Among the sages, the Brahma-hymn is established again and again, and from this, the origin of mantra qualities is known to be fourfold. Within the Atharva, Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, the sages perform their intense austerities—practices that are most difficult and profound. At the dawn of each age of Manu, the mantras themselves arise in five ways: from dissatisfaction, fear, sorrow, delusion, and grief. Now, let me describe the marks by which the stars of the sages and the nature of the sages themselves are determined—these, too, are shaped by chance. The fivefold ṛṣi tradition is remembered from ancient times and will endure into the future. I will explain to you the origin of this ṛṣi tradition. At the time of cosmic dissolution, all beings exist in a state of equality, with all qualities merged together. In this indistinct state among the gods, everything is indefinable and shrouded in darkness. From this darkness, existence proceeds without prior intellect, solely for the sake of consciousness. Thus, the ṛṣi tradition is established, governed by both intellect and consciousness. Like fish and water, all beings, guided by consciousness, unfold their qualities through the interplay of cause and effect. Object and subject arise together, based on meaning and word, and as time moves forward, distinctions arise from the very nature of cause. Then, the natural evolutes begin to emerge in sequence: from the great principle (mahat) comes ego, and from ego arise the elements and the senses. The distinctions among the elements emerge from the elements themselves, their causes and effects manifesting instantly. Just as branches burst forth from a firebrand all at once, so too do the field-knowers (kṣetrajñas)—the conscious selves—proceed, all at once, from the original cause. And just as a firefly suddenly appears in the darkness, so does the unmanifest, when withdrawn, shine forth in its own time. The great soul, abiding in the body, acts within it. Beyond the darkness of the great principle, this soul is distinguished by its unique nature. Once established there, the wise one is said to reach the end of austerity, and as his intellect expands, a fourfold quality arises within him: knowledge, detachment, sovereignty, and righteousness. These four are natural to him, though he himself may not recognize them as such. From the consciousness of the great soul’s body, attainment is declared. He resides in the city (the body), as does the field-knower, and so it has always been. Because the person dwells in the body, he is called the field-knower through knowledge; and since righteousness is produced from him, he is known as righteous. In the natural body, the unmanifest is conscious through intellect, and thus the field-knower unfolds, even as the field itself remains without intention. At the time of cosmic withdrawal, the ancient one becomes unconscious; yet, recognized by the field-knower, this object exists for the enjoyment of the soul. The ṛṣi is the root of nonviolence, knowledge, truth, austerity, and scripture. Since all these qualities are united in him, the brāhmaṇa is praised, and thus, the ṛṣi is glorified. At the time of withdrawal, the unmanifest becomes the ṛṣi through intellect; because he reaches the highest, he is remembered as the supreme ṛṣi. The very word for ṛṣi derives from the root meaning “motion,” and since this one is self-born, he is considered a seer. Along with the Lord, the mind-born sons of Brahma arose spontaneously, and as they withdrew, their intellect attained the highest and supreme. Because of their supreme vision, they are called great seers. Among them, the sons of the Lords are both mind-born and born from the body. Thus, from the supreme arise the seers, and from them the primordial seers; the sons of the seers, called ṛṣikās, are born from union and conception. By the supreme, the seers arose, and from the primordial seers, the ṛṣikās; the sons of the ṛṣikās are known as the offspring of seers. Those who hear the seer in the highest way are called śrutarṣis—seers by hearing. There is also the unmanifest self, the great self, and the self of ego; the self of the elements and the self of the senses—knowledge of these is declared. Thus, the lineage of seers is renowned by fivefold names. The foremost among the mind-born, self-arisen Lords—born from Brahma—are Bhṛgu, Marīci, Atri, Aṅgirā, Pulaha, Kratu, Manu, Dakṣa, Vasiṣṭha, and Pulastya. Because they are supreme seers, they are called great seers. The sons of these Lords are also seers: Kāvya, Bṛhaspati, Kaśyapa, and Cyavana; Utathya, Vāmadeva, Agastya, Kauśika, Kardama, the Vālakhilyas, Viśravā, and Śaktivardhana. These seers, through their austerities, attained the state of seer. Now hear of their sons, the ṛṣikās, born from the womb: Vatsara, Nagnahū, the mighty Bharadvāja, Dīrghatamā, Bṛhadvakṣā, and Śaradvata; Vājiśravā, Sucinta, Śāva, Parāśara, Śṛṅgī, Śaṅkhapā, and King Vaiśravaṇa. All these ṛṣikās attained the state of seer through truth—these are the Lords, the seers, and the renowned ṛṣikās. Now, listen to the names of all those who made mantras: Bhṛgu, Kaśyapa, Praceta, Dadhīca the self-possessed; Ūrṣa, Jamadagni, Veda, Sārasvata, Ārṣṭiṣeṇa, Cyavana, Vītahavya, and Savedhasa; Vainya, Pṛthu, Divodāsa, Brahmavān, Gṛtsa, and Śaunaka—these nineteen are the foremost Bhṛgus who composed mantras. Thus unfolds the sacred lineage of ṛṣis, the seers and mantra-makers, whose wisdom and austerity sustain the tradition through ages.