Description of Creation

Suta said

The Prajapati born of the water created beings. As Purusha he gained Shatarupa as his wife, not born of a womb. In his greatness, born of water, he stayed there covering the sky. Following dharma, the great-souled one gave birth to Shatarupa. For a hundred years she tormented herself in very hard austerities and gained as husband Purusha blazing with austerity. She bore a Purusha called Svayambhuva Manu, whose manvantara is described as seventy-one mahayugas. Through Vairaja Purusha patient Shatarupa bore the brave Priyavrata and Uttanapada. The very fortunate Kamya was the wife of Prajapati Kardama and had three sons: Samrat, Sakshi and Avitprabhu. Lord Uttanapada had sons equal to Shakra, among them the divine Dhruva, very radiant and blissful in self. Dharma's daughter of fine hips, famous as Suniti, was his mother, and Dhruva was born through her by dharma. While still a child Dhruva practised austerities for three thousand divine years in a desolate spot, wanting a place that would not decay. Pleased, the lord Prajapati Brahma gave him a region like his own, immovable and in front of the seven sages. Dhruva had two sons, Pushti and Dhanya. Through Samuttha, Pushti had five faultless sons: Ripu, Ripunjaya, Vipra, Vrikala and Vrishatejas. Ripu's queen bore Chakshusha, lord of all the directions. Through Pushkarini, Chakshusha Manu had Varuna as a son. Best of sages, through Nadvala, Vaishya's daughter, Manu had ten very energetic sons: Puru, Masa, Shatadyumna, Tapasvi, Satyavit, Kavi, Agnishtoma, Atiratra, Atimanyu and Suyasha the tenth. Through Agneyi, Kuru had six very radiant sons: Anga, Sumanas, Khyati, Sriti, Angiras and Gaya. Through Sunitha, Anga had a single son, Vena. Because of Vena's wicked deeds the sages devoted to dharma were filled with great rage and killed him with a humkara. Then, for the sake of offspring, Sunitha entreated the rishis, and the Sarasvatas and others kneaded his right hand, and Prithu was born from it, with bow and armour, bright as the sun, born as an avatara of Vishnu to protect subjects, preserve dharma and punish the wicked. Prithu Venya always protected the earth and was the ancestor of kshatriyas, lord of the earth and the first to be consecrated for the rajasuya. The skilled sutas and magadhas were born through him. Best of sages, for everyone's welfare he milked the earth. The king performed a hundred sacrifices and provided a livelihood for all: gods, rishis, asuras, rakshasas and especially humans. Prithu had two sons who knew dharma and were known on earth as Parthivas, Vijitashva and Haryaksha, very brave and famous. Shikhandini bore Prachinabarhi, and as he roamed the earth its surface was covered with kusha grass pointing east. Following dharma he married the ocean's daughter and, having a wife, became even more radiant. Through her Prachinabarhi had ten sons and performed many sacrifices, and also had a divine daughter. All the sons were known as Prachetas and were skilled in archery. All of them tormented themselves in great austerities, keeping the same dharma, immersed in the ocean's water for ten thousand years, devoted to meditation on Shiva and doing japa with the Rudra Gita. While they were at austerities the earth was unprotected and became covered with trees, and the subjects were destroyed. Tiger among sages, seeing this when they came back, having done austerities and gained boons, they wished to burn the trees down by the strength of austerity. Wind and fire came from the Prachetas' mouths, the wind uprooting the trees and the fire burning them. Seeing the trees destroyed but some branches left, the powerful King Soma came and said: kings, sons of Prachinabarhi, restrain your anger. This is Anubhuta, the trees' daughter, beautiful in complexion. Earlier, since I knew the future, I nurtured her in my womb. This very fortunate one will be your wife and extend Soma's line. She will bear a learned son, Prajapati Daksha, who was Brahma's son in ancient times and will be a great creator. Through half your energy and mine he will be a lord of the earth full of Brahma's energy and will make beings prosper. The Prachetas agreed to Soma's words and, following dharma, gladly took the fair-complexioned daughter of the trees as their wife.

She bore the Prajapati named Daksha, sage, that very energetic one born also as part of Soma's portion. Daksha created moving and unmoving things, bipeds and quadrupeds by his mental powers, and then began to use union for creation. Following the excellent rules of dharma he married Virani, daughter of Prajapati Virana, who was devoted to her husband. Through her he had ten thousand auspicious sons, the Haryashvas, who by Narada's teaching became non-attached. Hearing this, Daksha again had a thousand sons through her, the Subalashvas, and by the sage's teaching they too took their brothers' path, detached and following the mendicants' way, never returning to their parents. Hearing this, Daksha grew angry and laid an unbearable curse on the sage: "You who love conflict, you will never be able to stay in one place." Comforted by Brahma, he then created women, lord among sages, of great qualities and forms like great blazes. Supreme sage, he gave ten to Dharma, thirteen to Kashyapa, two to Brahmaputra, two to Angiras and two to the learned sage Krishashva. Lord Daksha gave the rest, called the nakshatras, to Soma. Gods, asuras and others were born from Daksha's sons, famous and with many children, filling the universe. Since then, Indra among brahmanas, beings have been born through union; before this, creation is said to have been through mind, sight and touch.

Shounaka asked

Earlier you said Daksha was born from Brahma's thumb. How did the great ascetic become the Prachetas' son again? Suta, I have a doubt and you should explain. It is also astonishing that he should become Soma's father-in-law. How did this happen?

Suta replied

Creation and destruction of beings go on constantly. Sage, Daksha and the others are born in every kalpa. One who knows this about Daksha's creation of moving and unmoving things gains offspring and a long, full life and greatness in heaven.