Salutations were offered to Brahman, to the one whose very form is Brahman itself, to the supporter and sustainer of Brahman, to the immeasurable one. Repeated salutations were made to the lord of the mountains, the lord of the gods, and the supreme lord. Praise continued for Rudra, for the one who counters thunderbolts, for Śiva, the destroyer, and for the one who tears asunder; salutations were given to the lord of gods and demons, and to the lord of ascetics. Further salutations were offered to the smoky and fierce one, to the deformed, to the sacrificer, and to the one with terrifying form; to the deformed-eyed, the inauspicious-eyed, and the thousand-eyed one. Salutations were also given to the skull-bearer, to the fierce skull-bearer, to the bearer of the excellent club; to the one who is the form of oblations, who receives offerings, and who is the destroyer of all. Praise was offered to the compassionate one who shows mercy to devotees, who is honored by the recitation of the Rudra hymn, to the deformed and the beautiful, to the maker of a hundred forms. Salutations were made to the five-faced one, to the auspicious-faced, to the moon-faced, again and again; to the giver of boons, to the one worthy of boons, to the tortoise, and to the deer. Praise was given to the one whose locks are adorned playfully, to the bearer of the water-pot; to the one named Viśva, the all-pervading, the lord of the universe, with repeated salutations. A prayer was made to the three-eyed one, asking for his protection; to the destroyer of the triple city, a request was made for grace, offered in devotion through speech, mind, and body, by one who had taken refuge in him. Thus, at that time, Dakṣa, afflicted in body, praised the god with this divine hymn, worshipping him thoroughly. Dakṣa then addressed the lord of creatures, saying, “I have given you the entire fruit of the sacrifice, O lord; you will obtain the supreme fruit, fulfilling all desires.” Having been thus addressed, the blessed lord received Dakṣa’s reverent bow, and Dakṣa departed to his own abode, as all the hosts looked on. Yet, afflicted by grief for his wife, the god remained at the bank of the Ganges, his mind absorbed in thoughts of Sati: “Where has my beloved gone?” As he was overwhelmed by sorrow, Nārada approached him in the presence of Bhava and spoke: “That Sati, O lord of gods, who was your wife and equal to your very life, is the daughter of Himavat, born from Menā’s womb. She has assumed another body, knowing the Vedas and their meanings.” Hearing these words, the god saw her in meditation, and having accomplished his purpose, remained there. The goddess, having attained youth, was again married. Thus, O Bhīṣma, has been told how the sacrifice was destroyed in ancient times. Then Bhīṣma asked, “O teacher, please explain in detail, in proper order, the origin of the gods, the demons, the gandharvas, the serpents, and the rakshasas.” Pulastya replied, “The creation of the earlier beings arose from will, sight, and touch. But after Daksha, son of Prachetas, creation came about through sexual union. Now listen, O Kaurava, to how he created. When Daksha began creation, he brought forth hosts of gods, sages, and serpents. At that time, the world did not grow through sexual union; Daksha generated thousands of sons from his wife Asikni. Seeing those great and fortunate sons, who wished to create various beings, Narada spoke to the Haryashvas, Daksha’s assembled sons. He said, ‘Having fully understood the measure of the earth, above and below, O best of sages, you should create in detail.’ Hearing these words, the Haryashvas departed in all directions; even now, they do not return, like rivers that flow into the ocean. When the Haryashvas were lost, Daksha, the lord of creatures, again generated a thousand sons, this time from Virini. These sons were called the Shabalashvas, and gathered for the work of creation. Narada, the sage, again addressed them as before: ‘Having understood the measure of the earth, and your brothers as well, you will return and then perform creation in detail.’ They too, following their brothers, went along the same path; from then on, the younger brother does not desire the path of the elder. One who seeks after another suffers misery; therefore, one should avoid that. When these sons too were lost, the lord of creatures produced sixty daughters. At that time, Daksha, son of Prachetas, begot them from Virini. He gave ten to Dharma, thirteen to Kashyapa, twenty-seven to Soma, four to Arishtanemi, two to the son of Bhrigu, and two to the wise Krishashva. He also gave two to Angiras. Now hear in detail the names of these wives and the expansion of the progeny of the mothers of the gods from the beginning. The wives of Dharma were Arundhati, Vasu, Jami, Lamba, Bhanu, Marutvati, Sankalpa, Muhurta, Sadhya, and Vishva the radiant. From Vishva were born the Vishvadevas, and from Sadhya, the Sadhyas. From Marutvati came the Maruts; from Vasu, the Vasus; from Bhanu, the Bhanus; from Muhurta, the Muhurtas. In Lambā, Ghoṣa by name arose, and in Nāgavīthī, Jāmijā; from the earth arose Marundhatī. From Saṃkalpā came Saṃkalpa; O Vasu, determine the creation, and the shining gods who pervade in all directions. These Vasus are named thus: Āpa, Dhruva, Soma, Dhara, as well as Anila and Anala, Pratyūṣa and Prabhāsa, making eight Vasus. Four sons of Āpa are Śrānta and Vaitaṇḍa, Śānta, and the sage Vabhru, who is the chief protector of sacrifice. Kāla is the son of Dhruva, and Varcā was born from Soma. Draviṇa and Havyavāha are remembered as the two sons of Dhara; at the end of the kalpa, Prāṇa, Ramaṇa, and Śiśira were also born. Thus, the origins and expansions of the divine beings were revealed, as Pulastya narrated to Bhīṣma the ancient story of creation, following the destruction of Daksha’s sacrifice and the restoration of cosmic order.