The noble son of Virasena was Naisadha, a distinguished lord among men. These generous kings belonged to the illustrious lineage of Vivasvat, and, originating from the Ikshvaku dynasty, they are celebrated as the foremost among rulers. At this point, Bhishma, ever eager for knowledge, addressed the Lord, expressing his wish to hear about the supreme lineage of the Pitrs—the revered ancestors—and especially about Ravi, the god honored in the Sraddha rites, and Soma. Pulastya, wise and gracious, responded: “Well then, I will recount to you the supreme lineage of the Pitrs. In heaven, there exist seven groups of Pitrs; three of these are formless, while four are embodied, all possessing immense energy.” The formless Pitrs trace their origin to Prajapati Vairaja, and the gods who worship them are known as the Vairajas. Those who once fell from yoga attained these eternal worlds. At the close of another cycle of Brahma, those who know Brahman are reborn; recalling their past, they once again pursue supreme Yoga and Sāṃkhya. Through yoga, they achieve a rare perfection, difficult to relinquish. Thus, Pulastya declared, gifts should be given faithfully only to yogis by donors. Within these divine groups, Himavat is regarded as having a mental daughter as his wife. Maināka was his heir, and Krauca became his son. Krauca, steadfast and the fourth among them, gave his name to Kraucadvīpa. Menā bore three daughters to Suṣa, each endowed with the power of yoga: Uma, Eka-parṇā, and Parṇā, all devoted to intense vows. One daughter was given to Rudra, another to Bhṛgu, and the third to Jaigīṣavya. Himavat bestowed these girls, who surpassed all worlds in austerity, and Pulastya promised to tell the account of the worlds of the ancestors. The worlds called Somapatha are where the descendants of Marīci dwell. There, the ancestors reside, greatly honored by the gods. Among them are the Agniṣvāttas, devoted to sacrifice, and among these was a radiant daughter named Acchodā. The ancestors once created the lake Acchoda, and Acchodā herself performed divine austerity for a thousand years. Pleased by her dedication, the ancestors appeared to grant her a boon, all bearing divine forms, adorned with celestial garlands and ointments, powerful and beautiful, resembling the god of love. Among them, Acchodā beheld the ancestor Amāvasu. Overcome by desire, she asked for union as her boon. Yet, due to this transgression, she fell from yoga. Previously untouched by the earth, she then descended to the surface of the world. Amāvasu, acting according to his own wish, did not reciprocate her desire. Through her steadfastness, Acchodā became known in the world as Amāvāsyā, beloved of the ancestors and giver of inexhaustible merit. Ashamed and downcast from the loss of her austerity, Acchodā turned her face downward and prayed to the ancestors for restoration. The ancestors, perceiving her future and the divine purpose, addressed her with auspicious words, granting favor. They explained that whatever is done by the wise in heaven with a divine body yields its result immediately; actions bear fruit whether in divinity or after becoming human. Thus, by performing virtuous deeds, she would obtain their fruit after death. The ancestors foretold that in the twenty-eighth Dvāpara, Acchodā would be born from the womb of a fish, experiencing hardship in her lineage due to her transgression, and would become the daughter of King Vasu. In her maidenhood, she would once more attain rare celestial worlds, and by the seed of Parāśara, she would bear a son. On the island called Badarī, her son, Bādarāyaṇa, would divide the single Veda into many parts. Furthermore, two sons of the Paurava line, Citrāṅgada and Vicitravīrya, would be born to Śāntanu, son of Samudrāṃśa. After producing these two sons for the wise one, Acchodā would again become Aṣṭakā in the world of the ancestors during the month of Prauṣṭhapada. In the world, she would be known as Satyavatī, and as Aṣṭakā in the realm of the ancestors, always bestowing long life, health, and fulfillment of all desires. In the next world, she would become a river, the most sacred among rivers, known as Acchodā, pure in all the worlds. Having been thus addressed by the hosts of ancestors, Acchodā vanished from their midst, experiencing the result of her past misdeed as previously declared. Elsewhere in heaven, those called Vibhrāja, radiant and splendid, dwell in the worlds of the Barhiṣads, where virtuous ancestors reside. There, on sacred grass, thousands of aerial chariots await, and wish-fulfilling trees grant fruits. In mansions of prosperity, those who offer śrāddha rejoice, joined by hosts of Dānavas, Asuras, Gandharvas, and Apsarases. Hosts of Yakṣas and Rākṣasas worship the gods in heaven, and hundreds of Pulastya’s sons, endowed with ascetic power and yoga, dwell there. These great-souled, highly fortunate beings grant fearlessness to devotees. Among them is the maiden Pīvarī, born of the mind, renowned in heaven—a yoginī and mother of yogins, who performed severe austerities. The Blessed Lord, pleased with her, granted her the boon she sought: “Grant me, O Lord, a husband who is endowed with yoga, handsome, and self-controlled, if you are pleased and this is your promise.” Thus, Pulastya recounted the sublime stories of the ancestors, their worlds, and the virtuous souls who dwell among them, revealing the profound connections between heaven, lineage, and the fruit of austerity.