From his western mouth, the Lord brought forth the Sāma hymns, the Jagatī meter, Chandastoma, Saptadaśa, Vairūpa, and Atirātra. From his northern mouth, he produced the Atharvāṇa, Āptoryāma, Anuṣṭubh, and Savairāja. At the dawn of a new cycle, the Blessed Lord created the brilliant phenomena of the heavens—lightning, thunderclouds, rainbows, and all other luminous wonders. As Brahmā set about creating the progeny of living beings, countless forms arose from his own limbs—beings of every kind, high and low. First, he manifested the four great groups: the gods, the asuras, humans, and the ancestors. After these, he brought forth all other creatures, both those that move and those that are stationary. He then created the yakṣas, piśācas, gandharvas, and the hosts of apsarases, along with nāgas, kinnaras, rākṣasas, birds, cattle, wild animals, and serpents. Thus, both the imperishable and the perishable, everything that moves and everything that stands still, came into being. And each being, as it was born, took up the very actions it had performed in previous creations. Again and again, beings assume those same actions—whether violent or peaceful, gentle or cruel, righteous or unrighteous, truthful or false. According to these actions, they 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 wise men differ in their views: some say effort is the cause of action; others declare it is fate; those who contemplate the elements call it inherent nature; and some say that effort, action, and fate all determine the outcome according to their own nature. Yet, none truly know it as one, nor as entirely separate, nor as something beyond; it is not simply one, nor merely named differently, nor both together. Those attached to action speak of difference, but those established in sattva perceive all with equal vision. The names and forms of beings are simply the unfolding of what has already been made. In the beginning, the Great Lord fashioned from the words of the Veda the names of the seers and the rituals prescribed in the Vedas. At the end of the cosmic night, he bestows upon those newly born the very same things—such are the creations of Brahmā, whose birth is unmanifest. At the end of the night, beings are seen, having attained perfection through the mind—thus, both stationary and moving creatures are created. Yet, when these excellent beings, having been created, did not multiply, Brahmā, enveloped by darkness alone, became distressed with sorrow. He then turned his mind toward decisive understanding and perceived within himself that the sole cause was this covering of darkness. Abandoning both rajas and sattva, he abided in his own nature; and from that sorrow, the Lord of the world created suffering. Afterwards, he dispelled the darkness, and rajas and sattva took its place. When the darkness was suppressed, a pair was born. From darkness came unrighteousness; from sorrow arose violence. From the union of these two fierce ones, another was produced. When the Lord’s vital force departed, affection enveloped him. Then Brahmā cast off his own radiant form. Dividing his body in two, with one half he became a man, and with the other half, a woman—she was born as Śatarūpā. Out of desire, the Lord created her as Prakṛti, the bearer of all beings. By her greatness, she pervaded and established herself in both heaven and earth. That former body of Brahmā remains, enveloping the heavens, and from the half shaped as a woman, Śatarūpā was born. This goddess, performing severe and most difficult austerities for thousands of years, obtained as her husband that illustrious man. That man is called Svāyambhuva Manu, and his period of seventy yugas is known as a Manvantara. Svāyambhuva Manu obtained Śatarūpā, a wife not born from a womb. With her he enjoyed union, and thus she is called Rati, Pleasure. Their first union took place at the beginning of the kalpa. Brahmā then created Virāj, who became the cosmic man, Virāṭ. Śatarūpā became the empress, and the man born of Virāj is known as Manu. That Manu, born of Virāj, created the progeny of all beings. From Virāj, the man, Śatarūpā was born. She bore two sons, Priyavrata and Uttānapāda, both renowned in the worlds. She also gave birth to two illustrious daughters, from whom all creatures descend: one named Devahūti, the other Ākūti. Svāyambhuva Manu gave his daughter Prasūti to Dakṣa. Dakṣa is to be known as Prāṇa, and Manu is called Saṃkalpa. Then the lord of creatures, Ruci, accepted Ākūti. From Ākūti, a virtuous pair was born to Ruci by mind—Yajña and Dakṣiṇā, twins. From Yajña and Dakṣiṇā, twelve sons were born: these are the Yāmas, gods of the Svāyambhuva period, remembered as the sons of Yajña. Ajita and Śukra, two groups, were also created by Brahmā. The Yāmas, born first, became dwellers in heaven. From Prasūti, daughter of Svāyambhuva, the mothers of the worlds were born: in her, the lord Dakṣa begot twenty-four daughters. All of them were greatly fortunate, lotus-eyed, endowed with enjoyment, and mothers of yoga. All were speakers of Brahman, mothers of the universe—Faith, Lakshmi, Steadfastness, Contentment, Nourishment, Intelligence, and Action.