In the beginning, the Supreme Lord, radiant and resplendent, brought forth the gods from his own being. Because they shone with his light, they were called deities. Having thus created the gods, the Lord of gods assumed yet another form. When he set aside this divine body, it immediately became the day itself. For this reason, the gods, endowed with righteousness, worship the day. The Lord then contemplated a new body, one composed solely of sattva, the purest quality. In his meditation, he desired to create sons resembling the ancestors. Thus, as he reflected, the ancestors arose in the interval between night and day, manifesting during the two twilights. Hence, these ancestors are also called gods, and their status as ancestors was established among them. The body through which the ancestors were created was also cast off by the Lord, and it instantly became twilight. Since day belongs to the gods and night is considered asuric, the ancestral form, existing between the two, is deemed the most excellent. Therefore, all gods, celestials, sages, and humans joyfully worship the form that stands in the middle of night and day. Brahmā then fashioned yet another form, this time dominated by rajas, the quality of passion. With his mind, the Lord created new beings. He mentally brought forth sons who were fond of rajas; these sons, endowed with mind, became the Manus. Once again, having created these beings, he cast off that form, and from it, Jyotsnā— the gentle light of early dawn—was immediately born. Because creatures are delighted at the appearance of Jyotsnā, the great soul relinquished these forms. Thus, night and day, twilight, and Jyotsnā all emerged at once. Of these, Jyotsnā, twilight, and day are composed solely of sattva, while night is entirely tamas, the quality of darkness. Therefore, the gods, who were created from the form of day, were born from his mouth, filled with satisfaction. Because their birth was by day, they are powerful during the day. With another form, the Lord created the Asuras at night, from his abdomen. Those born at night from his vital breaths possess great power during the night. In future ages, these gods and Asuras will exist together. For ancestors and humans, in all past and future cycles of creation, these events are the root causes. Jyotsnā, night, day, and twilight—these four are known as 'ambhāṃsi,' for they shine, and so the wise use this term. The word 'bhāti' means 'shining.' Prajāpati, having created these ambhāṃsi, then created gods, humans, and Dānavas. He also fashioned the ancestors in his own form and, once more, various other beings. Having cast off the Jyotsnā form, the Lord assumed yet another. He honored a form dominated by tamas and rajas, filled with hunger and darkness, and then created other beings. Those born of him, whose nature was hunger, sought to seize the ambhāṃsi. Among them, those who declared, “Let us protect the ambhāṃsi,” became known as Rākṣasas, for possessed by hunger, they roam at night. Those who said, “Let us enjoy the ambhāṃsi,” delighted in one another, and by this act, they became Yakṣas and Guhyakas—beings who perform secret deeds. The root 'rakṣ' means 'to protect,' and 'yakṣ' means 'to eat.' When the wise beheld him, their hair fell out in displeasure. Those whose heads were severed rose upwards, while those who wept for the Lord were deprived of their heads. From them descended the creatures called 'vālā,' remembered as serpents by nature. Because of their deficiency, they are called snakes; since they fall, they are known as 'pannagas,' and as serpents because they crawl. From the Lord’s wrath arose a fierce being, born of fire, who entered the serpents, endowing them with the nature of poison. Having created the serpents, the Lord, still enraged, produced beings whose essence was anger—tawny, fierce creatures who subsist on flesh. Because they are beings, they are called 'bhūtas'; because they eat flesh, they are called 'piśācas.' When the Lord sang with a tranquil mind, the Gandharvas were born, their name stemming from the root 'dhayati,' meaning 'to drink,' for they were born drinking speech. Thus, they are remembered as Gandharvas. After creating eight white, divine species, the Lord willed into being other birds, each according to their age. According to their own will and age, he created birds, and after creating animals, the Lord of the gods also produced groups of birds. From his mouth, he created goats; from his chest, sheep; from his abdomen, cows; and from his sides, Brahmā fashioned them all. From his feet, he created horses, elephants, donkeys, camels, deer, mules, and other species. Medicinal plants, those bearing fruits and roots, sprang from his hair. Thus, after creating animals and plants, the Lord engaged them all in the sacrifice. Among domestic animals are the bull, man, sheep, horse, mule, and donkey. As for the wild, there are carnivores, two-hoofed animals, elephants, monkeys, birds as a fifth group, aquatic animals as a sixth, and reptiles as a seventh. Buffaloes, wild oxen, antelopes, monkeys, sharabhas, wolves, and lions comprise the seventh group, remembered as wild animals. From his mouth, he created the Gāyatra, Ṛc, Trivṛt, Sāma, Rathantara, and Agniṣṭoma as the first sacrifices. He also produced the Yajus, Triṣṭubh meter, Chandastoma, Pañcadaśa, Bṛhatsāma, Ukthya, and Dakṣiṇā, all emerging from his mouth, thus completing the sacred rites.