When the Creator, Brahma, brought forth beings at the beginning of creation, some among them voiced, “Do not do this, let him be protected,” and these came to be known as Rakshasas. Others declared, “Let us eat,” and from their act of eating, they became Yakshas. Witnessing these developments with displeasure, Brahma’s hair fell from his body, and from the fallen strands, new heads emerged upon him. Out of this shedding, serpents were born—called the “fallen ones” because they sprang from the hair that had fallen. Then, angered, the world’s creator produced fierce, tawny-colored beings who were flesh-eaters. As Brahma meditated, Gandharvas arose from his body, beings who were born by drinking speech itself. Having created these, the blessed Brahma, moved by his creative power, next brought forth various birds by his own will. Birds came from his chest, strong creatures from his mouth, cattle from his abdomen, and other beings from his sides. From his feet, he created horses, elephants, donkeys, wild oxen, deer, camels, mules, dwarfs, and many other species. Plants that bear fruit and roots sprang from his hair. At the dawn of the Treta Yuga, at the very beginning of the kalpa, Brahma created plants and properly assigned them for use in sacrifice. The cow-born man, the ram, horses, mules, and donkeys—all these are considered domestic animals. Now, listen to the wild ones: carnivores, cloven-hoofed animals, elephants, monkeys, birds as a fifth group, aquatic creatures as the sixth, and reptiles as the seventh. From his mouth, Brahma created the Gāyatra and Ṛc verses, the Trivṛt Sāma, the Rathantara Sāma, and the Agniṣṭoma among sacrifices. From his right side arose the Yajus verses, the Triṣṭubh meter, the Pañcadaśa Stoma, the Bṛhat Sāma, and the Uktha. From his left side, he brought forth the Sāma verses, the Jagatī meter, the Saptadaśa Stoma, the Vairūpa, and the Atirātra. From his back, he created the Ekaviṃśa of the Atharvāṇa, the Āptoryāma, the Anuṣṭubh meter, and the Vairāja. From his very limbs, beings of many forms were born. After giving rise to the gods, asuras, ancestors, and humans, Prajāpati, the Lord of creatures, continued his work. Then, once again at the beginning, the Grandfather of all, with resolute intent, created the Yakṣas, Piśācas, Gandharvas, and groups of Apsarases. He brought forth Nāgas, Kinnaras, Rākṣasas, birds, animals, cattle, serpents, perishable and imperishable beings, all that is stationary and all that moves. At that time, the blessed Brahma, the primordial lord, created all these beings. Whatever actions or karmas they had acquired before creation, those very actions they took up again, being created repeatedly through the cycles. Whether violent or nonviolent, gentle or harsh, righteous or unrighteous, truthful or false, each being attains that which corresponds to their nature, and so it pleases them. In the objects of the senses, in all beings, and in their bodies, the Lord himself assigned their diversity and place. He established the names and forms of all creatures, and the manifestations of their actions, drawing from the words of the Vedas at the very beginning, for gods and others alike. He gave the sages their Vedic names and likewise assigned the proper duties to others according to their fitness. Just as the signs and forms of the seasons are seen, so too are the states at the beginning of each age. Thus, at the start of each cycle, endowed with the power of desire and impelled by the creative force, Brahma again and again brings forth such creation. Much later, King Sagara approached the sage Aurva, eager for guidance. “I wish to hear, O sage,” he said, “the proper conduct for a householder, which, when followed, does not diminish him in this world or the next.” Aurva replied, “Listen, O protector of the earth, to the characteristics of proper conduct. One who possesses such conduct conquers both worlds. The virtuous, whose faults are few, are called ‘good’; and their way of living is what we call proper conduct. The seven sages, the Manus, and the Lords of creatures are the speakers and performers of this proper conduct, O king. “At the Brahma-muhurta, before dawn, rise up and contemplate with your mind upon righteousness, and also upon wealth that is not opposed to righteousness. Without causing harm to either, consider also desire in both, viewing the three aims of life—dharma, artha, and kama—equally, for the removal of faults, both seen and unseen. “If wealth or desire is in conflict with righteousness, abandon them, O king; and also let go of any righteousness that leads to suffering or is hated by people. Then, rising in the morning, O lord of men, act with friendliness toward all. “When nature calls, go beyond the southwest direction, farther than your house, and there, at a distance, relieve yourself. Do not throw water used for washing your feet or for rinsing your mouth into the courtyard of your house. “Never urinate upon your own shadow, the shadow of a tree, a cow, the sun, fire, wind, or upon a teacher or a Brahmin. Do not relieve yourself in a ploughed field, among crops, in a cow-pen, among people, on a path, or at river fords, O best of men. Never perform the act of voiding in water, nor on the bank of water, nor in a cremation ground. “By day, face north; by night, face south when relieving yourself, except in times of distress. Spread grass upon the ground, cover your head with a cloth, do not linger there, nor utter any words at that place. “For cleansing, do not use earth that comes from an anthill, from a mouse-hole, from under water, or from a house, as it may be impure.” Thus did Aurva instruct King Sagara, sharing the sacred wisdom of conduct, rooted in the order established by Brahma at the dawn of creation, so that all beings may live in harmony with righteousness and the ways of the world.