In the ancient times, Smriti, the devoted wife of the sage Angiras, gave birth to two sons, Agnidhra and Sharabha, as well as four daughters. The lines of their sons and grandsons, though vast and countless, have since passed away. From Priti, the wife of Pulastya, was born a son named Dantogni, who in a previous birth during the Svayambhuva era was known as Yoga. Many illustrious descendants arose from Dantogni’s line, known as the Paulastyas. Pulaha, the lord of creatures, was blessed with sons by his wife Kshama. These sons—Kardama, Suri, and Sahiṣṇu—each shone with the brilliance of the three sacred fires and established their own lineages. Kratu’s wife, Sannati, bore sons equal in virtue to Kratu himself; these sons, along with their wives and sons, were all renowned for their celibacy. They are remembered as the sixty thousand Valakhilyas, who, radiant and pure, move around the sun, preceding Anurora. Atri’s wife, the virtuous Anusuya, gave birth to five sons known as the Atreyas, and also to a daughter named Shruti, who became the mother of Shankhapada. The five Atreyas—Satyanetra, Havya, Apomurti, Shanaishcara, and Soma—are celebrated for their greatness. The sons and grandsons of these noble descendants of Atri flourished in the Svāyambhuva age, numbering in the hundreds and thousands. To Vasiṣṭha and his wife Ūrjā were born seven sons, and their elder sister, Puṇḍarīkā, was famed for her grace. The seven sons—Rajas, Gātra, Ūrdhvabāhu, Savana, Anaya, Sutapā, and Śukra—are revered as the seven sages. The lineages of these great Vasiṣṭhas, known by their names, multiplied by the hundreds of millions during the Svāyambhuva period. Thus, the creation of the sages and their descendants is recounted, though only in summary, for the full detail is beyond telling. Among the divine lineages, the Rudra-essence, the mind-born son of Fire-Brahmā, took Svāhā as his beloved. She bore him three mighty sons: Pāvaka, Pavamāna, and Śuci. Pavamāna is known as the churned one, Pāvaka as lightning, and Śuci, who shines in the sun, is called Sāura. These three—Havyavāha, Kavyavāha, and Saharakṣa—each gave rise to further offspring: the gods, the ancestors, and the suras, respectively. Their sons and grandsons together number forty-nine. All these are established in three kinds of acts—those prompted by desire, by occasion, and by constant duty. All are ascetics and observers of sacred vows, devoted to Rudra and of his essence. Therefore, whatever is offered into the fire with Rudra in mind is truly offered to Rudra himself—of this, there is no doubt. Thus, the lineage of the sacred fires has been recounted. Regarding the ancestors, further detail is not given, for their place is among the six seasons—they are identified with the cycles of time. The Vedas teach that the ancestors are the seasons, and from the seasons, all beings, both unmoving and moving, are born. Thus, these ancestors are called seasonal, and their existence is bound to the times of the seasons. The ancestors are remembered as of two kinds: the Āgniṣvāttas and the Barhiṣads. The Āgniṣvāttas are those not engaged in sacrifice, while the Barhiṣads are sacrificers, both dwelling among the departed. From the ancestors, Svadhā bore two renowned daughters: Menā and Dharanī, by whom the world is supported. Menā is the daughter of the Āgniṣvāttas, Dharanī of the Barhiṣads. Menā, wedded to Himavat, became the mother of Maināka, Krauñca, Gaurī, and Gaṅgā—the latter purified by contact with the body of Bhava (Shiva). The earth, as the wife of Meru, endowed with divine herbs, bore Mandara, a son with a beautifully adorned neck. This illustrious Mandara, through his austerities, became the very abode of the lord Śrīkaṇṭha Śiva. Again, the earth gave birth to thirty renowned daughters, as well as Velā, Niyati, and Āyati. Āyati and Niyati became the wives of the sons of Bhṛgu, their lineages having been described earlier in the Svāyambhuva epoch. From the ocean, Velā bore a single flawless daughter named Savarṇā, who became the wife of Prācīnabarhis. Sāmudrī (the oceanic one) gave birth to ten sons for Prācīnabarhis, known as the Prāchetasas, all skilled in the science of archery. Among these, in the Svāyambhuva era, Dakṣa was born as a son, due to the curse of Triambaka, during the reign of Manu Cākṣuṣa. Thus, O sages, have the lineages of the great-souled sons of Brahmā, such as Dharma, been described in due order—neither too briefly nor too elaborately. The divine lineages have been recounted: adorned with hosts of gods, active in rites, prolific in offspring, and endowed with great splendor. The arrangement of beings, originating from the progenitors, is so vast that it cannot be fully enumerated even in hundreds of millions of years. The royal lineages on earth also proceed in two branches, known as the Solar and Lunar dynasties, which are most meritorious among men. From these arose Ikṣvāku, Ambarīṣa, Yayāti, Nāhuṣa, and other virtuous kings whose fame endures. There are many other royal sages, each endowed with various virtues, but what is the use of recounting those ancient ones whose time and fruits have already passed?