When the earth had been lost to the cosmic waters, the assembled beings prayed to the Supreme Lord, saying, “O Lord, lift it up for the welfare of all; do good to the entire world.” Thus praised, the Supreme Soul—He who bears the earth—responded swiftly. With divine might, He raised the earth and set it upon the vast ocean, whereupon a great mass of water rested upon it, resembling a mighty ship afloat. Once the earth was secured, the Primeval and Supreme Person made it level, arranging the mountains upon it, each in its proper region. Then, dividing the earth as before, He established the seven continents and recreated the four worlds, beginning with the elements, just as in times past. This wondrous act had once been revealed to Brahmā by Viṣṇu, the Lord of the gods, who is ever content and supreme among deities. “By your power and mine, this world must be carefully supported and protected,” said Brahmā. “I have now granted a boon to the foremost of the asuras. For the welfare of the gods, you must slay these asuras, O Lord. I shall create the world, and you, O Viṣṇu, must protect it.” Thus addressed, Viṣṇu departed, and Brahmā set about creating the gods. But from Brahmā, without his conscious intent, a being of darkness emerged. From his meditation, a fivefold creation arose: darkness, confusion, great delusion, tamisra, and that which is called andhasamjñaka. This was the first, primary creation—without light within or without, the self veiled, and of the nature of trees and stationary beings. Seeing that this creation was ineffective, the Lord contemplated anew. From His meditation arose another creation, known as tiryaksrotas. Because these beings move and act sideways, they are called tiryaksrotas—cattle and other animals, mostly enshrouded in darkness and ignorance. These creatures, though ignorant, imagine themselves wise, and are led astray from the right path. Filled with ego and pride, they are of twenty-eight kinds, each with some inner light, yet mutually obscured. Still, this creation too seemed ineffective to the Lord. So, He meditated again, and from this arose the third creation—the sāttvika, which moves upward. These beings are abundant in happiness and delight, unobscured within and without, radiant inside and out; hence, they are called ūrdhvasrotas. This third, contented creation is remembered as the creation of the gods. When this was accomplished, Brahmā rejoiced. Yet, recognizing that earlier creations were ineffective, Brahmā contemplated the highest, most effective creation. From the unmanifest, through his true intent, arose the avāksrotas creation. Because these beings’ activity proceeds downward, they are so named. Though radiant, they are dominated by darkness and rajas, filled with much suffering and ceaseless activity. These are humans—effective, radiant, yet ever striving. The fifth creation is that of grace, established in fourfold form: by reversal, by accomplishment, by power, and by contentment. The sixth, called bhūtādi, is of beings who do not know what has passed or is present. All these, called bhūtādikas, are grasping, divided further, and act by impulse and habitual chanting. Thus, O best of kings, six creations have been described: the first is the creation of mahat (the great principle), the second is of Brahmā himself. The second is remembered as the creation of the tanmātras—the subtle elements; the third, called vaikārika, is the creation of the senses. These three constitute the prākṛta, or primary, creation, arising through intellect. The fourth, the primary creation, is of stationary beings. The tiryaksrotas is the creation of animals; after that, the sixth is the creation of gods, called ūrdhvasrotas. The seventh is the creation of beings with speech—humans; the eighth is the creation of grace, which is sāttvika, and the tāmasa creation is also included. These five are known as the modified creations, while the first three are called primary. The ninth, called the kaumāra creation, is both primary and modified. Thus, the nine creations of the Lord of creatures—primary and modified—are the root causes of the world. “What else do you wish to hear of the Lord’s creation?” asked Pulastya. Bhīṣma replied, “You have told me briefly of the creations of gods and others, and of the teacher. Now, O best of sages, I wish to hear the detailed account.” Pulastya answered, “All beings are shaped by their actions, both auspicious and inauspicious. Because of their karma, they are not liberated, but are withdrawn at dissolution. All beings, from gods to immovables, O king, are of four kinds. As Brahmā continued his creation, mind-born beings were produced. The four groups—gods, asuras, ancestors, and humans—came forth. Desiring to create these, Brahmā engaged his own self. From the lower part of the creator, as he willed, the asuras were born first. Displeased with this darkness-formed body, he abandoned it, and it became night. Then, entering another body, the gods, filled with delight, arose from his mouth. This body too, once abandoned, became day, composed mostly of sattva. Thus, the powerful asuras are active at night, and the gods during the day. Next, Brahmā took on a body consisting solely of sattva, and as he considered the ancestors, they were born from him. Having created the ancestors, he abandoned that body as well, which became twilight—the interval between day and night. Finally, Brahmā assumed a body of pure rajas, continuing his creative work. In this way, the Lord of creatures brought forth the worlds and all their beings, each creation arising from his contemplation, each with its own nature and destiny.