In the beginning, the goddess Shatarupa, having performed intense and unwavering austerities, was blessed to become the wife of Manu, who shone with radiant glory. From their union, Shatarupa bore two sons, Priyavrata and Uttanapada, both renowned as the best among sons. She also gave birth to two illustrious daughters: one was Akuti, and the other was Prasuti, from whom many beings would come forth. Svayambhuva Manu gave his daughter Prasuti in marriage to Daksha, while the lord Prajapati gave Akuti to Ruchi. From Akuti and Ruchi, a virtuous pair was born by the power of the mind: Yajna and Dakshina, by whom the world itself is sustained. Daksha, the lord of creation, begot twenty-four daughters. Of these, thirteen were Shraddha, Lakshmi, Dhriti, Pushti, Tushti, Medha, Kriya, Buddhi, Lajja, Vapu, Shanti, Siddhi, and Kirti. For the sake of upholding dharma, the lord Dharma himself accepted these thirteen daughters of Daksha as his wives, while the remaining eleven, younger and fair-eyed, were left for others. These remaining eleven were Khyati, Satyartha, Sambhuti, Smriti, Priti, Kshama, Sannati, Anasuya, Urja, Svaha, and Svadha. The great sages—Bhrigu, Sharva, Marichi, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, Atri, Vasishta, Pavaka, and the Pitrs—took these daughters in marriage. From these unions, thirteen sons were born, beginning with Kama and ending with Yasha. The daughters of Dharma, beginning with Shraddha, were most auspicious, while from Adharma, in the line of Hinsa, came those whose lineage ended in suffering. From Nikriti and others were born sons marked by unrighteousness, whose wives and sons are said to have no fixed order. Thus arose a creation marked by tamas, or darkness, yet governed by righteousness. Among Daksha’s daughters was Sati, beloved of Rudra. Because her husband was reproached by her father Daksha, Sati abandoned the body she had received from Daksha, censuring him, his wife, and her relatives. She was then reborn as the daughter of Mena and the mountain Himavat. Rudra, seeing Sati—equal to himself in splendor—took her again as his own. As has been told, from these unions countless others were created. From Bhrigu and Khyati was born Lakshmi, the beloved consort of Narayana. The two gods, Dhata and Vidhata, sustain the cycles of the Manus, and from them arose sons, grandsons, and further descendants by the hundreds and thousands. All these descendants of Bhrigu flourished during the interval of Svayambhuva Manu. From Marichi was born Sambhuti, who gave birth to Paurnamasa. There were also four renowned daughters, from whose lineage came Kashyapa, the progenitor of many sons. Smriti, the wife of Angiras, bore two sons—Agnidhra and Sharabha—and four daughters. Their sons and grandsons, too numerous to count, 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 Sahishnu—these three, shining with the brilliance of the three sacred fires, established their own lineages. Kratu’s wife, Sannati, gave birth to sons equal to Kratu himself, and their wives and sons were all known to be celibate. These are remembered as the sixty thousand Valakhilyas, who, surrounding the sun, move ahead of the constellation Anurora. Anusuya, the wife of Atri, gave birth to five sons known as the Atreyas, and also to a daughter named Shruti, mother of Shankhapada. The five Atreyas—Satyanetra, Havya, Apomurti, Shanaishcara, and Soma—are celebrated in tradition. The sons and grandsons of these great-souled Atreyas, during the age of Svayambhuva, numbered in the hundreds and thousands. From Urja, seven sons were born to Vasishta, and their elder sister was Pundarika, graceful in form. The seven sages—Rajas, Gatra, Urdhvabahu, Savana, Anaya, Sutapa, and Shukra—are remembered as the seven rishis. The lineages of these great Vasishtas, by their names, have flourished in the age of Svayambhuva by the hundreds of millions. Thus, the creation of the sages and their descendants has been described—summarized, for in detail it cannot be told, O twice-born ones. He who is the Rudra-essence, the mind-born son of Fire-Brahma, had as his beloved Svaha, who bore him three mighty sons: Pavaka, Pavamana, and Shuci. Pavamana is called “churned,” Pavaka is known as “lightning,” and Shuci, who shines in the sun, is called Saurya. Havyavaha, Kavyavaha, and Saharaksha are also among them. Their sons, in order, became gods, ancestors, and suras, and their sons and grandsons numbered forty-nine. Established in three kinds of acts—those born of desire, those performed on occasion, and those that are constant—all are to be known as ascetics and observers of vows. All are of Rudra’s essence, all devoted to Rudra. Therefore, whatever is offered into the fire by anyone, if it is offered with Rudra in mind, is indeed given to Rudra—of this there is no doubt. Thus, the lineage of the fires has been recounted as it truly is.