Chapter 65

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Then Indra had a consultation with Narayana aboutthe latter’s descent on the earth from heaven with all the gods accordingto their respective parts. And, having commanded all the dwellers inheaven, Indra returned from the abode of Narayana.

And the dwellers inheaven gradually became incarnate on earth for the destruction of theAsuras and for the welfare of the three worlds. And then, O tiger amongkings, the celestials had their births, according as they pleased, in theraces of Brahmarshis and royal sages. And they slew the Danavas,Rakshasas, Gandharvas and Snakes, other man-eaters, and many othercreatures. And, O bull in the Bharata race, the Danavas, Rakshasas andGandharvas and Snakes, could not slay the incarnate celestials even intheir infancy, so strong they were.’

“Janamejaya said, ‘I desire to hear from the beginning of the births ofthe gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, men, Yakshas andRakshasas. Therefore, it behoveth thee to tell me about the births of allcreatures.’

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Indeed, I shall, having bowed down to theSelf-create, tell thee in detail the origin of the celestials and othercreatures. It is known that Brahman hath six spiritual sons, viz.,Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu. And Marichi’s son isKasyapa, and from Kasyapa have sprung these creatures. Unto Daksha (oneof the Prajapatis) were born thirteen daughters of great good fortune.The daughters of Daksha are, O tiger among men and prince of the Bharatarace, Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kala, Danayu, Sinhika, Krodha, Pradha, Viswa,Vinata, Kapila, Muni, and Kadru. The sons and grandsons of these, giftedwith great energy, are countless. From Aditi have sprung the twelveAdityas who are the lords of the universe. And, O Bharata, as they areaccording to their names, I shall recount them to thee. They are Dhatri,Mitra, Aryaman, Sakra, Varuna, Ansa, Vaga, Vivaswat, Usha, Savitri,Tvashtri, and Vishnu. The youngest, however, is superior to them all inmerit. Diti had one son called Hiranyakasipu. And the illustriousHiranyakasipu had five sons, all famous throughout the world. The eldestof them all was Prahlada, the next was Sahradha; the third was Anuhrada;and after him were Sivi and Vashkala. And, O Bharata, it is knowneverywhere that Prahlada had three sons. They were Virochana, Kumbha, andNikumbha. And unto Virochana was born a son, Vali, of great prowess. Andthe son of Vali is known to be the great Asura, Vana. And blessed withgood fortune, Vana was a follower of Rudra, and was known also by thename of Mahakala. And Danu had forty sons, O Bharata! The eldest of themall was Viprachitti of great fame Samvara, and Namuchi and Pauloman;Asiloman, and Kesi and Durjaya; Ayahsiras, Aswasiras, and the powerfulAswasanku; also Gaganamardhan, and Vegavat, and he called Ketumat;Swarbhanu, Aswa, Aswapati, Vrishaparvan, and then Ajaka; and Aswagriva,and Sukshama, and Tuhunda of great strength, Ekapada, and Ekachakra,Virupaksha, Mahodara, and Nichandra, and Nikumbha, Kupata, and thenKapata; Sarabha, and Sulabha, Surya, and then Chandramas; these in therace of Danu are stated to be well-known. The Surya and Chandramas (theSun and the Moon) of the celestials are other persons, and not the sonsof Danu as mentioned above. The following ten, gifted with great strengthand vigour, were also, O king, born in the race of Danu;–Ekaksha,Amritapa of heroic courage, Pralamva and Naraka, Vatrapi, Satrutapana,and Satha, the great Asura; Gavishtha, and Vanayu, and the Danava calledDirghajiva. And, O Bharata, the sons and the grandsons of these wereknown to be countless. And Sinhika gave birth to Rahu, the persecutor ofthe Sun and the Moon, and to three others, Suchandra, Chandrahantri, andChandrapramardana. And the countless progeny of Krura (krodha) were ascrooked and wicked as herself. And the tribe was wrathful, of crookeddeeds, and persecutors of their foes. And Danayu also had four sons whowere bulls among the Asuras. They were Vikshara, Vala, Vira, and Vritrathe great Asura. And the sons of Kala were all like Yama himself andsmiter of all foes. And they were of great energy, and oppressors of allfoes. And the sons of Kala were Vinasana and Krodha, and thenKrodhahantri, and Krodhasatru. And there were many others among the sonsof Kala. And Sukra, the son of a Rishi, was the chief priest of theAsuras. And the celebrated Sukra had four sons who were priests of theAsuras. And they were Tashtadhara and Atri, and two others of fiercedeeds. They were like the Sun himself in energy, and set their hearts onacquiring the regions of Brahman.

“Thus hath been recited by me, as heard in the Purana, of progeny of thegods and the Asuras, both of great strength and energy. I am incapable, Oking, of counting the descendants of these, countless as they are, arenot much known to fame.

“And the sons of Vinata were Tarkhya and Arishtanemi, and Garuda andAruna, and Aruni and Varuni. And Sesha or Ananta, Vasuki, Takshaka,Kumara, and Kulika are known to be the sons of Kadru; and Bhimasena,Ugrasena, Suparna, Varuna, Gopati, and Dhritarashtra, and Suryavarchasthe seventh, Satyavachas, Arkaparna, Prayuta, Bhima, and Chitrarathaknown to fame, of great learning, and a controller of his passions, andthen Kalisiras, and, O king, Parjanya, the fourteenth in the list, Kali,the fifteenth, and Narada, the sixteenth–these Devas and Gandharvas areknown to be the sons of Muni (Daksha’s daughter as mentioned before). Ishall recount many others, O Bharata! Anavadya Manu, Vansa, Asura,Marganapria, Anupa, Subhaga, Vasi, were the daughters brought forth byPradha, Siddha, and Purna, and Varhin, and Purnayus of great fame,Brahmacharin, Ratiguna, and Suparna who was the seventh; Viswavasu,Bhanu, and Suchandra who was the tenth, were also the sons of Pradha. Allthese were celestial Gandharvas. And it is also known that this Pradha ofgreat fortune, through the celestial Rishi (Kasyapa, her husband),brought forth the sacred of the Apsaras, Alamvusha, Misrakesi,Vidyutparna, Tilottama, Aruna, Rakshita, Rambha, Manorama, Kesini,Suvahu, Surata, Suraja, and Supria were the daughters, and Ativahu andthe celebrated Haha and Huhu, and Tumvuru were the sons–the best ofGandharvas–of Pradha and Amrita. The Brahmanas, kine, Gandharvas, andApsaras, were born of Kapila as stated in the Purana.

“Thus hath been recited to thee by me the birth of all creatures duly–ofGandharvas and Apsaras, of Snakes, Suparnas, Rudras, and Maruts; of kineand of Brahmanas blessed with great good fortune, and of sacred deeds.And this account (if read) extendeth the span of life, is sacred, worthyof all praise, and giveth pleasure to the ear. It should be always heardand recited to others, in a proper frame of mind.

“He who duly readeth this account of the birth of all high-souledcreatures in the presence of the gods and Brahmanas, obtaineth largeprogeny, good fortune, and fame, and attaineth also to excellent worldshereafter.'”