In the ancient times, the goddess brought forth a radiant power from between her brows, a manifestation as luminous as herself. Witnessing this, the supreme lord of gods, Hara—also known as Rudra—smiled and addressed her, instructing, “Worship Brahmā with austerity and fulfill his desired purpose.” Obedient to the command of the supreme lord, the goddess bowed her head and accepted his words. By Brahma’s decree, the goddess took birth as the daughter of Daksha, and she bestowed that incomparable power—embodying the very essence of Brahma—upon Brahma himself. She entered his body, and Brahma disappeared from sight. From that moment onward, enjoyment with women became established in the world, and the creation of beings henceforth proceeded through union. Even Brahma himself experienced joy and satisfaction, O foremost sages. Thus has been recounted the origin of the goddess’s power—a tale that increases merit and is worthy to be heard, following the account of the creation of beings. Whoever recites daily this origin of the goddess’s power attains all merit and is blessed with auspicious sons. Having received the supreme and eternal power from the Lord, Prajapati Brahma, desiring to create progeny through union, prepared himself for the task. He transformed himself, becoming by half a wondrous woman and by half a man. From the feminine half was born Shatarupa, while from the masculine half, Brahma created Viraj, who became half a man and is known as the original Svayambhuva Manu, the first man. Shatarupa, the goddess, performed severe austerities and became the wife of Manu, who was radiant with glory. From Shatarupa, two sons were born: Priyavrata and Uttanapada, both esteemed as the best among sons. She also bore two illustrious daughters, from whom many beings were born—one remembered as Akuti, the other as Prasuti. Svayambhuva Manu gave Prasuti to Daksha, and Prajapati gave Akuti to Ruchi. From Akuti, a virtuous pair was born to Ruchi by mind—Yajna and Dakshina—by whom the world is sustained. Daksha, the lord, begot twenty-four daughters. Of these, thirteen are named: Shraddha, Lakshmi, Dhriti, Pushti, Tushti, Medha, Kriya, Buddhi, Lajja, Vapu, Shanti, Siddhi, and Kirti. For the sake of wives, Dharma, the lord, accepted these Daksha daughters; the remaining eleven, younger and fair-eyed, were left: Khyati, Satyartha, Sambhuti, Smriti, Priti, Kshama, Sannati, Anasuya, Urja, Svaha, and Svadha. The sages of great renown—Bhrigu, Sharva, Marichi, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, Atri, Vasishta, Pavaka, and the Pitrs—took the daughters beginning with Khyati. From these unions, thirteen sons, beginning with Kama and ending with Yasha, were born. From Dharma were born those auspicious daughters, beginning with Shraddha; and from Adharma, in the line of Hinsa, were born those ending in suffering. From Nikriti and others were born sons marked by unrighteousness; their wives and sons are all said to be without fixed order. Thus, this tamasic creation arose, governed by righteousness. Among Daksha’s daughters, Sati was beloved of Rudra. Because of the reproach of her husband, Sati abandoned the body born of Daksha, censuring Daksha and his wife along with her relatives. She was then born as the daughter of Mena and the mountain Himavat; Rudra, seeing Sati, who was equal to himself in splendor, took her as his own. As has been told, countless others were created. From Bhrigu and Khyati was born Lakshmi, beloved of Narayana. The two gods, Dhata and Vidhata, sustain the cycles of the Manus; from them arose sons, grandsons, and others by the hundreds and thousands. All those descendants of Bhrigu are considered to have been present during the interval of Svayambhuva Manu. From Marichi was born Sambhuti, who gave birth to Paurnamasa. There were four daughters of great renown, from whose lineage was born Kashyapa, the one with many sons. Smriti, the wife of Angiras, gave birth to two sons—Agnidhra and Sharabha—and four daughters. Their sons and grandsons, countless in number, have passed away. From Priti, wife of Pulastya, was born the son Dantogni, who in a previous birth was known as Yoga, during the Svayambhuva interval. Many descendants from his line are known as the Paulastyas. Kshama gave birth to sons for Pulaha, the lord of creatures: Kardama, Suri, and Sahiṣṇu—these three, all possessing the brilliance of the three sacred fires, established their lineages. From Kratu’s wife, Sannati, were born sons equal to Kratu; their wives and sons are all said to be celibate. These are remembered as sixty thousand Valakhilyas, who, surrounding the sun, move ahead of Anurora. Anusuya, the wife of Atri, gave birth to the five Atreyas—Satyanetra, Havya, Apomurti, Shanaishcara, and Soma—and also to a daughter named Shruti, mother of Shankhapada. The sons and grandsons of those great-souled descendants of Atri, in the age of Svāyambhuva, have passed by the hundreds and thousands. From Ūrjā, seven sons were born to Vasiṣṭha, and their elder sister was Puṇḍarīkā, of graceful form. Thus, the story of creation unfolds, revealing the origins of the goddess’s power, the establishment of union as the means of creation, and the genealogy of the great sages and their descendants, whose lineages shaped the world.