2 - The Progeny of Prajapati: The Race of Daksha

Suta said: 

1. When the sixth creation of subjects i.e. that of Chākṣhuśha (Manvantara) had been (annihilated and) withdrawn, Dakṣha was commanded by the self-born lord himself— “Create the Subjects”. 

2. He (i.e. Dakśha) created all the living beings, the mobile ones as well as the immobile ones. At the outset, the lord created mental living beings. 

3. He created (mentally) the sages, the Devas, the Gandharvas, the human beings, the serpents, the Räkśhasas, the Yakśhas, the Bhūtas (goblins), the Pishacas (ghosts, evil spirits) the birds, the animals and the cattle. 

4. When those subjects created mentally by him did not multiply, they were cursed mentally by the great intelligent lord of great splendour and dignity. 

5-6. Desirous of creating the diverse subjects by means of copulation, he married Asikni, the daughter of Viraņa the Prajāpati. She was endowed with great power of penance. She was the sustainer of the worlds. It was by her that this entire universe consisting of the mobile and the immobile beings was held up. 

7-9. In this connection they cite the following verses as regards the descendants of Prachetas: - 

As Dakșha was formerly wedded to his wife Asikni the daughter of Viraņa, one million proud black serpents followed lord Dakśha who never got entangled in the rivers and mountains. 

On seeing him it was said by the sages that the first Dakśha will establish the subjects here. As for the second Dakşha - he himself is the creator of the subjects. 

10. Thereafter, the one million serpents went away in due course. Dakśha, the son of Prachetas, married Asikni the daughter of Virana there. 

11. Thereafter, lord Dakşha, son of Prachetas, begot a thousand sons of Asikni, the daughter of Virana. They had unlimited prowess. 

12-14. On seeing them, that (Dakśha) of great splendour became desirous of causing the subjects to multiply. 

Närada, the son of Brahma, was delighted in the conversation with the divine sages. He spoke certain words the result of which was their destruction and curse unto himself.¹ (Defective text). Närada was the mental son of Parameșhthin. On account of the curse of Dakşha, he became the mental son of Käshyapa for the second time. 

1. According to Mbh. Adi. 75. 7-8, Nárada instructed this first batch of 1000 sons of Daksha in Sånkhya philosophy. There-by all of them became recluses leading to the frustration of Dakşha's mission of populating the world. Here (VV. 20-27) Närada advised them to know the magnitude of the earth and diverted two batches of Daksha's sons--the Haryashvas and Sabalashvas elsewhere (Bh. P. VI ch. 5). Being frustrated in his plan of populating the world, he cursed Närada to perish and reborn again. 

15-16. "That Närada had formerly been born of Parameshțhin. Dakśha's sons well-known as Haryaśhvas were wholly destroyed for the sake of Dharma (?) There is no doubt that all of them were destroyed by fate. The insuriated lord Dakśha prepared himself for cursing him. 

17-18. Accompanied with Brahmarśhis (Brahmanical sages) ahead of him, he was requested by the highest god Brahma. Thereafter, Dakśha came to a stipulated understanding with Parameșthin “Let Närada become your son, through my daugher.” Thereafter, Daksha gave his beloved daughter to Parameśhthin. Hence, sage Nárada was reborn on account of the fear of his curse.

Samšhapāyana said: 

19. "How were the sons of Prajapati formerly destroyed by the divine sage Nárada? I wish to know this factually in details).”

Sūta said: 

20. Haryaśhvas, the sons of Daksha, were desirous of causing the subjects to flourish. Those sons of great virility assembled. Nárada spoke to them. 

21. “Alas, all of you are childish. You do not know the surface of the Earth internally nor do you know the space above or below. How will you create the subjects?" 

22. On hearing his words, they went away in all directions. Till today they have not returned like the rivers that have fallen into the Ocean. 

23. When they were lost, lord Dakşha, the son of Prachetas, once again begot a thousand sons of Vairaņi. 

24. These sons (known as) Śabalāśvas, were desirous of causing the subjects to flourish. They were told once again by Närada the same words uttered by him before, 

25-26. They said amongst themselves: 

“What the sage says is true. There is no doubt about this that the path of our brothers should be traversed by us. We shall casily create the subjects after understanding thc Earth. We have been duly instructed. After the clarification and illumination of our minds we shall become peaceful and normal. 

27. They too went in all directions along the same path, desirous of getting at thc magnitude and extent of the Earth. They have not returned till today. 

28. Thereafter, if a brother goes in secarch of his (lost) brother he perishes himself quickly. That should not be undertaken by a person who knows this. 

29. When the Śabaláśhvas too perished, lord Daksha became infuriated. He cursed Närada thus— “Become perished. Stay in a womb." 

30. When they were destroyed, that noble-souled lord Daksha begot of Vairaņi herself sixty well known daughters. 

31. Kaśhyapa, Dharma, Soma, the lord (Moon) and other great sages took those daughters as wives. 

32. He who knows factually this creation of Daksha entirely shall become blessed, well renowned and long-lived. He shall have progeny.