Sūta began his narration by describing the earth, bounded on all sides by the vast ocean, renowned as Medinī. Because she bears all wealth, she is also called Vasudhā. When the earth attained the status of a daughter, she came to be known as Pṛthivī. This earth, widespread and splendid, divided into regions and adorned with fields and cities, was filled with the four castes and protected by a wise king. That king was Vainya, foremost among rulers, a figure of great power who was to be honored and worshipped by all living beings. The highly fortunate brāhmaṇas, accomplished in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, saluted Pṛthu alone, for he was of Brahma’s lineage and eternal. Even kings seeking fame revered Pṛthu Vainya, the first king, radiant in splendor. Warriors entering battle, seeking victory, saluted Pṛthu, the first doer among men. Those who praised King Pṛthu before entering combat crossed the fierce conflict safely and gained fame. Among the Vaiśyas, Pṛthu, the royal sage who upheld their occupation, was revered, for he was their giver of livelihood and possessed great renown. Sūta then explained the symbolism of the earth being milked. He described the specific calves, milkers, milk itself, and vessels, all in due order. In the beginning, the great-souled Brahmā milked the earth, making Vāyu the calf and the seeds upon the earth’s surface the milk. In the earlier Svāyambhuva Manvantara, the earth was again milked, with Svāyambhuva Manu as the calf and Grīṣma as the milker. In the Svārociṣa Manvantara, Manu Svārociṣa made himself the calf and milked the earth, with crops as the milk. In the Uttama Manvantara, the god Devabhuja made Uttama Manu the calf and, with Anuttama as the milker, milked the earth for all crops. In the fifth Tāmasa Manvantara, Balabandhu made Tāmasa the calf and milked the earth. When the Manvantara of Cāriṣṇava Deva arrived, the ancient one milked the earth, making Cāriṣṇava the calf. Again, in the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara, the ancient one milked the earth, making Cākṣuṣa the calf. After the end of the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara, with the arrival of Vaivasvata, Vainya milked the earth as previously described. Thus, in all past intervals, the earth was milked by gods, humans, and other beings. In all past and future Manvantaras, the gods are present. Sūta then invited his listeners to hear about the progeny of Pṛthu. Pṛthu had two mighty sons, Antarddhāna and Pālin. From Antarddhāna were born Śikhaṇḍinī and Havirdhāna. Havirdhāna, with his wife Dhiṣaṇā, had six sons: Prācīnabarhis, Śukra, Gaya, Kṛṣṇa, Vraja, and Ajina. Among them, Prācīnabarhis was blessed and renowned as the great lord of creatures, a sovereign famed for his strength, asceticism, and knowledge. His sacred grass faced east, earning him the name Prācīnabarhis. Prācīnabarhis took as his wife Savarṇā, the daughter of the ocean, born beyond the great darkness. From Savarṇā, Prācīnabarhis had ten sons, known as the Pracetas. These Pracetas were masters of archery, united in righteous conduct, and performed great austerities for ten thousand years, lying in the waters of the ocean. While the Pracetas practiced austerities, the trees on earth grew unchecked, causing a decline in living beings. During the interval between Cākṣuṣa Manu and the next, the wind was repelled and could not blow, for the sky was blocked by trees. For ten thousand years, living beings were unable to move. Hearing of this, the Pracetas, steadfast in their austerity and filled with wrath, released wind and fire from their mouths. The wind uprooted and dried the trees, while fire consumed them, leading to the destruction of the trees. When only a few branches remained, King Soma approached the Pracetas and spoke to them. Seeing the full consequence for the world’s continuance, King Prācīnabarhis and all the rulers abandoned their anger. Soma assured them that trees would be born again on earth and urged the fire and wind to subside. He pointed out a radiant maiden among the trees, their precious jewel, whom he had nourished with cows. Her name was Māriṣā, formed from the trees themselves, and fostered by Soma; he proposed that she become their wife. Soma declared that by combining half of their energy with half of his own, a wise son would be born from Māriṣā—Dakṣa, the lord of creatures. Endowed with fiery energy, Dakṣa would restore and increase the living beings on earth, now mostly burned. At Soma’s word, the Pracetas restrained their anger toward the trees and accepted Māriṣā as their lawful wife. In Māriṣā, they conceived a child by their will; from the ten Pracetas and Māriṣā was born the lord of creatures. Dakṣa, of great splendor and vigor, was born with a portion of Soma. At first, Dakṣa created beings from his mind, and later through union. He created both immobile and mobile beings, bipeds and quadrupeds, by his mind; afterwards, he created women. Dakṣa gave ten daughters to Dharma, thirteen to Kaśyapa, and twenty-seven to the Moon for the regulation of time.