From the divine principle of Kriyā, Daṇḍa and Samaya were born as sons; from Buddhi arose Bodha and Pramāda. Lajjā gave birth to Vinaya, while Vapuḥ’s son was Vyavasāya. Śānti brought forth Kṣema, and Siddhi’s son was Sukha. Kīrti’s son was Yaśas—these, indeed, are the noble sons of Dharma. Meanwhile, from the goddess Prīti was born Harṣa, the son of Kāma. Thus, the creation and lineage of Dharma’s progeny unfolded. But from Adharma, the principle of unrighteousness, emerged Hiṃsā, and from her, two sons—Nikṛti and Anṛta. Nikṛti in turn became the mother of Bhaya and Naraka, and from these two arose Māyā and Vedanā, forming two pairs. From Māyā was born Mṛtyu, the bringer of death to beings. Vedanā gave birth to Duḥkha and to Raurava. From Death sprang forth disease, old age, sorrow, anger, and envy—offspring marked by suffering and characterized by unrighteousness. Their wives and sons were regarded as possessions, and thus this tamasic, dark creation came into being, still governed by the cosmic law of dharma. At this time, Brahma commanded Nilalohita to create living beings. Reflecting upon his wife Sati, Nilalohita brought forth offspring from his own being. He did not fashion them greater or lesser than himself; Krittivasa generated thousands upon thousands, all equal to himself in mind, form, brilliance, strength, and knowledge. They appeared tawny, armed, with matted locks and a reddish hue. He created them distinguished—golden-haired, fierce-eyed, bearers of skulls, of wondrous and varied forms, manifesting all shapes and their own true form. Among them were charioteers, those clad in hides, armored ones, shield-bearers, with hundreds and thousands of arms—divine beings who dwelled on earth and in the sky. They had massive heads, eight fangs, double tongues, three eyes; they consumed food and flesh, drank clarified butter and soma. These fierce guardians, blue-throated and of upward-flowing seed, partook of oblations, were learned in sacred law, righteous, and adorned with sacred grass. Some sat, some ran—thousands of beings composed of the five elements: teachers, reciters, mutterers, and those devoted to yoga. Some were smoky and blazing, roaring, exceedingly radiant, aged and wise, devoted to Brahman, of auspicious appearance. With blue necks and a thousand eyes, patient and invisible to all beings, these were great yogis of immense energy. They wandered, charged, and leapt by the thousands. Thus did Nilalohita create these Rudras—the best of gods—who never tired. When Brahma beheld these beings, he addressed Nilalohita: “Do not create such fierce-eyed beings, O god. Beings equal to yourself should not be made. Salutations to you. Create other beings; may it be well with you. These beings are bound up with death and will not be able to perform their duties, for death is inherent in them.” Thus addressed, Nilalohita replied, “I will not create beings afflicted by death and old age. May it be well with you; I remain, you create the beings. These whom I have created—strange, blue-red in hue—are thousands upon thousands, beings issued from myself. These gods shall be known as Rudras, of great might, spread throughout earth, sky, and all directions. Sacrificers united with the essence of the hundred Rudras shall partake of the sacrifices together with all the hosts of gods. The gods who arise in the eras of the Manus, worshipped together with the Rudras, will remain here until the end of the age.” Hearing these words from the wise Mahadeva, Brahma, the lord of creatures, bowed in reverence and joyfully replied, “So be it; may there be good fortune for you, as you have declared, O mighty one.” With Brahma’s approval, thus indeed everything came to be. From that time onward, the Lord of gods did not create more beings; established as one whose seed is held upward, he remained steadfast until the dissolution of all beings. Because he declared, “I remain established,” he is remembered as Sthāṇu, the great god, radiant as the sun. With a form half-woman and half-man, blazing with fiery energy, by his own will he became twofold—separately woman, separately man. The Supreme Lord remained thus, with one half as eleven; and she, the most illustrious, who is half the body of Shankara—she who was mentioned before as the great goddess—became Sati here. For the welfare of the worlds, this goddess was worshipped long ago by Daksha. For a certain purpose, Shambhu said to her, “Divide yourself—your right side white, your left side black.” Thus addressed, she became twofold—white and black. Now hear her names: Svāhā, Svadhā, Mahāvidyā, Medhā, Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Satī, Dākṣāyaṇī, Vidyā, Icchāśakti, Kriyātmikā, Aparṇā, Ekaparṇā, Ekapāṭalā, Umā, Haimavatī, Kalyāṇī, Ekamātṛkā, Khyāti, Prajñā, Gaurī, Gaṇāmbikā, Mahādevī, Nandinī, Jātavedasī. By the division of forms, she is also Sāvitrī, the bestower of boons, pure and renowned as the purifier. She is Ājñā, Āveśanī, Kṛṣṇā, Tāmasī, Sāttvikī, Śivā, Prakṛti, Vikṛtā, Raudrī, Durgā, Bhadrā, and Pramāthinī. Thus is the wondrous creation and manifestation of the divine powers, as revealed by the ancient scriptures.