From the union of Māriṣā and the ten Pracetas was born Prajāpati Dakṣa, a being of great fortune and wisdom, who had previously been the son of Brahmā himself. This Dakṣa, blessed and learned, undertook the task of creation by generating sons from himself, intending to fill the world with living beings. Obeying the command of Brahmā, Dakṣa produced both higher and lower forms of life—creatures that walked on two legs and those that moved on four—all for the sake of continuing creation. In the beginning, Dakṣa created offspring through the power of his mind alone. Later, he produced women, and among them, he gave ten to Dharma, thirteen to Kaśyapa, and twenty-seven to Soma, the moon god, whose wives are connected with the regulation of time itself. From these unions arose the gods, demons, serpents, cows, birds, gandharvas, apsaras, danavas, and many others. From that era onward, O Maitreya, all beings began to be born from the union of male and female, whereas before, due to the extraordinary austerities of the great ascetics, progeny had come forth from intention, sight, and touch alone. At this point, Maitreya inquired, “I have heard, O sage, that Dakṣa was first born from the right thumb. How then did he become the son of Pracetas and appear again? This matter puzzles me deeply: how did Dakṣa, the son of Soma, once more become a father-in-law to the gods?” Parāśara replied, “Creation and dissolution are eternal cycles for all beings; those with divine vision are not confused by these recurring events. In every age, O wise Maitreya, beings such as Dakṣa arise and are dissolved again, and the truly wise are not bewildered by this. In former times, there was neither youngest nor eldest among them; only austerity was honored, and brilliance alone was the cause of greatness.” Maitreya then asked for a detailed account of the origins of the gods, demons, gandharvas, serpents, and rakshasas. Parāśara responded, “In the beginning, Svayambhu, the self-born, instructed Dakṣa to create living beings. Listen, O sage, to how Dakṣa fulfilled this command. First, Dakṣa created by mind alone: gods, sages, gandharvas, asuras, and serpents. But when these mind-born beings did not multiply, Dakṣa, reflecting upon the need for further creation, considered a new way. Desiring to produce diverse beings through lawful union, Dakṣa took Asikni, the daughter of the prajāpati Virana, as his wife. She was a woman of great austerity and the sustainer of worlds. Together, they begot a thousand powerful sons. Narada, the divine sage, approached these sons, known as the Haryashvas, and sought to guide them. He said, ‘O Haryashvas, mighty in strength, you are destined to produce offspring, and your efforts are evident. Yet, you are still childish, for you do not know the true nature of the earth. How can you create progeny when you do not understand what lies within, above, and below? If movement is unimpeded in all directions, why do you not perceive the end of the earth?’ Hearing these words, the Haryashvas set out in all directions to find the limits of the earth, and to this day, they have not returned, just as rivers flow ceaselessly to the ocean. When his sons did not return, Dakṣa, the son of Pracetas, begot another thousand sons by Vairuni, known as the Shabalashvas, or those with mottled horses. These, too, sought to increase the population and, discussing among themselves, resolved to follow the path of their elder brothers, as Narada had explained. ‘Having understood the measure of the earth, let us then create offspring,’ they said. And so, they departed in all directions, and like their brothers before them, they have not returned. From that time, O twice-born, it is said that a brother who goes in search of another brother perishes in the same way; thus, one who knows this truth should not act so. Seeing the loss of his sons, Dakṣa, the lord of creatures, became angry and cursed Narada. Yet, still intent on creation, Dakṣa then produced sixty daughters by Vairuni, as tradition recounts. He gave ten of these daughters to Dharma, thirteen to Kashyapa, twenty-seven to Soma, and four to Arishtanemi. Two each were given to Bahuputra, Angiras, and the learned Krishashva. Their names are as follows: Arundhati, Vasu, Jami, Laghna, Bhanu, Marutvati, Sankalpa, Muhurta, Sadhya, and Vishva—these were the ten wives of Dharma. From these unions, many divine beings were born. From Vishva came the Visvedevas; from Sadhya, the Sadhyas; from Marutvati, the Maruts; and from Vasu, the Vasus. The sons of Bhanu were known as the Bhanuvas, and those of Muhurta as the Muhurtajas. Laghna bore Ghosha, and Jami bore Nagavithi. All things pertaining to the earth were born from Arundhati, and from Sankalpa, the universal soul, Sankalpa himself was born. The eight Vasus, gods of many forms and lives, radiant and led by light, are: Apa (Water), Dhruva (the Pole Star), Soma (the Moon), Dharma (Righteousness), Anila (Wind), Anala (Fire), Pratyusha (Dawn), and Prabhasa (Light). Apa’s sons were Vaitanda, Shrama, Shanta, and Adhvani; Dhruva’s son was the illustrious Kala, who reveals the worlds. Soma’s son was the radiant Varco, source of brilliance. Dharma’s sons were Dravina and Hutahavyavaha. From Manohara were born Shishira, Prana, and Ravana. Thus, O Maitreya, did Dakṣa, through his sons and daughters, fill the worlds with gods, sages, and all forms of life, following the eternal cycles of creation as instructed by the divine.