5 - Creation 

Sūta said: 

1. O brahmins, while Brahma of unknown origin pondered on creation he became manifested as delusion enveloped in darkness. 

2. Ignorance originated from the self-born Brahma in five25 forms: -darkness (tamas), infatuation (moha), the great infatuation (mahāmoha), gloominess (tämisra), and blinding gloominess (andhatāmisra). 

25. Avidyā, also designated as viparyaya is fivefold. Cf. II.9.30. Its five kinds are defined in the Devi Bhäga. These are subdivided into sixty-two kinds. Cf. II. 9. 34-35. 

3-4. This creation of Brahmã which is enveloped by ignorance is declared to be primary. From this creation emerged the immovables (plants, mountains etc.). He considered this creation incapable of causation. He thought of creating yet. While he thus meditated, his neck turned horizontally. 

5-8. At first the horizontal creation named tiryaksrotas emerged from him; the next was urdhvasrotas chiefly characterized by goodness. Then came arvāksrotas, after that anugraha, and lastly bhūtādi. The first creation of Brahma is known mahat; the seeond of tanmārās as bhautika; the third of the sense organs as aindriya; the fourth of the immovables as mukhya; the fifth of animals as tiryagyoni; the sixth of gods as daivika; the seventh of mankind as mānuşha; the eighth (of emotions) as anugraha; the ninth of Kumāras as Kaumārya.26 These are Prākruta and Vaikruta creations. 

26. Ninefold creation: The Purāņic cosmology divides the cosmic creation into nine classes. For detail, see SP. (English trans. p. 248 note 214). 

9-11. Formerly, O excellent sages, Brahmä сreated Sananda, Sanaka and Sanātana. By refraining from worldly activities they attained the Supreme Being. By his yogic accomplishment he created Marichi, Bhrugu, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Daksha, Atri and Vasishtha. These nine sons of Brahmã were the knowers of Brahman and excellent brahmins. They are known as expounders of brahman and were equal to Brahmā himself. 

12. He Had three more sons Sankalpa, Dharma and Adharma. Adharma is always present near Dharma. Thus there were twelve progenies of Brahmă of unknown origin. 

13-14. The eternal lord had at the outset created Rubhu and Sanatkumāra. These two eldest sons became the divine expounders of Brahman. Bring five from sexual desire they remained bachelors and rose equal in wisdom te Brahmā. They were omniscient and possessed of all merits. I shall now state Succinetly the names of the wives of the brahmanical sages and the birth of their progenies, O excellent sages. 

15-17. The lord created Viraja (Manu and Vairājñi Shatarūpā who was not born of womb. She bore two sons and (no daughters to Manu. The elder was the intelligent Priyavrata and the younger Uttānapada. The elder daughter was Akūti and the younge was Prasūti. 

18-26. Prajapati Ruchi married Akūti and lord Dakṣha married Prasūti the mother of the worlds and a great Yogini. Akūti gave birth to a son Yajña and a daughter Dakşhiņā. Dakşhiņā gave birth to twelve illustrious sons. Prasuti of great penance bore twentyfour daughters to Daksha viz., -Shraddhã (faith), Lakşhmi (good fortune), Dhruti, Puşhti, Tuşhti, Medha, Kriyā, Buddhi (constancy), Lajjā (Modesty), Vapus (beauty), Shanti (tranquillity), Siddhi (perfection), Kirti (fame), Khyati (celebrity), Satī (truth), Sambhūti (fitness), Smruti (memory), Priti (affection), Kşhamă (patience), Sannati (humility), Anasūya (sincerity), Urjā (strength), Svāhā (oblation to the gods), Araņi and the blessed Svadha (oblation to the pitrus). He gave them duly in marriage. The first thirteen daughters Shraddhā to Kirti married the patriarch Dharma. The wise Bhrugu married Khyäti; Bhargava (Shukra) married Araņi; Marichi (married) Sambhūti; Angiras (married) Smruti. The other married pairs were: Prīti and Pulastya, Kşhamā and Pulaha, Sannati and Kratu, Atri and Anasüyā, Urjā and Vasişhtha, Svähã and Vibhāvasu, Svadhã and the Pitrus. 

27-28. Sati the mental creation of the lord was adopted as his daughter by Daksha. She the mother of the worlds attained Rudra as her husband. At the beginning of the creation Brahmā had created a Being (Rudra) possessed of a body half man's and half women's27 and then the Creator said, “Divide thyself." And he being accosted thus, divided himself into two. It was then that she was born. 

27. This half-male and half-female form of lord Shiva is most popular in ancient sculpture. The concept has its basis in the Purusha-Prakruti doctrine of the Samkhya philosophers. 

29. All the women in three worlds are born of the female part. Similarly, all the eleven Rudras28& originated from his male part. 

28. Eleven Rudras. For the names of eleven Rudras, see 1. 82. 40-41. Their names are variously mentioned in the Puråņas. For instance, Matsya has two lists 5. 29-30; 153. 19) which differ from each other. Vāyu agrees with Matsya only in three names. Bhavişhya (125.7) gives a different list. For the interpretation of these names and other detail, see MP, A Study PP. 65-67. 

30-33. Everything feminine in gender is she herself and everything masculine is Rudra himself. Keeping Rudra in view, lord Brahmã looked at Daksha and said, “Worship her, she is of good holy rites, the mother of all the worlds, of mine as well as yours. If the word putri (daughter) is interpreted as 'one who saves from the hell "put" she will become the excellent wife of Rudra and the mother of the Universe. She shall be your daughter and known as Sati. 

Thus urged by Brahmā Daksha obtained her as his daughter and respectfully gave her to Rudra (in marriage). 

34. The thirteen wives of Dharma, Shraddha and others have already been mentioned, I shall now mention the progeny of Dharma from those wives, in due order. 

35-36. They are Kāma (love), Darpa (pride), Niyama (restraint), Santosha (contentment), Lobha (covetousness), Shruta (learning), Daņda (punishment), Samaya (agreement), Bodha (wisdom), Apramāda (non-erring). Vinava (humility), Vyavasāya industry), Kşhema (welfare), Sukha (happiness) and Yaśhas (fame). These are the offspring of Dharma. 

37-40. Dharma begot of Kriyā (activity) and Buddhi (in telligence) two sons each viz., Danda (punishment) and Samaya (agreement) of the former, Apramāda (non-erring) and Budha (wisdom) of the latter. Hence the sons of Dharma and Adharma are fifteen in all, Bhrugu's wife Khyāti gave birth to Shri, (who became) the wife of Vişhņu and to two sons Dhāt; and Vidhats who later became the sone in-law of Meru. Prabhūti, wife of Marichi, gave birth to two sons: Pürņamāsa and Maricha and four daughters: Tuşhti, Drușhti, Krușhi and Apachiti. 

41-45. O great sages, Kshamā bore to Pulaha three sons: Kardama, Varīyas and Sahisņu and one daughter Pivarī, golden in colour and stout as the earth. Pulastya begins of Priti two sons Dattorņa and Vedabāhu and a daughter Druşhasvati. Sannati, wife of Kratu gave birth to sixty thousand sons who are known as Bālakhilyas. Smruti, wife of sage Angiras, gave birth to four daughters: Siniväli, Kuhu, Rākā and Anumati after obtaining three sons: Anubhāva, Agni and Kirtimãn, O sages of holy rites. 

46-50. Anasuyā, the wife of Atri, gave birth to six children, a daughter Shruti and five sons: Satyanetra, Bhavyamurti, Apa, Shanaishchara and Soma; the sixth was Shruti (mentioned above). The affectionate mother Urjā bore to Vasişhtha seven handsome sons: Rajas, Suhotra, Bāhu, Sahisna, Anagha, Sutapas and Shukra. To the god of fire who identifies himself with Rudra and is the eldest son of Brahmã and also the very life of the people, Svähā bore three sons, for the welfare of the three worlds.