After the great dissolution, the earth was left in disarray, marred by unevenness and the scars of ancient fires. With careful attention, the divine one restored the earth, smoothing away all depressions and elevations. Upon this renewed land, he placed the mountains that had once been consumed by the primordial flame. With the earth thus prepared, he established once more the four worlds, beginning with Bhū, just as they had existed before. At that moment, the Blessed Lord resolved anew to create the universe. As he set his mind to creation, a veil of delusion arose even in that great-souled one. From Brahma—whose birth is unmanifest—the twice-born, endowed with prior intelligence, emerged. From the self-born arose five forms of ignorance: darkness, delusion, great delusion, Tāmisra, and Andha. This creation, seized by ignorance, is known as the primary creation. It is remembered as ineffective and is attributed to the Lord of creatures. Recognizing the ineffectiveness of this first attempt, he considered a new creation. From his meditation, the principal trees arose, and the sage’s throat manifested in three ways. First came the crosswise-flowing creation, followed by the upward-flowing creation, which is remembered as sattvic and pure. Then came the downward-flowing and the gracious creations, as well as the elemental creation. From the great Brahma, the first is called Mahat, and the second is also elemental. The third creation is known as the sensory creation, the fourth as the primary, the fifth is of animals, and the sixth is called divine. The seventh is the human creation, O brahmins, the eighth is remembered as gracious, and the ninth as youthful. These are the natural and modified creations. At the beginning, Brahma created Sananda, Sanaka, and Sanātana, the foremost sages who attained the highest state through perfect actionlessness. By the science of yoga, he created Marīci, Bhṛgu, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Dakṣa, Atri, and Vasiṣṭha. These nine, the sons of Brahma, are knowers of Brahman, foremost among brahmins, and are revered as speakers of Brahman, similar in nature to Brahma himself. Along with them, Resolve, Dharma, Adharma, and the presence of Dharma—these twelve progenies emerged from Brahma, whose birth is unmanifest. Sanātana first created Ṛbhu and Sanatkumāra, both divine beings, born with upward-flowing energy and foremost among the speakers of Brahman. These sons of Brahma, equal to him in knowledge and creative power, were all-knowing and creators of all. Now, let us describe the wives of these first-born sages. In summary, O best of sages, regarding the origin of progeny: the Lord created Śatarūpā, the queen, and Virāj. From Svāyambhuva, Śatarūpā, not born from a womb, obtained two virtuous sons and two daughters: Uttānapāda, the younger and wise one; Priyavrata, the elder; Ākūti, the eldest daughter; and Prasūti, the younger. At that time, the Prajāpati named Ruci married Ākūti, and the venerable Dakṣa, supporter of worlds and a yogin, married Prasūti. Ākūti gave birth to Yajña together with Dakṣiṇā, and Dakṣiṇā in turn bore twelve divine daughters. From Dakṣa, Prasūti gave birth to twenty-four daughters: Śraddhā, Lakṣmī, Dhṛti, Puṣṭi, Tuṣṭi, Medhā, Kriyā, Buddhi, Lajjā, Vapuḥ, Śānti, Siddhi, Kīrti, Mahātapā, Khyāti, Śānti, Sambhūti, Smṛti, Prīti, Kṣamā, Saṃnati, Anasūyā, Ūrjā, Svāhā, Surāraṇi, and the greatly fortunate Svadhā. Dakṣa gave them all in due order. The thirteen noble daughters, from Śraddhā to Kīrti, became the wives of Dharma, the Prajāpati, who is most difficult to attain. The wise Bhṛgu married Khyāti, his delight; Marīci married Sambhūti; the sage Aṅgirā married Smṛti; Pulastya, of pure soul, married Prīti; Pulaha married Kṣamā; Kratu married Saṃnati; and Atri married Anasūyā. The venerable Vasiṣṭha, lotus-eyed and most excellent, married Ūrjā; Vibhāvasu married Svāhā; and the Pitṛs married Svadhā. Satī, created as a daughter born of the mind and originating from Śiva, became the wife of Rudra, the sustainer of worlds, through Dakṣa. At the beginning of creation, seeing Ardhanārīśvara, the golden egg-born one said, “Divide!” and when she was born, it was so. All the women in the three worlds are her portions, and the Rudras, of eleven kinds, are likewise born from his portion. She is the entire feminine principle, while Nīlalohita is the masculine. Seeing this, the venerable Brahmā looked at the virtuous Dakṣa and said, “Take as your daughter the sustainer of worlds, for me and for you as well; she delivers from the hell named Put, thus she is called a daughter here. This beautiful one will be your daughter, the mother of the universe; therefore, she will be known as Satī, your daughter.” Thus instructed by Brahmā, Dakṣa, having received a daughter, respectfully gave Satī directly to Rudra. The wives of Dharma, from Śraddhā onward, are said to be thirteen. Their excellent progeny by Dharma are as follows: Desire, pride, discipline, contentment, and greed; learning, punishment, agreement, and understanding—all of great brilliance. Alertness, humility, determination, well-being, happiness, fame, and the sons of Dharma are found among them. In the practice of righteousness, punishment and agreement, as well as alertness and understanding, are indeed the two sons of wisdom and righteousness. Thus, these fifteen are the sons of Dharma. And Bhrigu’s wife Khyati, beloved of Vishnu, gave birth to Shri.