Triśiras, a being of manifold forms and great power, was the illustrious son of Tvaṣṭṛ. Alongside him was Viśvakarman, also known as Yama, renowned as the younger brother of Viśvarūpa. From the sage Bhṛgu were born the Bhṛgus, a line of divine sages—twelve sons in all—brought forth by the goddess, and called Kāvyas, sons of the lord. Among these Bhṛgus were Bhuvana, Bhāvana, Kratu, Śravā, Mūrdhā, Vyaśaya, Vyaśruṣa, Prasava, Aja, and others—these twelve are revered as lordly sages and are remembered as sacrificial deities. Paulomī, their consort, gave birth to a son of great learning, self-mastery, and strength. Yet, while still in the womb, this son, Cyavana, was afflicted by a cruel act in the eighth month. Thus, Cyavana was born conscious and aware, the son of Pracetasa. From the wrath of Cyavana was born Adhvāna, an unaging man. Bhārgava, another of the line, begot two virtuous sons with Sukanyā: Ātmavān and Dadhīca. From Dadhīca and the goddess Sarasvatī was born Sārasvata. Ātmavān took Rucī, a noble lady of the Nāhuṣa lineage, as his wife, and from them was born the sage Ūrva, famed for his greatness, who emerged by splitting the thigh. Aurva, radiant as blazing fire, was thus born. Jamadagni, a sage of great renown, was born to Ṛcīka and Satyavatī. In the Bhṛgu lineage, from Ruci, came descendants belonging to both the Rudra and Viṣṇu lines. From the Viṣṇu line of Agni was born Jamadagni, whose wife Reṇukā gave birth to Rāma—equal in might to Indra, imbued with both Brahmin and Kṣatriya qualities, and of immeasurable brilliance. From Aurva descended a hundred sons, and from Jamadagni’s line came thousands of Bhārgava sons, generation after generation. Among the 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 this line arose the Bhāradvājas, the Gautamas, and the chief Āṅgirasas—radiant and mighty deities. Atharvan, the great sage, took three wives: Surūpā, daughter of Marīci; Kārddamī, and Svarāṭ; and Pathyā, daughter of Manu. From these noble women were born Atharvan’s heirs, upholding the family line through great austerity and purity of soul. From Surūpā was born Bṛhaspati; from Svarāṭ, Gautama; and also Vāmadeva, Utathya, and Uśija—all illustrious sages. Pathyā bore Dhiṣṇu, and from Mānasa came Saṃvarta. Vicitta and Āyasya were also born, and Śaradvān was the son of Utathya. Among the descendants were Aśija, Dīrghatamā, and Bṛhaduttha, son of Vāmadeva. Dhiṣṇu’s sons were Sudhanvan and Ṛṣabha. The Rathakāras, sons of Sudhanvan, are renowned as divine sages. Bharadvāja, son of Bṛhaspati, became famous for his greatness. Hear now of Saṃvarta and the Angirasas among the gods: the younger brothers of Bṛhaspati are known as the Angirases among the divine. The sons of Angiras, born of 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, as well as the Bhāradvājas, Śāṃkṛtikas, Gārgya-Kāṇvas, and Athītaras. The Mudgalas, Viṣṇuvṛddhas, Haritas, Vāyavas, Bhākṣas, Bharadvājas, Ārṣabhas, and Kimbhayas are also included. These are the ten and five branches of the Angirases, and many other Angirases are remembered among the sages and outside them. Now, let me speak of the lineage of Marīci, the foremost of men. From his descendants arose all beings, both immovable and moving. Marīci, desiring offspring, performed deep meditation upon the waters. From these waters was born a son, virtuous and radiant, rich in progeny, and Diti—honored and praised in the minds of the wise. All the waters were summoned, and the lord dwelt among them, focusing his mind and generating new life. 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 on the words of the virtuous for seven thousand years, and thus became incomparable. Kaśyapa, wise in the knowledge of Savitṛ, became equal to Brahmā himself. In every Manvantara, he is born as a portion of a Brāhmaṇa. When Dakṣa declared that his progeny was for the sake of daughters, the descendants, angered, drank what is called Kaśya—liquor. This liquor is known as Haścekasa, the liquor of Brahmā. The sages remember Kaśya as liquor, and Kaśyapa is so named from drinking it. Because of harsh words spoken, Kaśyapa was cursed by Dakṣa in anger and thus became so. Then, as instructed by Brahmā, Dakṣa gave his daughters to Kaśyapa; all these daughters were learned in the Vedas and became the mothers of the worlds. Whoever knows this sacred account of the Ṛṣis, called Vāruṇa, becomes long-lived, virtuous, pure, and attains supreme happiness; by reciting or hearing it, one is freed from all sins. After this, all the sages addressed Romaharṣaṇa, saying, “Now, after the sixth creation of beings, in the time of Cākṣuṣa, the spontaneous creation of Manu Vaivasvata has begun.” Dakṣa, commanded by the self-born one, created beings anew. He produced creatures, both mobile and immobile, as the interval of Manu Vaivasvata arrived. Dakṣa then began to create four kinds of beings: those born from the womb, those born from eggs, those born from moisture, and those that sprout from the earth. For ten thousand years, Dakṣa performed severe and intense austerities, endowed with yogic powers such as animā and others. The illustrious Dakṣa divided himself to create humans, serpents, rākṣasas, gods, asuras, and gandharvas—beings of divine form—lords equal to himself in appearance, wealth, and brilliance. In this way, joyfully desiring to create various beings, he produced other steadfast and mobile creatures, all born from his mind.