Once, the sage Nārada approached the Haryaśvas, the thousand sons of Dakṣa, who had assembled for the purpose of creation. He addressed them: “Having understood the measure of the earth, both above and below, you are now prepared. Therefore, O best of sages, create the world in detail.” Inspired by Nārada’s words, the Haryaśvas departed in all directions to fulfill their task. Yet, even to this day, they have not returned—like rivers that flow to the ocean and do not come back. With the loss of the Haryaśvas, Dakṣa, the lord of creatures, resolved to continue his work. Again, by birth, he produced another thousand sons, known as the Śabalās, gathering them together for the purpose of creation. Nārada, ever the wise counselor, spoke once more to these Śabalās, radiant as the sun: “Having understood the measure of the earth, repeatedly consider your brothers. When you return, you will then create the world in detail.” But the Śabalās, too, followed the path of their brothers and departed, never to return. When these sons were also lost, Prajāpati Dakṣa, son of Pracetas, begot sixty daughters with Vairiṇī. He gave ten of them to Dharma, thirteen to Kaśyapa, twenty-seven to Soma, and four to Ariṣṭanemi. Two were given to the son of Bhṛgu, two to the wise Kṛśāśva, and two to Aṅgiras, thus establishing their names and lineages. Now, hear from the beginning the expansion of the progeny of these divine mothers: Marutvatī, Vasū, Yāmi, Lambā, Bhānu, and Arundhatī. The ladies Saṃkalpā, Muhūrtā, Sādhyā, Viśvā, and Bhāminī were known as the wives of Dharma; their sons would become illustrious. Viśvā gave birth to the Viśvedevas; Sādhyā bore the Sādhyas; Marutvatī gave birth to the Maruts; and Vasū’s sons were the Vasus. Bhānu’s sons were called the Bhānavas; Muhūrtā’s sons were the Muhūrtakas. Lambā gave birth to Ghoṣanāmāna, and Nāgavīthi’s son was Yāmija. Saṃkalpā’s son was Saṃkalpa. The Vasus, radiant gods who pervade all directions, are named as those who seek the welfare of all beings: Āpa, Dhruva, Soma, Dhara, Anila, Anala, Pratyūṣa, and Prabhāsa—these eight are called the Vasus. Among the Rudras, there are eleven: Ajaikapāda, Ahirbudhnya, Virūpākṣa, Sabhairava, Hara, Bahurūpa, Tryambaka, Sureśvara, Sāvitra, Jayanta, Pinākī, and Aparājita—lords of hosts. Now, let us turn to the sons and grandsons born from the wives of Kaśyapa: Aditi, Diti, Ariṣṭā, Surasā, Muni, Surabhi, Vinatā, Tāmrā, Krodhavaśā, Ilā, Kadrū, Tviṣā, and Danu. Their offspring were numerous and wondrous. The gods called Tuṣitas were born during the interval of Cākṣuṣa Manu. In the era of Vaivasvata Manu, the twelve Ādityas are remembered: Indra, Dhātā, Bhaga, Tvaṣṭṛ, Mitra, Varuṇa, Aryaman, Vivasvān, Savitṛ, Pūṣā, Aṃśumān, and Viṣṇu. These twelve Ādityas, radiant with a thousand rays, shine throughout the cosmos. Diti received two sons from Kaśyapa: Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa. Danu received a hundred sons from Kaśyapa, all proud in strength, with Vipracitti as their chief. Tāmrā gave birth to six daughters: Śukī, Śyenī, Bhāsī, Sugrīvī, Gṛdhrikā, and Śuci. Śukī, by righteousness, gave birth to parrots and owls; Śyenī bore hawks; Bhāsī produced cranes. Gṛdhrī gave birth to vultures and pigeons; Pārāvatī to birds; Śuci produced swans, sarasa, kāraṇḍa, and plava birds. Sugrīvī gave birth to goats, horses, sheep, camels, and asses. Vinatā gave birth to Garuḍa and Aruṇa, the auspicious ones. Saudāminī, a maiden terrifying to all worlds, was also born. Surasā gave birth to a thousand serpents in ancient times. Kadru, steadfast in her vows, bore a thousand serpents with a thousand heads; among them, twenty-six are renowned as the foremost: Śeṣa, Vāsuki, Karkoṭa, Śaṅkha, Airāvata, Kambala, Dhanañjaya, Mahānīla, Padma, Aśvatara, Takṣaka, Elāpatra, Mahāpadma, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Balāhaka, Śaṅkhapāla, Mahāśaṅkha, Puṣpadaṃṣṭra, Śubhānana, Śaṅkhaloma, Nahuṣa, Vāmana, Phaṇita, Kapila, Durmukha, and Patañjali. Under the sway of anger, Kadru produced a host of rakṣasas, endowed with great illusion. Gomahiṣī, a noble lady, gave rise to a group of Rudras. Surabhi gave birth to the group of Kāśyapa’s offspring, and likewise, the sage produced a host of sages and a group of apsarases. Ilā generated many Kinnaras and Gandharvas; Ariṣṭā produced many, and Ilā created all grasses, trees, creepers, and shrubs. Tviṣā gave birth to countless Yakṣas and Rakṣasas. These are briefly mentioned as the descendants of Kāśyapa. Among them, many lineages of sons, grandsons, and others are remembered; thus, all these beings were created by the great-souled Kāśyapa. When all the moving and unmoving creatures had been established, Prajāpati anointed the chief among them as rulers. Then he appointed Vaivasvata Manu as the lord of mankind, following those previously anointed by Brahmā in the earlier Svāyambhuva period.