Thereupon having created divisons of the West, the Lord created the charming mountain of half gold and half silver in the south. Holding on one side the effulgence of the sun and on the other that of the moon that best of mountains shone there greatly in beauty (16–17). That mountain was as if simultaneously spread over with the rays of the sun and the moon. Thereupon he created in that quarter the huge mountain Bhānumanta. That mountain was covered with celestial trees conferring all wished-for fruits. Then he created the mount Kunjara of the shape of an elephant (18-19). It had golden rooms on all sides and was many yojanas in extent. He then created the mount Rishabha of the shape of a bear. It was covered with golden sandal trees and was as if smiling with flowers. He then created the mountain chief Mahendra a hundred yojanas in height. It had golden summits and huge blossoming trees. The Lord created that huge mountain on earth, which, filled with diverse jems, was effulgent like the sun and the moon. He then created the mountain Malaya adorned with many blossoming trees (20–23). He then created the mount Maināka covered with a net of rocks. He placed that huge mountain in the southern quarter (24). He then created the mount Vindhyā endued with a thousand summits and covered with various trees and creepers. He then created the celebrated river Payodhara, full of milk like sweet water, whirlpools and endowed with spacious banks. That river beautified the southern quarter (25–26). Having placed in the southern quarter that sacred river of a hundred branches and many holy pilgrimages the Lord repaired to the western quarter. There he created a huge mountain a hundred Yojanas in height. It was adorned with variegated and golden rocks, caves, Shāla, Tala and other trees shining like the sun and beautiful altars made of gold. The Lord established sixty thousand mountains in the Western division. There he created a Vaidurya mountain named Barāha in imitation of his own boar form. There were golden and silvery rocks. There he also established the huge Chakravān mountain of a thousand summits resembling his own discus. He also created the silvery mountain Shanka covered with dark-blue trees resembling his conch-shell. On the summit of that mountain he placed the huge tree Pārijata produced from gold and jems. The Lord Barāha created in the western division the sacred and celebrated river Ghritadhārā of profuse water. Having thus created many divisions of the West he established in the north many golden and beautiful mountains. He then created the golden mountain Shoumya of the effulgence of the sun and extent of the sky. Even when divested of the sun the country was lighted up with its effulgence. As with the heat of the sun the lunar region is lighted up so as if with the effulgence of that mountain the sun shone. It appears, from the subtle signs that the sun is giving its heat. Its thousand summits were filled with various shrines. He then created again the setting (Asta) hill filled with various jems. He then created there the charming and most beautiful mountains Mandara and Gandhamādana covered with flowers. On the summit of the latter he created the wonderful golden river Jamvu. He then created the mounts Trishikhara, Pushkara, Shubhra Pāndura, the foremost of mountains Kailāsha of the hue of a cloud and the mountain chief Himalaya covered with heavenly minerals. The Lord, assuming the form of a boar, created in the nothern division the heavenly river Madhudhārā endued with all virtues and a hundred mouths. All those mountains had wings and could assume forms at will. The Lord Paramesthin made them all many coloured. Having thus made the various divisions of the earth the Lord thought of creating the gods and Asuras. The divine destroyer of the world, having blood-red eyes, created, on all sides, for the behoof of mankind, many beautiful hills and sacred rivers full of water (27-50).
CHAPTER XXXII. THE CREATION OF THE VEDAS.
Vaishampāyana said:—Thus desirous of creating the universe the Lord began to think. While he was thus meditating a Purusha came out of his mouth. Arriving before the Lord, the Purusha asked "What shall I do?" The Lord, the master of the universe, smilingly replied:—"Divide yourself into two." Saying this, the Lord disappeared. O Bhārata, when the Lord disappeared bodily no relic of his movement was seen there like unto a lamp put out. Then the Hiranyagarbha, who is sung in the Vedas, began to meditate on the words uttered by Him. Formerly the Lord of the universe was the only Patriarch therefore he alone is entitled to sacrificial offerings.
The Patriarch said:—The Great one asked me to divide myself into two, but I have a great doubt regarding the division of Self into two. When the Patriarch was thinking thus the word Om was recited; with its sound the earth, sky, and heaven were filled. When Prajapati's mind was practising Om again from the heart of the god of gods, sprang Vashatkar. Again originated the three great sacred words Om, Bhur, Bhuva, etc., with which the heaven, earth and sky are filled. Afterwards was produced the sacred Gayatri of twenty-four words the originator of metres. Completely recollecting that celestial verse Prajapati created Savitri. The Lord then created the four Vedas, Rik, Saman, Atharvan and Yayush with their accompanying religious rites (1-11).
Thereupon from his mind emanated Sana, Sanaka, Sanātana, Barava, Sanandana, and the omnipotent Sanatkumar. With Rudra these six Rishis are the mind-begotten sons of Brahma. In Yoga Tantra the Yatis and the Brāhmanas speak highly of these six Rishis, Brahmā and Kapila. Afterwards the Self-sprung Deity created his eight mind-begotten sons namely Marichi, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Angira and Maru and the Pitris of all creatures, gods, Asuras and Rakshasas. At the end of Nishesha Kalpa, the termination of the thousand Yugas, all these and their offspring disappeared from the world. Again after a thousand years these celestial Yogins, capable of procreating progeny, will again take birth. For a particular work with the end of every cycle the gods change their names and births. From Prajāpati's right thumb the divine Daksha was born. His wife was born from Brahma's left thumb. Daksha begat on that wife his celebrated daughters the mothers of the world. O king, with their progeny the whole world is covered. Thinking in his mind about the multiplication of his progeny Daksha conferred his daughters, Aditi, Diti, Kātā, Anāyu, Sinhikā, Muni, Prādhā, Krodhā, Surabhi, Vinatā, Surasā, Danu and Kadru on Kashyapa. Daksha gave his ten daughters namely Arundhati, Vasu, Yāmi, Lamvā, Bhimā, Marudvati, Sangkalpa, Muhurtta, Sādhyā and Vishwā, on Brahmā's son, Manu. Then he conferred his beautiful daughters of blameless limbs, having lotus like eyes and full-moon-like countenances, namely Kirti, Lakshmi, Dhriti, Pushti, Buddhi, Medhā, Kriya, Mati, and Lajjā, on Dharma. Then was born Atri's son Atreya full of water. He was of a thousand rays, the lord of planets and the dispeller of darkness. Prāchetas Daksha conferred on him his most excellent twenty-seven daughters, Nakshatra, Yogini, Rohini, etc. Hear, I will name the progeny of Kashyapa, Manu, Dharma and Shashi. Kashyapa begat on Aditi the gods Aryamā, Varuna, Mitra, Pusha, Dhātā, Purandara, Twashta, Bhaga, Angsha, Savita and Parjanya. We have also heard that Kashyapa begat on Diti two sons. They were Hiranyakashipu and the powerful Hiranyaksha. They were endued with incomparable prowess and like unto Kashyapa in asceticism. Hiranyakashipu had five sons who were all very powerful. They were Pralhāda, Anulava, Sanglahda, Hlāda and Anulhada. Pralhāda had three highly powerful sons, namely Virochana, Jambha and Kujāmbha. Virochana's son was Bali whose only son was Vāna. His son was Indradamana, the victor of hostile cities. Danu had numerous children who were all celebrated as great Asuras in the world. Of them the first-born Viprachitti became the king. Krodhā had many sons and grand-sons who were called Krodhavashas. They were highly dreadful and ruthless. Singhikā gave birth to Rāhu who assailed the sun and the moon. He devours the moon and destroys the sun. Kāta’s children were like unto Death, highly dreadful effulgent, like dark blue clouds and had eyes shining like the sun. Kadru had many sons of whom the thousand headed Sesha, Vāsuki and Takshaka acquired ascendancy. They were all virtuous, well-read in the Vedas, engaged in doing good unto creatures, givers of boons and capable of assuming forms at will. Vinatā's sons were Tarksha, Aristhanemi, the highly powerful Garuda, Aruna and Aruni. Pradhā gave birth to the daughters Anavadyā, Anukā, Anunā, Arunapryā, Anuga, Subhagā and the eight holy Apsaras worshipped even by the celestial saints. Alamvasha, Misrakeshi, Pundarikā, Tilottamā, Surupa, Lakshmanā, Kshemā, Rambhā, Mandramā, Asitā, Suvahu, Suvritta, Sumukhi, Supryā, Sugandhyā, Surasā, Pramathini, Kāshya and Shāradvati were celebrated as Manneya Apsaras. Vishwāvasu and Bharanya were known as Gandharvas; Menakā, Sahajanyā, Parnini, Punjikasthata, Kratusthata, Ghitachi, Vishwāchi, Urvashi, Anumlochā, Pramlochā and Manovati, these ten were the celebrated Apsaras. From Prajāpati's determination were produced ambrosia, liked by the whole world, the Brāhmanas, the cows and the Rudras. They have been all described in the Purana as the offspring of Subrahi. I have thus described the progeny of Kashyapa, I will now describe that of Manu.
O sinless one, I will describe them to you in brief. Vishwā gave birth to Vishadevas and Sādhyā to Sādhyas. Marudvati gave birth to Maruts and from Vasu Vasus were born. Bhānu's sons were Bhanus, Muhurtta's were Muhurttajas and Lamvā gave birth to Ghosha. Jāmi gave birth to Nāgadithi and Arundhati gave birth to all the objects of the world. Sangkalpa gave birth to Sangkalpa, and Lakshmi gave birth to Dharma's son Kāma, the most favourite of the world. Kāma begat on his wife Rati two sons Harsha and Yasha. Soma begat on his wife Rohini the great lord Varshā by whom the moon becomes effulgent as soon as he rises. Thus thousands of wives and sons were born. This is the root of the world. The Lord Prajāpati distributed powers amongst creatures according to their merit. The Lord then created the ten quarters, the earth, Rishis, oceans, birds, trees, herbs, serpents, rivers, gods, demons, the sky-rangers, sacrifices and mountains (12–60).
CHAPTER XXXIII. VARIOUS KINGS ARE APPOINTED BY BRAHMA.
Vaishampāyana said:—O Bharata, the Lord appointed Sakra, effulgent like the sun, as the king of the three worlds and of the gods (1). Jishnu, the wielder of thunder-bolt, clad in a coat of mail, was given birth to by Aditi. That intelligent patron of Srmitis is eulogised by Adhyaryus (2). As soon as he was born from Aditi the Lord Sakra was covered with Kuça grass and therefore the king of gods passed by the name of Koushika (3). Having installed the thousand-eyed Purandara as the Lord Paramount Brahmā began gradually to distribute other kingdoms. He installed Soma as the king of Yajnas, asceticism, stars, planets, the twice-born and herbs. He appointed Daksha the king of patriarchs, Varuna the lord of waters, the all-destroyer Vaishwānara, the king of the departed manes and Vayu that of smell, bodiless creatures, sound and ether (4-7). He conferred on Mahādeva the sovereignty over the goblins, Pishacas, Matris, cows, evil portends, diseases, calamities, profuse rain, other disturbances and the evil spirits. He appointed Vaishravana Kuvera as the king of Yakshas, Rakshasas, Guhyakas, all the jewels and wealth. He appointed Sesha as the king of all animals having teeth, Vāsuki as that of Nāgas and Takshaka as that of serpents. He appointed the ocean as the lord of rivers, rain and waters and Avuryā as the lord of Adityas. He appointed Chitraratha as the king of Gandharvas and Kāma that of Apsaras. He appointed the bull, the carrier of Mahadeva, the king of all quadrupeds. The highly effulgent Hiranyakashipu was appointed the king of Daityas and Hiranyāksha as the heir apparent. The highly powerful and first born Viprachitti was appointed the king of Dānavas and Asuras. Prajāpati appointed Mahākala as the king of Kalakeyas and Vitra that of the sons of Anāyusha the wife of Twasthā. He appointed the great Asura Rahu, the son of Sinhikā as the king of all portends and evil omens (8-16).
O Bhārata, thereupon he appointed Vatsara (year) the king of seasons, months, cycles, fortnights, days, nights, Tithis, Parvas, Kalās, Kāsthās, Muhurttas, the two Ayanas, Yoga Sāstra and Mathematics. The highly powerful Garuda was elected the king of all birds, Suparnas capable of seeing from a distance and of the Bhogis. Vāsava appointed Aruna, Garuda's younger brother, red like a Javā flower, as the king of the Eastern quarter. The highly illustrious Yama, the dispenser of justice and the son of the lord Aditya was appointed by Mahendra as the king of the south. Kashyapa's own begotten son, who was under water and was celebrated afterwards by the name of Amburāja, became the king of the West. And Pulastya’s son the highly effulgent Kuvera, like unto Mahendra himself, was appointed the king of the north (17–24). Having thus made out the divisions of the kingdom, the Self-sprung Deity, the creator of the universe conferred on them severally the celestial regions. The regions of some were effulgent like the sun, some were like fire, some were like lightning, and some like the moon. All those regions were of diverse colors, capable of coursing at will, many hundred yojanas in extent, easily accessible unto the pious and hard of attainment for the sinful. The regions, which are beautiful to look at and are lustrous like the stars, are those of the pious. Those who celebrate sacrifices with most excellent presents, those who are faithful to their own wives, forgiving, simple and truthful, those Brāhmanas who show kindness towards the poor, those who are freed from covetousness, and the quality of Rajas, and the ascetic sages repair to those regions. Having thus engaged his own sons Prajapati, the grand-father of the world, repaired to the Brahmā region called Pushkara. Having been entrusted by the Self-sprung Deity with the work of protection and been looked after by Mahendra the celestials lived happily in their respective regions. Having been duly engaged in the work of protection all the gods, headed by Shakra, enjoyed their portions of sacrificial offerings, heaven, fame and joy (25-33).