SECTION CCVIII
"Yudhishthira asked, 'Who were the first Prajapatis, O bull of Bharata's
race? What highly-blessed Rishis are there in existence and on which
points of the compass do each of them dwell?'
"Bhishma said., 'Hear me, O chief of the Bharatas, about what thou askest
me. I shall tell thee who the Prajapatis were and what Rishis are
mentioned as dwelling on which point of the horizon. There was at first
one Eternal, Divine, and Self-born Brahman. The Self-born Brahman begat
seven illustrious sons. They were Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya,
Pulaha, Kratu, and the highly-blessed Vasishtha who was equal to the
Self-born himself. These seven sons have been mentioned in the Puranas as
seven Brahmanas. I shall now mention all the Prajapatis who came after
these. In Atri's race was born the eternal and divine Varhi the ancient,
who had penances for his origin. From Varhi the ancient sprang the ten
Prachetasas. The ten Prachetasas had one son between them, viz., the
Prajapati called by the name of Daksha. This last has two names in the
world, viz., Daksha and Kasyapa. Marichi had one son called Kasyapa. This
last also has two names. Some call him Arishtanemi, and some Kasyapa.
Atri had another son born of his lions, viz., the handsome and princely
Soma of great energy. He performed penances for a thousand celestial
Yugas. The divine Aryaman and they who were born unto him as his sons, O
monarch, have been described as setters of commands, and creators of all
creatures. Sasavindu had ten thousand wives. Upon each of them their lord
begat a thousand sons, and so the tale reached ten hundred thousands.
Those sons refused to call anybody else save themselves as Prajapatis.
The ancient Brahmanas bestowed an appellation on the creatures of the
world, derived from Sasavindu. That extensive race of the Prajapati
Sasavindu became in time the progenitor of the Vrishni race. These that I
have mentioned are noted as the illustrious Prajapatis. After this, I
shall mention the deities that are the lords of the three worlds. Bhaga,
Ansa, Aryyaman, Mitra, Varna, Savitri, Dhatri, Vivaswat of great might,
Tvashtri, Pushan, Indra, and Vishnu known as the twelfth,--these are the
twelve Adityas, all sprung from Kasyapa. Nasatya and Dasra are mentioned
as the two Aswins. These two are the sons of the illustrious Martanda,
the eighth in the above tale. These were called first the gods and the
two classes of Pitris. Tvashtri had many sons. Amongst them were the
handsome and famous Viswarupa, Ajaikapat, Ahi, Bradhna, Virupaksha, and
Raivata. Then there were Hara and Vahurupa, Tryamvaka the chief of the
Deities, and Savitrya, Jayanta and Pinaki the invincible. The
highly-blessed Vasus, eight in number, have formerly been enumerated by
me. These were reckoned as gods at the time of the Prajapati Manu. These
were at first called the gods and the Pitris. Amongst the Siddhas and the
Sadhyas there were two classes in consequence of conduct and youth. The
deities were formerly considered to be of two classes, viz., the Ribhus
and the Maruts. Thus have the Viswas, the gods and the Aswins, been
enumerated. Amongst them, the Adityas are Kshatriyas, and the Maruts are
Vaisyas. The two Aswins, engaged in severe penances, have been said to be
Sudras. The deities sprung from Angirasa's line have been said to be
Brahmanas. This is certain. Thus have I told thee about the fourfold
order among the gods. The person who, after rising from his bed at morn,
recites the names of these deities, becomes cleansed of all his sins
whether committed by himself intentionally or Unintentionally, or whether
born of his intercourse with others. Yavakriti, Raivya, Arvavasu,
Paravasu, Ausija, Kashivat, and Vala have been said to be the sons of
Angiras. These, and Kanwa son of Rishi Medhatithi, and Varhishada, and
the well-known seven Rishis who are the progenitors of the three worlds,
all reside in the East. Unmucha, Vimucha, Svastyatreya of great energy,
Pramucha, Idhmavaha, and the divine Dridhavrata, and Mitravaruna's son
Agastya of great energy, these regenerate Rishis all reside in the south.
Upangu, Karusha, Dhaumya, Parivyadha of great energy, and those great
Rishis called Ekata, Dwita, and Trita, and Atri's son, viz., the
illustrious and puissant Saraswata, these high-souled ones reside in the
west. Atreya, and Vasishtha, and the great Rishi Kasyapa, and Gautama,
Bharadwaja, and Viswamitra, the son of Kusika, and the illustrious son of
the high-souled Richika, viz., Jamadagni,--these seven live in the north.
Thus have I told thee about the great Rishis of fiery energy that live in
the different points of the compass. Those high-souled ones are the
witnesses of the universe, and are the creators of all the worlds. Even
thus do they dwell in their respective quarters. By reciting their names
one is cleansed of all one's sins. A person by repairing to those points
becomes cleansed of all his sins and succeeds in returning home in
safety'"
