Because of a certain fault, O twice-born one, the medicinal herbs vanished before the very eyes of all. Many perished at once, and thus, O wise one, the precious herbs were lost from the earth. With the disappearance of these herbs, the people became bewildered and, afflicted by hunger, they sought refuge once more in Brahma, the supreme lord. Understanding that the earth’s bounty had been consumed, the blessed and mighty Lord Brahma took compassionate action. He made Mount Sumeru into a calf and, with divine power, milked the earth itself. Through this act, grains appeared once more upon the surface of the earth; both cultivated and wild seeds were produced anew. There are said to be seventeen groups of herbs that bear fruit: rice, barley, wheat, millet, and sesame; also priyangu, udara, koradusha, chinaka, mashas, mudgas, masuras, nishpavas, and kulatthakas. Adhakas and chanakas are counted among these as well—these constitute the ancient kinds of cultivated herbs. Moreover, the herbs that were to be produced, both cultivated and wild, number fourteen: rice, barley, wheat, millet, and sesame; priyangu as the seventh, kulattha as the eighth; shyamaka, nivara, yattilla, and gavedhuka; and also kuruvinda, markataka, and venuyava—these are remembered as the fourteen cultivated and wild herbs. When the scattered herbs did not sprout again, Brahma devised the means of agriculture for their growth. The self-born Lord bestowed skill of hand and action to the people, and from that time onward, the herbs that are sown and cultivated came into being. With agriculture thus established, the Lord himself set proper boundaries for the fields, according to justice and the qualities of the land. O best of those who uphold dharma, he also established the duties of the classes and stages of life, for all the worlds and all classes—so that all might rightly protect dharma and wealth. He assigned the place of Prajapati for Brahmanas who perform rites; the place of Indra for Kshatriyas who do not flee in battle. For Vaishyas who uphold their own dharma, he gave the place of the Maruts; for Shudras who engage in service, the place of the Gandharvas. The eighty-eight thousand sages of pure celibacy were given the place of those who dwell with their teachers. The seven sages were assigned the place of forest-dwellers; householders were given the place of Prajapati, renunciants the abode of Brahma, and yogis the immortal place—thus the arrangement of places was established. Brahma further described the dwellings of beings such as Yakshas, distinguishing auspicious and inauspicious abodes. Where beds are exposed to sunlight, where fire and water are always present, where lamps are lit by the sun’s rays, and where the house is the vessel of Lakshmi—such a dwelling is not the Yaksha’s abode. Where there are sprinklings of sandalwood, the sound of the lute, mirrors, honey and ghee, and copper vessels set aside—such a house is not fit for Yaksha’s shelter. Instead, where there are trees with thorns, creepers of beans, a remarried wife, and anthills—O Yaksha, that is your dwelling. In a house with five men, three women, as many cows, and where darkness and firewood are present—there is your residence. A house with one goat, two sheep, three cows, five buffaloes, six horses, and seven elephants—Yaksha, quickly drain such a house. Where hoes, sickles, baskets, and other vessels are thrown about, let such a place be your refuge. Where women’s mouths are on mortars and pestles, where there is a fig tree, a refuse heap, and gossip—Yaksha, this is to your advantage. Where grains, whether cooked or uncooked, are stepped over, and where scriptures are treated so—there, roam as you wish, O difficult one. Where fire is offered in a cooking pot or with the tip of a ladle, in such a house of the inauspicious, take up your complete residence. Where human bones are present, and the dead remain day and night—there, Yaksha, is your abode, as well as that of other spirits. Those who eat without first offering food and water to their kin, to those of the same lineage and with shared offerings—dwell among those people. Where the lotus and the lotus-stalk are not present, where the fragrant cow and the cow that eats only grass are not kept, and where the bulls Bhairava and Vṛṣabha are established—leave that house. Where gods are worshipped with or without weapons but not in proper sacrifice, and where men establish them for worship—abandon that dwelling. Where great festivals, renowned among townsfolk and villagers, are held as before in the house—do not remain in such a home. Where women bathe with water from winnowing baskets, pots, or with drops from their clothes, or with water from the tips of their nails—go to those of ill fortune. Where people properly observe local customs, agreements, family duties, recitation, sacrifice, auspicious rites, worship of gods, cleanliness, rituals, and worldly conventions—do not associate with such men. Having spoken thus, Brahma vanished right there, and the Yaksha carried out the command of the lotus-born one as instructed. Markandeya continued: The wife of Duhsaha was named Nirmashti. She was born in the Kali age as his wife, after Duhsaha had seen a Chandal woman at the time of death. From those two were born sixteen offspring who pervade the world: eight sons and likewise eight daughters, all exceedingly fearsome. The sons were Dantākṛṣṭi, Ukti, Parivarta, Aṅgadhruk, Śakuni, and Gaṇḍaprāntarati. Another son was Garbhahā, and another Sasyahā—these were the sons of Duhsaha and Nirmashti. There were also eight daughters; hear their names from me: the first was Niyojikā, the next Virodhinī; then Svayaṃhārakarī, Bhrāmaṇī, and Ṛtuhārikā.