In the sacred narrative, it is said that one who gives generously attains the rewards of charity, and such gifts bring true happiness. Through giving, he enjoys pleasures in this world, and by upholding truth, he reaches the heavenly realms. When austerity is performed well, it sustains the worlds and grants the practitioner enduring presence; such brilliance leads to endlessness among the worlds. Giving surpasses sacrifice, and austerity is esteemed above sacrifice as well; yet renunciation is greater than austerity, and thus, knowledge is regarded as the highest of all. There are ascetics who have achieved perfection, born among warriors and the twice-born. Among them are Viśvāmitra the king, Māndhātṛ, Saṃkṛti, and Kapi. Others include Purukutsa, Satya, Anṛhava, Ṛthu, Ārṣṭiṣeṇa, Amīḍha, Bhāga, and Anyasta. Kakṣīva, Śijaya, and other great chariot-warriors are remembered, along with Rathītara, Runda, and the kings led by Viṣṇuvṛddha. All these are renowned as royal sages who, though born in warrior lineages, attained the status of sages through their austerity, achieving great perfection. Now, the lineage of Ayu, the great-souled, is spoken of. Sūta tells the sages that five mighty and noble sons were born to Prabhā from Svarbhānu, and these became renowned among kings. Among them, Nahuṣa is remembered as the first, followed by Putradharma. Dharmavṛddha’s son was Sutahotra, famed for his greatness. Sutahotra had three supremely righteous heirs: Kāśa, Śala, and Gṛtsamada, the mighty. Gṛtsamada’s son was Śunaka, whose son was Śaunaka; from him descended Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras. In his lineage, diverse Brahmins arose through various deeds. Śala’s son was Ārṣṭiṣeṇa, whose son also wandered. The Śaunakas and Ārṣṭiṣeṇas—twice-born castes accompanied by Kṣatriyas—are mentioned, as well as Kāśa, the son of Kāśa, and Dīrghatapās. From Dīrghatapās, learned and greatly austere, Dharma was born, and then Dhanvantari, radiant with immense ascetic power, was born from the wise elder. The sages, eager to know more, addressed Sūta with a question: “How did the god Dhanvantari take birth among humans here? Please tell us in a pleasing manner.” Sūta replied, “Listen, O twice-born, to the origin of Dhanvantari. In ancient times, at the edge of the ocean, when the nectar was being churned, he was produced. He arose before all, enveloped in splendor from every side. Seeing his perfect body, the Unborn One stood amazed and said, ‘You are unborn,’ and thus he became known as Aja. Aja spoke to Viṣṇu: ‘Lord, I am your son. Assign to me a share and a place in the world, O best of gods.’ Viṣṇu replied, ‘The division of the sacrifice has been made, and the gods have received their sacrificial shares. The ritual offerings prescribed in the Vedas by the great sages cannot be performed equally here by means of sacrifice at any time. You are born later; you are indeed the lord of names and mantras. In your second birth, you will become renowned in the world. You will possess the perfections beginning with aṇimā even while in the womb. With that very body, O lord, you will attain divinity. The twice-born will worship you with beautiful mantras, clarified butter, and fragrances. Again, you will establish the science of life, Ayurveda. This is a certain event, previously ordained by the lotus-born one. When the second Dvāpara arrives, you will be born—of this there is no doubt.’ Having granted him a boon, Viṣṇu then disappeared. When the second Dvāpara arrived, the king of Kāśi, Saunahotra, desiring a son, performed austerities, as did King Dīrghatapās. Both sought to propitiate the god Aja. Pleased, Dhanvantari offered the king a boon of his choosing. The king said, ‘O blessed one, if you are pleased, let a steadfast son be born to me.’ Dhanvantari consented and vanished. Then, in his house, the god Dhanvantari was born. The king of Kāśi, O great king, became the destroyer of all diseases. Bharadvāja composed Ayurveda, along with its medical practice, dividing it into eight parts and teaching it to his disciples. Dhanvantari’s son, renowned as Ketumān, was born. From Ketumān came King Bhīmaratha, and Divodāsa, famed as the lord of Vārāṇasī, was his son. At that time, a demon named Kṣeṇaka entered the city of Vārāṇasī, which had become deserted. That city had previously been cursed by the great Nikumbha to remain empty for a thousand years, again and again. As soon as the curse took effect, Divodāsa, lord of the people, established a beautiful city at the edge of his realm, on the Gomati. The sages then asked, “For what reason did Nikumbha formerly curse Vārāṇasī? And why did that righteous Nikumbha curse the sacred field?” Sūta replied that King Divodāsa, the royal sage, having obtained the city, dwelt there, that mighty ruler, in the flourishing city. At that very time, Maheśvara, having taken a wife dear to him, was living with the goddess among the gods. By the command of the gods, the attendants, rich in ascetic power and of manifold forms as previously described, pleased the great goddess. Mahādeva rejoiced because of them, but Menā did not rejoice; she constantly found fault with both the god and the goddess. Menā said, “Your husband Maheśvara is improper at my side; he is entirely poor here, yet he lives untroubled, O sinless one.” Thus addressed by her mother, the goddess, by her feminine nature, could not bear it; but smiling, the boon-giver went to Hara’s side.