After imparting his words, I vanished from sight. Brahmā, left alone, pondered deeply, yet even as the sustainer of the worlds, he found nothing before him—only emptiness. Then, from the unmanifest Brahmā, a great anger arose, and from this wrath a child appeared, manifesting suddenly on his lap. The child began to cry, but Brahmā, still of unmanifest form, restrained him. The child asked, “Give me a name.” Brahmā named him Rudra. Brahmā then instructed Rudra, “O auspicious one, create this world.” But Rudra, unable to fulfill the task, entered the waters, resolving to practice austerities. Immersed thus, Brahmā proceeded to create anew. From his right thumb, he brought forth another lord of creatures, and from his left thumb, he created that being’s wife. In her, Brahmā begot Manu Svāyambhuva, and thus, in ancient times, the creation of living beings was accomplished through Brahmā’s will. The Earth then spoke: “O lord of gods, describe to me in detail the original creation, and how Brahmā, also known as Nārāyaṇa, came to be at the beginning of the cosmic cycle.” The Blessed Lord replied: “As Nārāyaṇa, he created all beings. Listen, O Earth, and I shall recount all that has happened. At the end of the previous cycle, when Brahmā awoke from his night’s sleep, filled with the quality of sattva, he saw the world as utterly empty. “Nārāyaṇa is supreme, inconceivable, and the ancestor even of the highest. The Blessed Lord, in the form of Brahmā, is beginningless and the source of all. It is said that the god in the form of Brahmā is both the origin and the dissolution of the world. The waters are called ‘nārā’, for they are the offspring of Nara; their abode was first his, and thus he is remembered as Nārāyaṇa. “As Brahmā pondered creation at the dawn of the new cycle, there arose within him—unaware—a manifestation composed of darkness. From him appeared five forms of ignorance: darkness, delusion, great delusion, Tamisra, and what is called Andha. This fivefold ignorance took shape in the great soul. “While Brahmā was absorbed in meditation, the fivefold creation that arose was without conscious awareness; it was neither manifest outwardly nor inwardly, its nature hidden, consisting of immobile beings. This, the wise know as the primary creation. “Continuing his meditation, Brahmā brought forth another, superior creation, whose current flows sideways; this is known as the ‘tiryak-srotas’ or lateral stream. These, beginning with animals, are well known for being led astray from the right path. Seeing this creation also as ineffective, the Four-Faced Brahmā considered it insufficient. “Then came the ‘urdhva-srotas’ (upward stream), threefold in nature, characterized by sattva and righteousness; from this, the gods arose, moving upward and born from all wombs. Again, the Lord created another creation and reflected upon it, yet those originating from the primary creation and others were still considered ineffective. “Thus, the Lord contemplated the ‘arvāk-srotas’ (downward stream); from this arose humans, who are considered effective. Humans are abundant in clarity, yet also overwhelmed by darkness and dominated by rajas; thus, suffering is prevalent among them, and they are ever active. “O fortunate one, these six creations have now been described: the first is the creation of Mahat, the second of the subtle elements, the third is the Vaikarika creation, and the fourth is the creation of the senses. This is the Prakrita (natural) creation, which arises through intellect. The fourth is the primary creation, in which immobile beings are considered primary; and the one called ‘tiryak-srotas’ is so named for those beings. The best among the ‘urdhva-srotas’ is the seventh, the human creation; the eighth is the creation of grace, which is both sattvic and tamasic. “Of these, five are called ‘vaikrita’ (modified) creations, and three are known as ‘prakrita’ (natural); the ninth, called ‘kaumara’, is both prakrita and vaikrita. Thus, these nine creations of Prajapati—both prakrita and vaikrita—are the fundamental causes of the world. These creations have now been explained; what else would you know?” The Earth asked, “O god, the creation of Brahmā, born from the unmanifest, has arisen in nine forms. How did it grow, O Achyuta? Tell me this.” Śrī Varāha replied: “First, Brahmā created Rudra and others, rich in austerity. Then, he created Sanaka and the other sages, as well as Marīci and the rest. Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya of great brilliance, Prachetas, Bhṛgu, Nārada as the tenth, and Vasiṣṭha, renowned for great austerity. “Sanaka and the others were set upon the path of renunciation by Brahmā, while Marīci and the rest, except for the sage Nārada, were engaged in the path of action. That first Prajāpati, born from the right thumb, produced through his lineage this world of moving and unmoving beings. “From Dakṣa’s daughters were born the gods, the demons, the Gandharvas, serpents, and birds—all supremely righteous. Rudra, renowned and born from wrath, emerged from the furrowed brow of the supreme lord. Fierce and exceedingly terrifying, with a form half male and half female, he was instructed by Brahmā to divide himself and then vanished again. “Thus instructed, Rudra made himself twofold—female and male; then, dividing the male aspect tenfold and also singly, eleven Rudras, born from Brahmā, became renowned. “This, O sinless one, is the account of the creation of Rudra. Now I shall briefly narrate the greatness of the ages. The four ages are Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali. In these, the great souls—kings who gave abundant gifts—along with the gods and demons, established dharma and performed great deeds. “In the first cycle, Manu Svāyambhuva existed. He had two sons, Priyavrata and Uttānapāda, both devoted to righteousness and whose actions surpassed those of men. There, King Priyavrata, a great sacrificer endowed with ascetic power, performed various grand sacrifices and bestowed abundant gifts.