When the appointed time had passed, purity returned to her. Then, with the king of the gods, he sent them forth. O great sage, at that moment, the blessed Mahendra—known as the slayer of Vṛtra—struck her with his thunderbolt and split her. Now, tell me, by whom did they first exist along the path of the wind? Who were those who dwelt in the path of the wind? I will explain, beginning from the era of Svāyambhuva, down to this present Manvantara. In those ancient times, there was a son named Savana, honored throughout the three worlds. But sorrow soon befell his household. His wife, Sudevā, overwhelmed by grief, began to weep bitterly. Again and again, she lamented, crying out, “Lord, Lord,” as if she had been left without any protector. In her anguish, she declared, “If your truth is indeed supreme, then let this fire become your companion along with your husband.” Her grief was not for herself, she said, but for the king who had been deprived of his beloved son. “I am of little fortune, O bird,” she said, “my sorrow is for him.” She was urged, “You will ascend the fire swiftly; what has been spoken is true—place your faith in it today.” With unwavering devotion, Sudevā approached the blazing fire, her mind fixed upon her husband, and moved toward the flames. Then, by divine power, she soared into the sky at will, accompanied by the queen, the daughter of Sunābha. For five days, he remained in the heavens with his wife, enjoying her company freely. During this time, his semen fell from the sky. It was then that Citrā, Viśālā, and Haritālinī—the wives of the Seven Sages—saw the fallen substance as they pleased. Believing it to be nectar and ever desirous of youth, they coveted it. With their husbands’ permission, they drank what was in the lotus. By drinking only that, which was the seed of the king, they became tainted and, feeling shame, abandoned it. Their weeping was so great that the entire world resounded with their cries. Approaching them, Brahmā, the lord of the gods and grandsire of the worlds, spoke gently: “Children, do not weep, you are mighty.” Thus comforted, the wives were transformed, and from them were born the Maruts, during the interval of Manu Svāyambhuva. In that same era, the illustrious Kratudhvaja was born as the son of Svārociṣa. For the sake of austerity, those noble kings journeyed to the great mountain Meru. But the thousand-eyed Indra, known as Vipascit, became fearful of their growing power. He summoned Pūtanā, saying, “Go, O Pūtanā, to the mountain, to the vast and splendid Meru, and create an obstacle to their austerities, O beautiful one.” Thus addressed by Śakra, Pūtanā, endowed with beauty, went to Meru. Not far from the hermitage, there flowed a gentle river. Pūtanā, of lovely form, descended into the great river to bathe. There, the aquatic being drank the semen that had been discharged by the kings during their austerities. Having lost the merit of their austerity, the kings departed for the kingdom of the Six. After a long time, that aquatic being, the Grāhī, assumed the form of a great conch. One day, a fisherman saw this remarkable conch on the land and approached it. Then, great-souled yogis, masters of yoga, also arrived at that place. In time, the conch-woman gave birth to seven children. These children, without mother or father, moved freely about in the water, their origins miraculous and mysterious.