Kamadeva, the god of love, approached the four-faced Brahma and spoke with humility. “O Lord,” he said, “it is by your will that I was created in this manner—to stir the senses of all embodied beings. Without distinction between woman and man, I am ever present, agitating the minds of all, just as you declared before. Therefore, though you have cursed me, O blessed one, I am not at fault. Grant me your favor, so that I may regain my body once more.” Brahma replied, revealing Kamadeva’s future. “When the era of Vaivasvata arrives, a descendant of the Yadu lineage named Rama will be born among mortals, relying on your strength. Descending to destroy the demons, he will dwell in Dvaraka. Then, you will become the son of his brother, who is his equal. Thus, you will obtain a body and enjoy all pleasures. Afterwards, at the end of the Bharata dynasty, you will be born as the son of King Vatsa. You will attain lordship over the Vidyadharas until the dissolution of creation. Having gained happiness through righteousness, you will draw near to me.” Endowed with both curse and blessing, Kamadeva, filled with sorrow and joy, departed as he had come. At this point, a question arose: “Who is this Yadu, in whose lineage Kama was born? How was Kama burned by Rudra, and what became of him thereafter? In the lineage of Bharata, what creation was there formerly? Please tell me all this from the beginning, for I am in doubt.” The story continued. Gayatri, born from half the body and learned in Brahman, is the mother. Manu’s goddess, Shatarupa, with a hundred forms and senses, is also mentioned. From her, pleasure, mind, austerity, intellect, the great one, and confusion of directions arose. Then, from Shatarupa, Manu begot seven children. Those sons, wise ones like Marici and others, were born from his mind. For them, the world was once full of all knowledge. Then he created Vamadeva, the wielder of the trident, and Sanatkumara, the illustrious one, who is even older than the elders. The blessed Vamadeva created the Brahmins from his mouth, the Kshatriyas from his arms, and the Vaishyas and Shudras from his thighs and feet. He also created lightning, thunder, clouds, red rainbows, and meters, and at first, Parjanya; then, thereafter, all these. Then, the lord again created the Sādhyas, the three-eyed ones, and eighty-four crore beings free from old age and death. Vama created mortals, but Brahma restrained him, for such a creation should not exist, being free from old age and death. That creation, possessing both auspicious and inauspicious qualities, is praised; thus, he remained as the pillar at the beginning of creation. The wise Svayambhuva Manu, after performing arduous austerities, obtained a wife endowed with beauty, named Ananta. In her, Manu begot Priyavrata and Uttanapada, and a radiant daughter named Sunrita, the daughter of Dharma. From Uttanapada, Mantharagamini obtained sons: Apasyati, Apasyanta, Kirtimanta, and Dhruva. Uttanapada, the lord of creatures, begot Dhruva in Sunrita. Dhruva, after performing austerities for three thousand years in ancient times, attained a divine, immovable place by the boon of Brahma; the seven sages stand with Dhruva placed before them. Dhanya, the daughter of Manu, begot a son from Dhruva. Succhaya, the daughter of Agni, bore sons from the remainder: Kripa, Ripu, Jaya, Vrtta, Vrka, Vrkatejasa, and Cakshusha. Ripunjaya was born to Virini, the granddaughter of Brahma. Cakshus Manu was born to Virana’s wife. Manu, from the royal maiden Nadvala, became known as Cakshusha. He begot ten sons, heroic and free from sin: Uru, Puru, Shatadyumna, Tapasvi, Satyavak, Ghavi, Agnistuda, Atiratra, Sudyumna, Aparajita, and Abhimanyu, the tenth, all born to Nadvala. Uru’s wife, the daughter of Agni, bore six illustrious sons: Agni, Sumanasa, Khyati, Kratu, Angiras, and Gaya. Sunitha, the daughter of the Pitrs, bore Vena from Anga. Vena, unrighteous, was churned by the sages from his arm, and from it arose the mighty Prithu, who begot two sons. Antardhana begot Marica from Shikhandini. From Havirdhana, the daughter of Agni, Dhishana bore six sons: Pracinabarhisha, Sanga, Yama, Shukra, Bala, and Shubha. The venerable and great Prajapati Pracinabarhis brought forth many offspring named Havirdhanas. In Savarna, daughter of the ocean, the lord begot ten sons, all called Pracetas, who mastered the science of archery. Protected by their austerity, trees flourished everywhere in the world. But, O descendant of Raghu, by the command of the gods, Agni burned them. His wife was the renowned Somakanya named Marisha; from her, she bore to them a foremost son, Daksha. After Daksha, Somakanya gave birth to all the trees and herbs, as well as the river Candravati. From Daksha, son of the lunar portion, there were eighty crores; I shall recount their extent, those who are well established in the world. Some were two-footed, some many-footed men, some with wrinkled faces, some with conch-shaped ears, and some with ear coverings. Some had horse or tree faces, some had lion faces, some had dog or boar faces, and some had camel faces. Thus, the wondrous and diverse creation unfolded, shaped by the will of the divine.