With warmth and reverence, I shall recount the profound story as it was revealed in the sacred verses. Once, a devoted seeker approached his revered teacher with a question of great depth and significance. The teacher, honoring the earnestness of his disciple, promised to answer faithfully and in proper sequence. He began by describing the primordial elements of creation: the vast sky, the atmosphere, the earth, the radiant stars, the ten directions, the sun and moon, and the cycle of day and night. Yet, he explained, in the beginning, none of these existed. The entire world was shrouded in darkness—there was only Brahma, the Creator, immersed in the most intense and solitary austerity. At this point, Shamyu, the devoted son, once more addressed his father, the illustrious Brihaspati, who was renowned as the foremost knower of Brahma, ever pure in his vows and wisdom. “Father,” he asked, “what was the supreme austerity that Prajapati performed for the sake of all beings?” Thus questioned, Brihaspati, radiant with knowledge, replied: “The highest of all disciplines is the supreme austerity, the union of all forms of tapas. At that time, the Blessed One—Brahma—entered deep meditation, and through this powerful yoga, he recreated the worlds. Immersed in the vision of yoga, Brahma brought forth all knowledge—past and future—the entirety of the Vedas, and all the worlds themselves. Among the worlds thus created are the Santanika realms, where the radiant ones, called Virajas, reside—divine beings among the gods in heaven. In an earlier age, the Lord, united with the power of yoga and austerity, created the gods themselves; Brahma, established in eternal yoga, brought these beings into existence. They are known as the Adidevas—possessors of immense strength and brilliance, fulfillers of all desires, honored by gods, demons, and humans alike. Within their ranks, seven groups are spoken of, celebrated throughout the three worlds. Of these, three are formless, while four possess beautiful forms. Above reside the three with manifest forms; below, the four exist in subtle, unmanifest states. From these gods, the earth itself arises, and thus the succession of worlds unfolds. These deities dwell within this world, from whom rain descends, and through that rain, the worlds are born anew. By the power of yoga, these radiant ones nourish soma and food, and thus the greatest of the worlds spoke to the ancestors. Swift as thought, they feed upon svadha, adorned with all desires, free from greed, delusion, and fear—resolute and untouched by sorrow. When they relinquish yoga, they attain wondrous worlds—divine, virtuous, great-souled, and free from all sin. At the end of a thousand ages, those who are knowers of Brahma are born again; regaining yoga, the formless ones reach liberation. Abandoning both the manifest and the unmanifest, by the supreme power of yoga, they dissolve like meteors in the sky or fleeting flashes of lightning. Casting off bodies born of form, they merge into nameless, anonymous states—like rivers flowing into the vast ocean. Those who continually perform actions and worship their elders nourish the ancestors by these deeds, increasing their yoga. When pleased by the offerings of śrāddha, the united ancestors, through their yoga, nourish Soma, by which the three worlds are sustained. Therefore, offerings of śrāddha should always be given with care to yogis, for the strength of the ancestors is yoga, and from yoga arises Soma. One should feed thousands of Brāhmaṇas, as many as arrive. Yet, what is eaten by a teacher of yoga, even among a thousand honored guests and a hundred initiated students, offers the greatest protection from danger. Among a thousand householders, a hundred forest-dwellers, and a thousand celibate students, a single yogi excels above all. Whether one is an atheist, a wrongdoer, of mixed caste, or even a thief—there is no greater recipient for offerings than a yogi, so declares Prajāpati. The ancestors are satisfied by such a giver, just as farmers rejoice in abundant rain, when a son or grandson feeds a meditator. If meditators or mendicants are not found, celibate students should be fed; if even they are unavailable, then a neutral person or a householder may be fed. Even one who stands on one foot, subsisting on air for a hundred years, is surpassed by the yogi in meditation—this is the instruction of Brahmā. Perfected beings wander this earth in the form of Brāhmaṇas; therefore, one should always greet a guest who arrives, with joined palms. He should be honored with water, hospitality, and food. From the southern ocean's shores to the northernmost lands, the divine lords of yoga wander in many forms, ever protecting people through righteousness. Thus, one should always give gifts to Brāhmaṇas and guests. The types of gifts and their fruits shall be declared. Providing a residence for yogis surpasses a thousand horse sacrifices, a hundred royal consecrations, and a thousand lotus offerings. This, then, is the first group of ancestors, possessed of immeasurable energy, who sustain the seven eras and remain ever established. Now, I shall declare all the groups of ancestors, their succession, their establishment, and their contemplation, in due order. There are seven groups of ancestors, most eminent among the wise, remembered in heaven—four with form, and three formless. Listen as I explain their creation of worlds. Their daughters and granddaughters are also remembered, and among them, the three supreme groups bear the form of dharma. Let me briefly state their names and the creation of their worlds: the Viraja worlds, where the shining ones dwell. The hosts of the Pitṛs are formless; they are the sons of Prajāpati Virajas, and are renowned as the Vairājas. This marks the first cycle of the Vairājas. Among these Vairājas, there was a mind-born daughter named Menā, associated with the great mountain Himavat. She became the wife of Himavat, and from her, Maināka was born. Thus, through yoga, austerity, and the blessings of the ancestors, the worlds and beings came into existence and continue to be nourished, sustained by acts of devotion and the eternal flow of righteousness.