Upon that remarkable island, there stands a vast and ancient nyagrodha tree, revered by the immortals themselves. It is here, O best of sages, that the sacred abodes of Śiva and Nārāyaṇa are found. In this sanctified realm, the Lord—whose form is both dark and tawny—is honored by celestial beings: the Gandharvas, the Kinnaras, and the Yakṣas. Those who dwell in this place are untouched by disease or sorrow; they are free from all attachment and aversion. In this land, there are no duties determined by caste or stage of life, nor are there rivers or mountains to mark the terrain. Instead, all around lies a vast ocean of sweet water, O best of the twice-born. The golden land itself is twice as wide as the previous realms and is as even and solid as a great stone slab. There exists a region known as Lokāloka, which is described as both luminous and non-luminous. This Lokāloka is, indeed, the extent of the great mountain by the same name. Encircling it on all sides is a darkness as fierce and impenetrable as a mighty bowl. This, O sages, is the expanse of the cosmic egg, which I have described to you in brief. The primordial cause, all-pervading and imperishable by its very nature, pervades every place. In each region dwell beings such as the four-faced ones, the Rudras, the Nārāyaṇas, and others. This cosmic order is established everywhere, and it is to these realms that the wise ultimately go. Beyond all these, transcending everything, exists the imperishable nature—beyond the manifest world. This is to be known as the unmanifest, the supreme state called Brahman. Its unfailing greatness has been spoken of by me before. There is no doubt that this essence pervades all the oceans and the sky as well. The Supreme Person, whose limbs are divided in countless ways, delights in cosmic play within this expanse. From the cosmic egg arose Brahmā, and by him, this world was brought into being. At this point, the sages requested, “Tell us more about these matters, and also about Vyāsa in the Dvāpara age. Likewise, recount for us the descents of the Lord, who appears for the sake of righteousness in the Kali age. O Sūta, we ask you to summarize all these events here.” They further inquired about the different epochs: the Uttama, Tāmasa, Raivata, and Ākṣuṣa Manvantaras. “This is the era of Vaivasvata Manu,” they noted, “whose seventh interval is now underway. Now, please tell us more about the Manu known as Svarocisha.” In the time of Svarocisha Manu, Vipaścit, the destroyer of asuras, became the lord of the gods. Timira and Charvarī, along with five others, were established as the seven great sages of that age. Next, the sages wished to hear about the second interval, called Uttama. There, Sushanti, the subduer of enemies, became the lord of the gods. In that era, there were five groups of deities, each group numbering twelve, and they were known as the Vasavartins. Sutapa, Shukra, and others—seven in total—were the great sages of that age. The Satyas and Sudhiyas, comprising twenty-seven groups, were also present. During this time, one became a devoted worshiper of Shankara, delighting in the adoration of Mahadeva. Pivara and other sages—seven in all—were present in that interval as well. In another era, Manu Vasu became the lord of the gods and subdued the asuras. There, the groups of gods numbered fourteen, each group consisting of fourteen members. Seven sages, O Brahmins, were present during the Raivata interval. It is said that these four Manus—Svarocisha, Uttama, Tāmasa, and Raivata—were all descended from Priyavrata. Manojava, too, became the lord of the gods in his time. The sages were eager to hear more about the gods who presided in each of these eras. Thus, the sacred narrative unfolds, revealing the succession of Manus, the lords of gods, the sages, and the divine arrangements that preserve the order of the worlds.