In the vast cycles of creation, during the era known as the Svārociṣa Manvantara—the second great age presided over by Manu Svārociṣa—there arose a distinguished assembly of deities. Among them were Pracetā, the god, and the Viśvedevas, as well as the valiant Pārāvatas: Samañja, Viśruta, Yaśa, Ajihma, and Arimardana. Alongside them stood Ajoṣa, Mahābhāga, and the mighty Yavīya, as well as Hotā and Yajvā. These gods, numbering twenty-four, were revered as Soma-drinkers, partaking in the sacred nectar, and among them shone Indra, renowned as Vaidha, whose fame echoed throughout the worlds. At this time, the seven great sages guiding the world were Ūrja, son of Vasiṣṭha, Stambha, Kāśyapa, Bhārgava, Droṇa, Ṛṣabha, and Aṅgiras. Alongside them were Paulastya, Dattātreya, Ātreya, Niścala, and Dhāvān, son of Paulastya—these too were revered as the seven sages of that era. The lineage of Svārociṣa Manu was further blessed by Bṛhadguha and Nava, together with their nine sons, all remembered as progenitors of men. Thus, the sons of Svārociṣa Manu became the ancestors of many, their names preserved in the Purāṇas as belonging to the second Manvantara. It is said that in each Manvantara, four roots are established: the seven sages, Manu himself, the gods, and the four groups of ancestors. From these roots, beings arise in succession, generation after generation. The sons of the sages become the deities, while the ancestors are the sons of the gods. Thus, sages and divine sons form the foundation of creation, as declared in the scriptures. From Manu come the kṣatriyas and the people; the twice-born, or higher castes, arise from the seven sages. This, in brief, is the nature of a Manvantara, though the full detail is vast and endless—for the expansion of creation under Svāyambhuva and Svārociṣa Manu is so abundant and recurring, it cannot be fully described even in hundreds of years. As the third Manvantara dawned, with Uttama Manu presiding, five groups of deities were established. Among these were the Sudhāmānas, the gods, the Pratardanas, the Śivas, and the Satyas—twelve groups in total, each revered in their own right. The Sudhāmānas were twelve by name: Satya, Dhṛti, Dama, Dānta, Kṣama, Kṣāma, Dhṛti (again), Śuci, Īṣorja, Jyeṣṭha, and Vapuṣmān. Among the gods were Sahasradhāra, Viśvātmā, Śamitāra, Bṛhadvasu, Viśvadhā, Viśvakarmā, Manasvant, and Virāḍyaśa, as well as Jyoti, Vibhāvya, Kīrtimān, Vaṃśakārin, Vasudhiṣṇa, Vivasvasu, and other worshipped deities. The Pramardanas were Dinakratu, Sudharmā, Dhṛtavarmā, and the illustrious Ketumān. Among the Pratardanas were Haṃsasvara, Ahihā, Pratardana, Yaśaskara, Sudāna, Vasudāna, Sumañjasa, and Viṣāva. The Śivas, fit for sacrifice, included Jantuvāha, Yati, Suvitta, and Sunaya. The Satyas, twelve in number, were known as Dikpati, Vākpati, Viśva, Śambhu, Svamṛḍīka, Adhipa, Varcchodhā, Muhyasarvaśa, Vāsava, Sadāśva, and Kṣemānanda. These deities were worshipped during the reign of Uttama Manu. Uttama Manu himself was blessed with thirteen sons: Aja, Paraśu, Divya, Divyauṣadhi, Naya, Devānuja, Apratima, Mahotsāha, Uśija, Vinīta, Suketu, Sumitra, Subala, and Śuci. These noble sons became the leaders of the kṣatriyas in that third age. Thus, the creation in the Uttama Manvantara unfolded, just as it had in the Svārociṣa era. Now, the tale moves to the fourth Manvantara, that of Tāmasa Manu. In the Tāmasa Manvantara, four groups of gods appeared: the Satyas, Svarūpas, Sudhis, and the four groups of Haris. Pulastya’s son Śīrṣyaṇya and Tama, the eighth, were prominent at this time. The gods of this age were known as the senses, and the sages declared that there were a hundred such senses. The Satyaprāṇas were of Śīrṣyaṇya, and Tama was the eighth among them. During this period, Śivi, a mighty being, was the Indra, ruling over the gods. The seven sages guiding the age were Kāvya, Harṣa, Kāśyapa, Pṛthu, Ātreya, Agni, Jyotirdhāmā, and Bhārgava. Alongside them were Paulaha, Vanapīṭha, Gotra Vāsiṣṭha, Caitra, and Paulastya. The sons of Tāmasa Manu were Januvaṇḍa, Śānti, Nara, Khyāti, Bhaya, Priyabhṛtya, Avakṣi, Pṛṣṭaloḍha, Dṛḍhodyata, Ṛta, and Ṛtabandhu. As the fifth Manvantara began, with Cāriṣṇava Manu presiding, the deities were grouped as the Amṛtās, Bhābhūtarajas, Vikuṇṭhas, and Sasumedhas. Cariṣṇu, son of Vasiṣṭha and lord of creatures, had these auspicious sons, and among them were fourteen and four shining groups. Among the Amṛtābhās, the gods were Svatra, Vipregni, Bhāsa, Sva, Pratyeti, Sṭhāmṛta, Sumati, Vāvirāva, Vācinoda, Sravas, Pravirāśī, Vāda, and Prāśa—making fourteen in total. The Bhābhūtarajas included Mati, Sumati, Ṛta, Satya, Āvṛti, Vivṛti, Mada, and Vinaya. Among them were also Jetā, Jiṣṇu, Saha, Dyutimān, and Sravas. The Vikuṇṭhas were Vṛṣabhettā, Jaya, Bhīma, Śuci, Dānta, Yaśo, Dama, Nātha, Vidvān, Ajeya, Kṛśa, Gaura, and Dhruva. Thus, in each Manvantara, with its Manu, gods, sages, and ancestors, the world flourished and beings arose in endless abundance, each age presided over by its own assembly of divine and noble souls.