In the earliest days of creation, the righteous Prajāpati Dakṣa, through the power of his mind, brought forth many mlecchas—beings of various forms from beyond the bounds of Vedic culture. After generating these by his thought, Dakṣa then turned to the creation of women. He distributed these daughters among the great progenitors: ten were given to Dharma, thirteen to Kaśyapa, and twenty-seven to Soma, who were named for the constellations. From these unions arose all the gods, asuras, humans, and countless other beings—thus was the entire world populated. At this point, the sages gathered and requested Sūta to narrate in detail, and with truth, the origins of the gods, the dānavas, the gandharvas, the serpents, and the rākṣasas. It was said that in the beginning, creation arose from resolve, sight, and touch alone; but after Dakṣa, son of Pracetas, creation began to occur through sexual union. Svayambhū, the self-born, had once instructed Dakṣa to create living beings. Listen now to how Dakṣa first undertook this task. When he attempted to create gods, sages, and serpents, the world did not increase in number. Then, through union with his wife Pāñcajanī, Dakṣa begot thousands of sons. As these sons, called the Haryaśvas, assembled with the intent to continue creation, the illustrious sage Nārada, desiring diversity in beings, approached them. He urged them: “Go forth, know the measure of the earth above and below, and then create the world in its many forms.” Hearing Nārada’s words, the Haryaśvas set off in all directions, never to return—like rivers flowing to the sea, they have not come back to this day. When Dakṣa saw that his sons had vanished, he begot another thousand sons through Vairiṇī. These sons, known as the Śabalā, gathered together as the causes of creation. Nārada came to them as well and spoke as before: “You brothers, once you have understood the measure of the earth everywhere, return and then carry out creation in detail.” These Śabalā, too, departed along the path of their brothers and did not return. From that time onward, it is said that no younger brother desires to follow in the footsteps of his elder, for seeking that way brings only suffering. Seeing even these sons lost, Dakṣa, son of Pracetas, then begot sixty daughters through Vairiṇī. Of these, he gave ten to Dharma, thirteen to Kaśyapa, twenty-seven to Soma, and four to Ariṣṭanemi. Two each he gave to the son of Bhṛgu, to the wise Kṛśāśva, and to Aṅgiras; their names and stories are recounted in detail in the scriptures. From the beginning, the expansion of the progeny of these divine mothers unfolded. The wives of Dharma were Marutvatī, Vasū, Yāmī, Lambā, Bhānu, Arundhatī, Saṃkalpā, Muhūrtā, Sādhyā, Viśvā, and Bhāminī. Their sons were many: the Viśve Devas were born from Viśvā; the Sādhyas from Sādhyā; the Marutvants from Marutvatī; and the Vasus from Vasū. Bhānu bore the Bhānavas; Muhūrtā gave birth to the Muhūrtakas; Lambā to Ghoṣa; and Yāmī to Nāgavīthī. From Arundhatī came a son sprung from the earth’s surface, and from Saṃkalpā, Saṃkalpa himself was born. The Vasus, luminous deities who pervade all directions, were eight in number: Water (Āpa), Dhruva, Soma, Dhara, Anila, Anala, Pratyūṣa, and Prabhāsa. Each had their own offspring: Āpa’s sons were Śānta, Daṇḍa, Śāmba, and Maṇivaktra, who protected the sacrifices. Dhruva’s son was Kāla; Soma’s son was Varcā; Dhara’s sons were Draviṇa and Havyavāha. From Kalyāṇinī came Prāṇa, Ramaṇa, and Śiśira; Manoharā received the sons of Dhara, who are the offspring of Hari. Śivā bore Manojava, whose movement is mysterious, and from Anala, two sons were born, possessing qualities akin to fire. Among these divine beings, Kumāra, the son of Agni, was born in a cluster of reeds; his followers were Śākha, Viśākha, and Naigameya, who emerged from his back. Kārttikeya, also known as Skanda, is remembered as the son of the Kṛttikās. Pratyūṣa’s sons were the sage Vibhu and Devala; Viśvakarmā, the divine craftsman, was born to Prabhāsa, the Prajāpati. Viśvakarmā is renowned as the architect of the gods, creating palaces, mansions, gardens, statues, ornaments, reservoirs, parks, and wells. Among the Rudras, the following are named: Ajaikapāda, Ahirbudhnya, Virūpākṣa, Raivata, Hara, Bahurūpa, Tryambaka the lord of gods, Sāvitra, Jayanta, Pinākī, and Aparājita—eleven leaders of the hosts. These mind-born bearers of the trident had countless sons, numbering eighty-four crores, all considered imperishable. These leaders, along with their sons, grandsons, and descendants—born from the womb of Surabhī—protect all directions of the universe. Now, let us hear of the sons and grandsons born from the wives of Kaśyapa: Aditi, Diti, Danu, Ariṣṭā, Surasā, Surabhī, Vinatā, Tāmrā, Krodhavaśā, Irā, Kadrū, and Viśvā. The gods known as the Tuṣitas existed in the interval of Cākṣuṣa Manu, and in the interval of Vaivasvata, they are called the twelve Ādityas: Indra, Dhātā, Bhaga, Tvaṣṭā, Mitra, Varuṇa, Yama, Vivasvān, Savitā, Pūṣā, Aṃśumān, and Viṣṇu. These twelve, radiant with a thousand rays, are remembered as the noble sons of Aditi, born from Mārīca and Kaśyapa. The sons of the sage Bhṛśāśva are remembered as the gods who wield divine weapons. These groups of gods, O sages, arise in every age of Manu, ensuring the continuity and order of the cosmos.