In the beginning, there was water everywhere. In the water there emerged a golden egg. Brahma was born inside this egg. He created himself and is called Svayambhu,( born by himself ). For one whole year, Brahma lived inside the egg. He then split the egg into two and created heaven and the earth from the two parts of the egg. Skies, directions, time, language and senses were created in both heaven and earth.
From the powers of his mind, Brahma gave birth to seven great sages. Their names were Marichi, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vashishtha. Brahma also created the god Rudra and the sage Sanatkumara.
Birth of Manu
After that , Brahma gave birth to a man and a woman from his own body. The man was named Manu and the woman was named Shatarupa. Humans (manavas) are descended from Manu.
Manu and Shatarupa had three sons named Vira, Priyavrata and Uttanapada.
Uttanapada’s son was the great Dhruva. Dhruva performed very difficult meditation (tapasya) for three thousand divine years. Brahma was so pleased at this that he granted Dhruva an eternal place in the sky, near the constellation that is known as saptarshi or the seven sages. This is the constellation Ursa Majoris and Dhruva is the pole Star.
Birth of Daksha
In Dhruva’s line there was a king named Prachinavarhi. Prachinavarhi had ten sons, known as the Prachetas who were supposed to rule over it, but they were not interested. They went off to perform tapasya under the ocean for ten thousand years. As Prachetas were not available, the earth had no ruler and began to suffer. People started to die and thick forests sprouted everywhere. So thick were the forests that even the winds could not blow.
When the Prachetas came to know about this they created wind (vayu) and fire (agni) from their mouths. The wind dried up the trees and the fire burnt them. Very soon, there were very few trees left on earth.
Everyone was alarmed at the effects of the Prachetas anger. The moon-god Chandra came to the Prachetas with a beautiful woman named Marisha and asked Prachetas, to control their anger. Chandra said that her son will rule over the world so that they can concentrate on their tapasya.
The Prachetas agreed to this proposal and Daksha was born to Prachetas. Daksha ruled over the world.
Sons of Daksha
Daksha’s wife was named Asikli and she gave birth to five thousand sons. They were known as the Haryashvas. The Haryashvas were destined to rule over the world. But the sage Narada went to the Haryashvas and said, “How can you rule over the world if you don’t even know what the world looks like? Are you familiar with its geography and its limits?”
The Haryashvas went off to explore the world and never returned.
Daksha and Asikli then had another thousand sons who were named the Shavalashvas. Narada told them what he had told the Haryashvas and the Shavalashvas also went off to explore the world and never returned.
Daksha and Asikli were distressed that their children should disappear in this manner. Daksha blamed Narada for the instigation and proposed to kill him. But Brahma intervened and persuaded Daksha to control his anger. This Daksha agreed to do, provided that Brahma marry one of his daughters Priya and Narada to be born as Priya’s son. These conditions were accepted.
Daughters of Daksha
Daksha and Asikli had sixty daughters. Ten of these daughters were married to the god Dharma and thirteen to the sage Kashyapa. Twenty-seven daughters were married to Chandra. The remaining daughters were married to the sages Arishtanemi, Vahuputra, Angirasa and Krishashva.
Married to Dharma
The ten daughters who were married to the god Dharma were named Arundhati, Vasu, Yami, Lamba, Bhanu, Marutvati, Sankalpa, Muhurta. Sadhya and Vishva.
Arundhati’s children were the objects of the world (vishaya).
Vasu’s children were the eight gods known as the Vasus. Their names were Apa, Dhruva, Soma, Dhara, Salila, Anala, Pratyusha and Prabhasa.
Anala’s son was Kumara. Because Kumara was brought up by goddesses known as the Krittikas, he came to be called Kartikeya.
Prabhasa’s son was Vishvakarma. Vishvakarma was skilled in architecture and the making of jewelry. He became the architect of the gods.
Sadhya’s children were the gods known as Sadhyadevas
Vishva’s children were the gods known as Vishvadervas.
Married to Chandra
The twenty-seven daughters of Daksha who were married to Soma are known as the nakshatras (stars).
Married to Kashyapa
Kashyapa married thirteen of Daksha’s daughters. Their names were Aditi, Diti, Danu, Arishta, Surasa, Khasa, Surabhi, Vinata. Tamra, Krodhavasha, Ila, Kadru and Muni.
Aditi’s sons were the twelve gods known as the adityas. Their names were Vishnu, Shakra. Aryama, Dhata, Vidhata, Tvashta, Pusha, Vivasvana, Savita, MitraVaruna, Amsha and Bhaga.
Diti’s sons were the demons (daityas). They were named Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu, and amongst their descendants were several other powerful daityas liked Bali and Banasura.
Diti’s daughter named Simhika who was married to a danava (demon) named Viprachitti. Their offspring’s were terrible demons like Vatapi, Namuchi, Ilvala, Maricha and the nivatakavachas.
Danu had hundred sons known as danavas. The danavas were thus cousins to the daityas and also to the adityas. In the danava line were born demons like the poulamas and kalakeyas.
Arishta’s sons were the singers of heaven (gandharvas) .
Surasa gave birth to the snakes (sarpa).
Khasa’s children were the yakshasand became the companions of the god of wealth (Kubera) and the rakshasas (demons).
Surabhi’s descendants were cows and buffaloes.
Vinata had two sons named Aruna and Garuda. Garuda became the king of the birds.
Tamra has six daughters. From these daughters were born owls, eagles, vultures, crows, water-fowl, horses, camels and donkeys.
Krodhavasha had fourteen thousand children known as nagas (snakes).
Ila gave birth to trees, creepers, shrubs and bushes.
Kadru’s sons were also known as nagas or snakes. Among the more important of Kadru’s sons were Ananta, Vasuki, Takshaka and Nahusha.
Muni gave birth to the dancers of heaven (apsaras).
The universe and the world is created.