When beings rejoiced at the appearance of Jyotsnā, the gentle moonlight, the great soul, Prajāpati, cast off these forms. In that very instant, night, day, twilight, and Jyotsnā came into being. Of these, Jyotsnā, twilight, and day were composed solely of the pure quality of sattva, while night was formed entirely of tamas, embodying darkness itself. From the form of day, satisfied, Prajāpati created the gods, who emerged from his mouth. Because their birth was in the day, these gods are powerful during the day. In contrast, with a form suited to night, he created the Asuras from his abdomen, and they, born of the vital breaths at night, possess power in the night. Thus, in all past and future Manvantaras, these forms—gods and Asuras—are the causes for the existence of ancestors and humans. Jyotsnā, night, day, and twilight—these four are known as 'ambhāṃsi' because they shine, and so the wise call them by this name. The word 'bhāti' means 'to shine.' Having created these shining ambhāṃsi, Prajāpati then brought forth gods, humans, and Dānavas. He also created the ancestors from his own form, and once again, various beings. After relinquishing the form of Jyotsnā, the Lord assumed another. This time, he honored a form dominated by tamas and rajas, filled with hunger and darkness, and from this, he created other beings. These new creations, driven by hunger, sought to seize the ambhāṃsi. Among them, those who proclaimed, "Let us protect the ambhāṃsi," became known as Rākṣasas, for, possessed by hunger, they roam at night. Others, who said, "Let us enjoy the ambhāṃsi," delighted in one another and became the Yakṣas and Guhyakas, beings who perform secret deeds. The root 'rakṣ' means to protect, while 'yakṣ' means to eat. Witnessing these beings, the wise became displeased, and their hair fell out. Those whose heads were severed ascended upwards, while those who wept for the Lord lost their heads; from them descended the creatures called 'vālā.' The 'vālā' are remembered as serpent-like in nature. Because of their deficiency, they are called snakes; because they fall, they are known as 'pannagas,' and as serpents because they crawl. From Prajāpati’s wrath, a fierce being was born of fire, who entered the serpents and imbued them with poison. Still angry, the Lord created beings whose very essence was anger—tawny and fierce, and subsisting on flesh. Because they are beings, they are called 'bhūtas'; as flesh-eaters, they are known as 'piśācas.' Later, when the Lord sang with a tranquil mind, the Gandharvas were born, their name deriving from the root 'dhayati,' meaning 'to drink,' for they were born drinking speech. Having created eight white divine species, the Lord then, by his own will, produced birds according to their age and nature. He continued, creating animals and groups of birds as well. From his mouth, goats came forth; from his chest, sheep; from his abdomen, cows; and from his sides, Brahmā fashioned them. From his feet, he brought forth horses, elephants, donkeys, camels, deer, mules, and other species. From his hair sprang medicinal plants, as well as those bearing fruits and roots. Thus, after creating animals and plants, the Lord engaged them in the great sacrifice. The bull, man, sheep, horse, mule, and donkey are counted among domestic animals. The wild ones include carnivores, two-hoofed beasts, elephants, monkeys, birds, aquatic animals, and reptiles. Among the wild, there are buffaloes, wild oxen, antelopes, monkeys, sharabhas, wolves, and lions. From his mouth, the Lord created the Gāyatra, Ṛc, Trivṛt, Sāma, Rathantara, and Agniṣṭoma—the first sacrifices. He also produced the Yajus, the Triṣṭubh meter, Chandastoma, Pañcadaśa, Bṛhatsāma, Ukthya, and Dakṣiṇā. From his western mouth, he brought forth the Sāma hymns, Jagatī meter, Chandastoma, Saptadaśa, Vairūpa, and Atirātra. From his northern mouth, he created the Atharvāṇa, Āptoryāma, Anuṣṭubh, and Savairāja. At the dawn of creation, the Blessed Lord manifested lightning, thunderclouds, the rainbow, and other luminous phenomena. From his own limbs, beings of various kinds—both high and low—arose, as Brahmā continued to create the progeny of all living creatures. First, he created the four great groups: gods, asuras, humans, and ancestors. Then he brought forth all other beings, both stationary and moving. He also created yakṣas, piśācas, gandharvas, apsarases, nāgas, kinnaras, rākṣasas, birds, cattle, wild animals, and serpents. Both imperishable and perishable beings—whatever is stationary or moves—he created. And the actions performed by these beings in previous creations, they took up again. These very actions, whether violent or peaceful, gentle or cruel, righteous or unrighteous, true or false, are repeated by beings as they are created anew. Shaped by their actions, beings attain corresponding states, each drawn to what suits its own nature among the great elements, the senses, and forms. The Lord himself assigned the functions of all beings, though some wise men say that effort is the cause of action. Thus unfolded the wondrous creation, as ordained by the Lord.