In ancient times, the sage Shukra, also known as Ushanas and by the name Kavi, took Angi as his wife. Angi was the illustrious mind-born daughter of the Pitrs, those revered ancestors who drank soma. Together, Shukra and Angi had four sons. Shukra, endowed with the radiance of Brahma, became the foremost among those who know Brahman, and his four sons shone with the same brilliance. These sons were Tvashtri and Varutri, and also Shanda and Marka. All four, radiant like the sun, possessed the power of Brahma. Varutri himself had four sons: Ranjana, Prithu, Ashmi, and the wise Brihadgira. These sons were devoted to Brahman and worshipped the gods. When unrighteous sacrifices threatened dharma, these sons approached Manu and engaged him for the destruction of such sacrificial wrongs. Seeing dharma cast aside, Indra spoke to Manu, declaring, “With these very ones, I will indeed cause you to perform the sacrifice.” Hearing Indra’s words, they departed from that place. After their departure, Indra freed the wives and the mind of Dharma from captivity and pursued her. But the ascetics, striving for Indra’s destruction, returned. When Indra saw them, he struck down the wicked among them, then rested on the southern side of the altar of the god of gods. As they were devoured by the sala-wolves, their heads fell, and from those heads, date-palms arose. Thus, Indra slew the sons of Varutri during the sacrifice. After these events, Devayani became the daughter of Shukra. In those days, Triśiras, of manifold forms, was the great son of Tvashtri. Viśvakarman, also known as Yama, was the younger brother of Viśvarūpa. From Bhṛgu, the divine sage, twelve sons known as the Bhṛgus were born. The goddess bore them all, and the Kāvyas were also counted among Bhṛgu’s sons. Their names were Bhuvana, Bhāvana, Kratu, Śravā, Mūrdhā, Vyaśaya, Vyaśruṣa, Prasava, Aja, and others—twelve in all, remembered as lords. These twelve Bhṛgus are known as sacrificial deities. Paulomī gave birth to a son, Cyavana, who was most learned, self-controlled, and mighty. Cyavana’s birth was troubled: afflicted in the eighth month by a cruel act while in the womb, Cyavana emerged conscious and wise. He was the son of Pracetasa, and from Pracetasa, out of Cyavana’s wrath, was born Adhvāna, the unaging man. Bhārgava, another sage, begot two sons with Sukanyā: Ātmavān and Dadhīca, both esteemed for their virtue. From Dadhīca and Sarasvatī was born Sārasvata. Ātmavān took Rucī, a noble lady of the Nāhuṣa line, as his wife. From Ātmavān and Rucī was born Ūrva, a sage of great fame who emerged by splitting the thigh, and Aurva, radiant and resembling blazing fire. Jamadagni was born to Ṛcīka and Satyavatī. From Ruci, in the Bhṛgu lineage, came those of the Rudra and Viṣṇu lines. From the Viṣṇu line of Agni was born Jamadagni. His wife Reṇukā gave birth to Rāma, whose prowess equaled Indra’s, composed of both Brahmin and Kṣatriya qualities, and who shone with immeasurable brilliance. Aurva’s line produced a hundred sons, and from Jamadagni’s line, thousands of Bhārgava sons were born, one after another. Among other sages, many Bhārgavas are known as external branches: Vatsa, Viśva, Aśviṣeṇa, Pāṇḍa, Pathya, and Śaunaka. These seven are recognized as the Bhārgava branches by lineage. Now, listen to the lineage of the Āṅgirasas, descendants of Agni, the wise one. From his line arose the Bhāradvājas with the Gautamas, and the chief Āṅgirasas, radiant and mighty deities. Atharvan, a sage, took three wives: Surūpā, daughter of Marīci; Kārddamī; and Svarāṭ; and Pathyā, daughter of Manu. These are the wives of the Āṅgirasas, and their progeny is now recounted. From these wives, Atharvan’s heirs were born, upholding the family line, produced through great austerity by those of purified souls. Bṛhaspati was born from Surūpā, Gautama from Svarāṭ, and Vāmadeva, Utathya, and Uśija, all illustrious, were also born. Dhiṣṇu was the son of Pathyā, and Saṃvarta was born from Mānasa. Vicitta and Āyasya were born as well, and Śaradvān, son of Utathya. Aśija, Dīrghatamā, and Bṛhaduttha, son of Vāmadeva, were among them. Dhiṣṇu’s sons were Sudhanvan and Ṛṣabha; Sudhanvan’s sons, the Rathakāras, are renowned as divine sages. Bharadvāja, son of Bṛhaspati, is famed and of great renown. Now hear of Saṃvarta, the Angiras, and the Angirases among the gods. The younger brothers of Bṛhaspati are known as the Angirases among the gods. The sons of Angiras, born from Surūpā, are called the Aurasa Angirases: Audārya, Āyu, Dhanur, Dakṣa, Darbha, Prāṇa, Haviṣmān, Haviṣṇu, Kratu, and Satya—these ten. From Ayasya came Utathya, Vāmadeva, and Uśija; and also the Bhāradvājas, Śāṃkṛtikas, Gārgya-Kāṇvas, and Athītaras. The Mudgalas, Viṣṇuvṛddhas, Haritas, Vāyavas, Bhākṣas, Bharadvājas, Ārṣabhas, and Kimbhayas are also among them. These are known as the ten and five branches of the Angirases. Many other Angirases are remembered among the other Ṛṣis and outside them. Now, let us turn to the lineage of Marīci, the foremost of men, from whose descendants all the world, both immovable and moving, has arisen. Marīci, desiring offspring, meditated upon the waters. From those waters was born a son endowed with all virtues, rich in progeny, radiant, and Diti—he is honored, praised, and revered in mind by the wise. All the waters were summoned, and the lord dwelt among them. Concentrating his mind, the lord generated one among them. The lord of creatures, Ariṣṭanemi by name, incomparable, begot a son, Marīci, shining like the sun, in Vadhauveśa. Desiring a son, he stood in the waters, meditating upon the speech of the virtuous for seven thousand years, and became incomparable. Kaśyapa, wise in the knowledge of Savitṛ, thus became equal to Brahmā. In every Manvantara, he is born as a portion of a Brāhmaṇa. When Dakṣa declared it was for the sake of daughters, the progeny, angered, drank what is called Kaśya, which is liquor. Thus unfolds the sacred genealogy of sages, gods, and beings, whose stories and lineages shaped the world and upheld dharma through the ages.