Let me tell you of the nine divine natures of Pulastya. When the four ages had passed during the reign of the eleventh Manu, and half of that era remained, the Dvāpara age began. In that time, the Mānavas had a son named Dama. Dama’s heir was Tṛṇabindu, who ascended as king at the dawn of the third Tretā age. Tṛṇabindu’s daughter, Ilavilā, was renowned for her unparalleled beauty, and the royal sage bestowed her in marriage to Pulastya. From Ilavilā, the sage Airavilo, called Viśrava, was born. Viśrava had four wives, whose union greatly expanded the Paulastya lineage. Among them were Devavarṇinī, the auspicious daughter of Bṛhaspati; Puṣpotkaṭā; Balākā; and the daughter of Mālyavat, Kaikasī, herself the offspring of Mālin. Listen to the children born from these unions: Devavarṇinī gave birth to Vaiśravaṇa, the eldest. Kaikasī bore Rāvaṇa, the lord of the rākṣasas, as well as Kumbhakarṇa, Śūrpaṇakhā, and the wise Vibhīṣaṇa. Puṣpotkaṭā’s sons were Mahodara, Prahasta, Mahāpārśva, and Khara. Balā’s offspring included the daughter Kumbhīnasī, and her children were Triśirā, Dūṣaṇa, and Vidyujjihva, all rākṣasas. Mālikā was also born to Balā, remembered as her offspring. These nine Paulastya rākṣasas became infamous for their cruel deeds, with Vibhīṣaṇa standing apart, praised for his pure soul and righteousness. Pulastya’s sons were likened to wild beasts and fanged tigers, and among their descendants were spirits, piśācas, serpents, boars, elephants, monkeys, kinnaras, and kimpuruṣas. Elsewhere, Kratu was remembered as childless during the interval of Vaivasvata Manu. The sage Atri had ten wives, each beautiful and devoted. From Ghṛtācī, the tenth Apsaras, Bhadrāśva had sons: Bhadrā, Abhadrā, Jaladā, Mandā, Nandā, Balā, Abalā, Gopābalā, Tāmarasā, and Varakrīḍā. These ten, born in Atri’s lineage, were married to Prabhākara. When the sun was eclipsed by Svarbhānu and fell from the sky to earth, darkness enveloped the world. Prabhākara brought forth light, and at the word of the Brahmarṣi, the radiant one did not fall from the sky. Thus, the great sages called him Prabhākara, the Lord of Light. In Bhadrā, Prabhākara begot Soma, a glorious son. He also begot sons in the other wives, known as the Svastyātreyas, sages accomplished in the Vedas. Among them, two were renowned for their devotion to Brahman and their great energy: Datta, the eldest, and Durvāsas, his younger brother. Their youngest sister was Amala, a knower of Brahman. Within his two lineages, four sons were born—Śyāva, Pratvasa, Vavalgus, and Gahvara—each famed upon the earth. Among the Ātreyas, four branches are remembered: Kāśyapa, Nārada, Parvata, and Uddhata, all born from the mind of Arundhatī. Nārada gave Arundhatī to Vasiṣṭha. Nārada, steadfast in celibacy and of great splendor, was afflicted by Dakṣa’s curse during the fierce battle of gods and demons known as Tārakāmaya. When the world was struck by a terrible drought, Vasiṣṭha, with the lords of the world, sustained the people through his austerity. He caused food, water, roots, fruits, and herbs to appear, reviving the people with compassion and medicinal herbs. Vasiṣṭha begot a hundred sons in Arundhatī. The eldest, Śakti, begot Parāśara on Adṛśyantī. When Śakti was devoured by a rākṣasa, Kālī gave birth to Parāśara from his blood, and from Parāśara was born the lord Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana. Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana, in the forest, begot his son Śuka. Upamanyu was born from Pīvarī, and these are the sons of Śuka: Bhūriśravā, the lord Śambhu, Kṛṣṇa, Gauras as the fifth, and a daughter, Kīrtimatī, steadfast in her vows and mother of Yoga. Kīrtimatī, wife of Brahmadatta and also of Anuha, gave birth to Śveta, Kṛṣṇa, Gaura, Śyāma, Dhūmra, Aruṇa, Nīla, and Bādarika—all Parāśaras. These eight are the branches of the great-souled Parāśaras. Now, listen further to the lineage from Indrapramiti. Vasiṣṭha’s son Kapiñjala was born from Ghṛtācī. Indrapramiti, also called Trimūrti, was born from Pṛthu’s daughter. From her came Bhadra, and from Bhadra, Vasu. Upamanyu was his son, and there are many descendants of Upamanyu. The well-known Kauṇḍinyas are of Mitra and Varuṇa. There are also others called Ekārṣeyas and the renowned Vāsiṣṭhas. These ten are remembered as the branches of the great-souled Vasiṣṭhas. Thus, these are the mind-born sons of Brahmā, renowned upon the earth, and their noble lineages have been recounted. Born in the families of divine sages, they are capable of upholding the three worlds; their sons and grandsons number in the hundreds and thousands.