. But out of anger, the brahmin abandoned both his son and his beloved." Despite this, the brahmin diligently taught his son the science of medicine. He himself was always engaged in calculating fees and astrology, and, driven by greed, accepted gifts even in the presence of shudras. In another tale, during a Brahma-yajña, a certain man arose from the sacrificial fire-pit. That one, a repository of compassion and Brahma himself, taught him the Purāṇa. By the power of a sūta, a single man was born from a vaiśya woman. Thus, I have told you a little about how births are determined upon the earth. Whoever is related to whom, in all castes and everywhere, the father—also called 'tāta'—is known as the begetter, the giver of birth. The paternal grandfather is the father’s father, and his father is called the great-grandfather. The maternal grandfather is the mother’s father, and likewise, the great-grandfather on the mother’s side. The paternal grandmother is the father’s mother, and her mother-in-law is the great-grandmother. The maternal grandmother is the mother’s mother, honored as equal to the mother. The aged maternal grandmother, and likewise the wife of the father’s father, are to be understood as such. The father’s sister, the mother’s sister, and the mother’s own sister are remembered as such. The one who possesses wealth, the one born of virility, and so too in the case of a man, these exist in the lineage. The son’s wife is known as the daughter-in-law; the husband of the daughter is the son-in-law. The younger brother-in-law is the husband’s brother; the nananda is the husband’s sister. Wife, spouse, beloved, dear one, and woman are all terms used for a wife. The wife’s mother is called the mother-in-law, and her father is known as the father-in-law. The son of a sister, the son of a brother, and the son’s son of a brother are so designated. The husband of a sister-in-law and the brother are considered so due to the unity of the father-in-law. The giver of food, the protector from fear, and the wife’s father are likewise so regarded. The wife of the giver of food, a sister, the wife of the teacher, the mother, her co-wife, a maiden, and one dear to the son are also so considered. The mother’s mother, the father’s mother, and the sister of the parents-in-law are likewise so regarded. A grandson is the son’s son, and a great-grandson is the son of that son. The daughter’s son and the daughter’s daughter, and their descendants, are relatives. The sons and descendants of the brother’s son are again considered kinsmen. The teacher’s daughter, a sister, and a fostered girl are to be regarded as equal to a mother, O sage. Thus, in these ancient accounts, the origins of castes and the intricate web of family relations are revealed, showing the complexity and sanctity of birth, lineage, and kinship in this world.