O sage, among humans, it is given that people may attain heaven, liberation, or whatever state they desire, according to their wishes and efforts. The beings who were created by Brahmā, and who were established in the fourfold social order, were endowed with proper faith and naturally inclined toward righteous conduct. These noble souls, free from afflictions, dwelt as they wished, their minds and actions pure, performing deeds without blemish. When their minds were purified and their inner being was firmly established in the pure Lord, they attained the vision of pure knowledge. By this knowledge, they reached the supreme state called Bilva. At that time, the entity known as Time—which is said to be a portion of Hari—caused even the smallest trace of terrible sin to fall away. Yet, O Maitreya, in those beings, the seed of unrighteousness arose—born of darkness and greed—manifesting as passion and similar unworthy qualities. When this happened, their innate accomplishments did not arise in abundance, but the other eight accomplishments, such as delight in taste and the like, began to manifest. As these accomplishments waned and only a remnant remained, and as sin increased, those beings became afflicted by the suffering that arises from the dominance of dualities—pleasure and pain, heat and cold, and so on. In response, they constructed fortresses for their protection: some in forests, some on mountains, some surrounded by water, as well as artificial strongholds, cities, and towns. Within these cities and settlements, they built houses in proper order, seeking relief from the afflictions of cold, heat, and other discomforts. Having devised these means of protection, they then turned to creating ways of livelihood and manual skills, arising from their work. They cultivated many plants: rice, barley, wheat, chickpeas, sesame, priyangu, udāra, koradūṣa, and satīnakā, among others. Also remembered are black gram, green gram, lentils, niṣpāva, kulattha, āḍhakya, chickpeas, and hemp—seventeen types in all. These, O sage, are the cultivated plants, and there are fourteen kinds of cultivated and wild plants suitable for sacrifice. Among these are rice, barley, black gram, wheat, chickpeas, sesame, priyangu as the seventh, and kulattha as the eighth. Also mentioned are śyāmāka, nīvāra, jartila with gavedhukā, veṇuyava, and markaṭaka. These fourteen herbs, both domestic and wild, exist for the accomplishment of sacrifice, and their highest purpose is to serve in sacrificial rites. Indeed, together with sacrifice, these plants are the supreme cause of the sustenance of living beings. Therefore, those who know the higher and lower truths should always perform sacrifices. The daily performance of sacrifice brings benefit and grants relief from suffering. However, in the age of Kali, some people, whose minds were overtaken by the evil companion born of that age, neglected sacrifices. They began to revile the teachings of the Vedas, the Vedas themselves, and all sacrificial acts, thus becoming destroyers of sacrifice. Their minds and conduct grew wicked; they reviled the Vedas and disrupted the path of righteousness, harboring crooked intentions. When means of livelihood were established, the Lord of creatures created beings and assigned them to their proper stations according to their qualities. He established the castes and stages of life, and the worlds for all castes who rightly observe their duties. The place of Brahmā is said to be for Brahmins who perform ritual acts; the place of Indra is for Kṣatriyas who do not turn back in battle. For Vaiśyas who follow their own duty, the place of the wind-god is assigned; for Śūdras engaged in service, the Gandharva realm is given. The eighty-eight thousand sages of pure celibacy, as well as those who dwell with their teachers, share a special place. The Seven Sages are assigned the realm of forest-dwellers; householders, the place of Prajāpati; and renunciants, the realm called Brahman. Yogis content in themselves attain the immortal realm, while those ever meditating on Brahman and the yogis reach the highest place that the wise behold. The planets such as the moon and sun come and go, but those who contemplate the twelve-syllabled mantra do not return. In contrast, dreadful realms such as Tāmisra, Andhatāmisra, Mahāraurava, Raurava, the forest of sword-leaves, Kālasūtra, and Avīci are declared as the destinations for those who revile the Veda, destroy sacrifice, and abandon their own duty. Then, Parāśara continued: As Brahmā meditated, mind-born beings arose from him. Along with the faculties and actions that emerged from his body, the embodied souls came forth from the limbs of that wise one. All those beings previously mentioned—from the gods down to the immovable—who exist within the domain of the three qualities, returned again. Thus, both moving and unmoving beings were created. When all those creatures did not increase, Brahmā created other mind-born sons, similar to himself: Bhrigu, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Angiras, Marici, Daksha, Atri, and also Vasistha—these nine are known as the mind-born Brahmas in the Purana. He then created Khyati, Bhuti, Sambhuti, Kshama, Priti, Sannati, Urja, and also Anasuya. In this way, the creation unfolded, with beings, their duties, and the paths of righteousness established according to divine order.