Listen, O best of sages, to the wondrous measure of time and the unfolding of creation as declared in the ancient lore. The span of half a Kalpa is divinely reckoned in this way: a thousand such Kalpas together form but a single year in the timeless existence of the Unborn One. The age known as Brahma Yuga endures for eight thousand years, while a thousand Savana Yugas mark the origin of all the gods. It is said that there are a thousand sacrifices, classified in three kinds and three qualities, and the time of Brahmā—himself the embodiment of time—has thus been proclaimed. Within this cosmic order are creation, emergence, and austerity; the coming into being, the blossoming, sacrifice again, the seasons, the fire, the carrier of offerings, the Sāvitra, and the pure one. The Kalpas of Brahmā are further named: Uśika, Kuśika, Gāndhāra, Ṛṣabha, Ṣaḍja, Majjālīya, Madhyama, Vairāja, Niṣāda, Meghavāhana the chief, Citraka, Ākūti, and knowledge itself. Mind, Sudarśa, Bṛṃha, Śvetalohita, Rakta, those clad in yellow, Asita, and the One of all forms—thus are the Kalpas of Brahmā, whose birth is unmanifest, enumerated. Truly, there are countless billions upon billions of Kalpas. So many days and nights have passed, and at the close of the supreme period, all transformations throughout creation return to their source. The dissolution of all change comes only by the command of Śiva; when transformation ceases, both primordial matter and the self remain. When these two—primordial matter and the person—are in similarity, they persist. But when their qualities become unequal, O sages, then creation is said to arise. When the qualities are in perfect balance, dissolution occurs; the cause of both is Maheśvara. By his divine play, the Lord of gods brings forth such diverse creations. From primordial matter, under its sway, arise innumerable beings, countless Kalpas, and countless Pitāmahas. The Haris, too, are without number, but Maheśvara is only one. All natural evolutions, beginning from primordial matter, proceed by his divine sport. The activity of that God is threefold and consists of qualities, but for the transcendent One, there is no beginning, no middle, no end to his true self. Beyond Pitāmaha, there is yet another, whose day equals two parārdhas. Whatever is created during his day is destroyed at his night. In that great dissolution, the worlds Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ, Svar, and those above are all destroyed. When night falls and all that moves and is still is lost, Brahmā alone remains in the one cosmic ocean. Immersed in the waters of deep sleep, he is called Nārāyaṇa. When the night ends and he awakens, seeing all that moves and is still as void, Brahmā, foremost among knowers of Brahman, resolves to create anew. He lifts up the earth, which had been submerged in the waters, assuming the form of a mighty boar. As before, he establishes the earth, and the Lord fashions the rivers, streams, and oceans as they were of old. He makes the earth level, free from depressions and elevations, and sets upon it all the mountains that had been scorched by the ancient fire. The four worlds, beginning with Bhū, he establishes once more. At that time, the Blessed One again resolves to create. As Brahmā contemplates creation, delusion arises in his great soul. From him, the twice-born, endowed with prior intelligence, emerge. From the self-born appear the five forms of ignorance: darkness, delusion, great delusion, Tāmisra, and Andha. This creation, seized by ignorance, is called the primary creation. Remembered as ineffective, it is attributed to the Lord of creatures. Brahmā then considers another creation. The principal trees arise, and as the sage meditates, his throat manifests in three ways. First comes the crosswise-flowing creation; next, the upward-flowing creation, which is remembered as sattvic. Then follows the downward-flowing creation, the gracious one, and again the elemental creation. From the great Brahma, the first is called Mahat, the second is also elemental. The third creation is sensory, the fourth is primary; the fifth is of animals, the sixth is divine. The seventh is human, O brahmins; the eighth is gracious, and the ninth is youthful. These, O sages, are the natural and modified creations. At first, Brahmā creates Sananda, Sanaka, and Sanātana, the foremost sages who attain the highest state through actionlessness. Then, by the science of yoga, he creates Marīci, Bhṛgu, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Dakṣa, Atri, and Vasiṣṭha. These nine are the sons of Brahma, knowers of Brahman, foremost among brahmins, called the speakers of Brahman and remembered as similar to Brahma himself. Resolve, Dharma, Adharma, and the presence of Dharma—these twelve progenies also arise from Brahma, whose birth is unmanifest. Sanātana first creates Ṛbhu and Sanatkumāra, both divine, born with upward-flowing energy, foremost speakers of Brahman. The sons of Brahma, equal to their father, all-knowing and creators of all, are thus established. Now, O best of sages, regarding the origin of progeny: the Lord creates Śatarūpā, the queen, and Virāj. From Svāyambhuva and the queen Śatarūpā, who was not born from a womb, two virtuous sons and two daughters are born. Uttānapāda is the younger, wise one; Priyavrata is the elder. Ākūti is the eldest daughter, and Prasūti is remembered as the younger. At that time, the Prajāpati named Ruci marries Ākūti, and the venerable Dakṣa, supporter of worlds and a yogin, marries Prasūti. Thus, O sage, is the divine measure of time, the cycles of creation and dissolution, and the first generations of beings as declared by sacred tradition.