The ancient fires and their keepers have been described—their presence established both in the sacrifices of today and in the creations of ages past, alongside the gods of the night. In the previous cycle known as Svāyambhuva, these proud fires existed, moving among all that is animate and inanimate. The Agnīdhra priests, steadfast in their stations, once bore the sacred offerings; those belonging to the desired and occasional types were established in the rites. In that Manvantara now passed, together with the Shukras and Yamas, these fires, along with the divine hosts, existed in the very first interval of Manu. Thus, the origins—called stations—of the knowers of fire have been firmly established, to be understood through the seven Savarni cycles, beginning with Svarocisha. By these, the characteristics of the knowers of fire have been enumerated for all Manvantaras, past and future. In each Manvantara, with their various forms and purposes, the fires exist together with the Yamas and gods of that time. And with the gods yet to come, those fires will dwell as well. Thus, the succession of fires has been told, in order and detail. What else would you wish to hear? Now, let us turn to that supreme and highest teaching which Viṣṇu spoke when asked—the full account of righteousness and unrighteousness. In the single ocean, Janārdana, taking the form of a fish, narrated in detail the origin and the entire re-creation. The soul of the universe spoke to Manu, son of the Sun, about the discipline of action and Sāṃkhya, fully and properly. The listeners, eager to learn, requested Sūta to explain the characteristics of the discipline of action, for nothing in the world is unknown to him. Sūta replied that he would explain the discipline of action as described by Viṣṇu, for it is praised above a thousand disciplines of knowledge. Knowledge arises from the discipline of action; therefore, that is the supreme state. Brahman arises from both action and knowledge, but not from knowledge alone. Thus, one whose mind is steadfast in action attains eternal truth. The entire Veda is the root of dharma, as is the conduct of those who truly know it. In this discipline, eight qualities of the self are primary: compassion toward all beings, forbearance toward those who seek protection, absence of envy in the world, purity inward and outward for the twice-born, performing duties without hardship, observance of auspicious conduct, freedom from miserliness regarding wealth—even that acquired in distress—and always being free from desire for others’ possessions or wives. These eight qualities of the self have been declared by the knowers of the Purāṇas; this alone is the discipline of action, which leads to the path of knowledge. Without the discipline of action, knowledge is not seen in anyone; one should diligently practice the dharma taught in the śruti and smṛti. Each day, one should satisfy the gods, ancestors, and humans with offerings and rites that gratify beings, sages, and hosts of spirits. One should worship the seers with study, the ancestors with prescribed oblations, beings with offerings of food, and spirits with ritual offerings. These five sacrifices are prescribed to remove the five household slaughters: the mortar, the grinding stone, the hearth, the water pot, and the broom. These slaughters belong to the householder; because of them, he does not attain heaven. For the destruction of that sin, these five sacrifices are proclaimed. Even one endowed with the twenty-two and eight sacraments, if devoid of the qualities of the self, does not attain liberation. Therefore, one endowed with the qualities of the self should perform scripturally enjoined actions, always acting for the welfare of cows and Brahmins with his wealth. With cows, land, gold, garments, fragrant flowers, and water, one should worship the auspicious One—who is Brahmā, Viṣṇu, the Sun, Rudra, Fire, and the Self. With vows, fasts, proper rituals, and faith, free from envy, one should worship Him who is beyond the senses, peaceful, subtle, unmanifest, eternal—Vāsudeva, the form of the universe—from whom all manifestations arise. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, the Blessed One, the Sun, the Lord of Bulls, the eight Vasus, the eleven leaders of hosts, the guardians of the worlds, the ancestors, and the mothers—all these powers have been declared, endowed with movement and stillness; Brahmā and the others, four in number, have their root in the Lord of the Unmanifest. Whether worship is performed with “Om, om” to Brahmā, the Sun, Viṣṇu, or Śiva, when done without distinction, all that moves and does not move is worshipped. The supreme abode of Brahmā and the others, and the foundation of all three, is established in the form of the Veda; therefore, Pūṣan is to be worshipped with diligence. Therefore, having made fire and brahmins the foremost, one should duly honor them with gifts, vows, fasts, recitation, offerings, and the like. For one devoted to the practice of rites, who cherishes Vedānta, śāstra, and smṛti, and who always fears wrongdoing, nothing here or in the next world remains unattainable. Then the listeners requested Sūta to recount in detail and order the enumeration of the Purāṇas, and also the complete law of giving, properly and sequentially. Sūta replied that this very teaching, spoken in the Purāṇas by the Primeval Person, the Soul of the Universe, to Manu, should be heard. The Purāṇa was remembered by Brahmā as the first of all scriptures, and then, from his mouths, the Vedas were brought forth. At that time, in a previous cycle, there was only one Purāṇa, vast as a hundred crores, a holy means to the three aims of life. When the worlds were burned up, Sūta, in the form of a horse, gathered the limbs—the four Vedas and the extensive Purāṇa. He also took up Mīmāṃsā and Dharmaśāstra, and composed them. Again, in the form of a fish, at the beginning of the cycle, in the ocean of waters, he manifested these teachings for all creation.