Chapter 19 - Description of secondary creation: The progeny of Kaśyapa

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Agni said:

1-3. O Sage! I describe the creation (made) by Kaśyapa through Aditi and others. Those devas who were (known) as Tuṣita in the Cākṣuṣa manvantara, again became (the sons) of Kaśyapa through Aditi in the Vaivasvata manvantara as the twelve Ādityas (with the names) Viṣṇu, Śakra, Tvaṣṭṛ, Dhātṛ, Aryaman, Pūṣan, Vivasvat, Savitṛ, Mitra, Varuṇa, Bhaga, and Aṃśu. The progeny of the wives of Ariṣṭanemi were sixteen.

4. The four lightnings were the daughters of the learned Bahuputra. Those born of Aṅgiras were excellent. (The progeny) of Kṛśāśva were the celestial weapons.^[1]

5. Just as the sun rises and sets, similarly these (do) in every yuga. From Kaśyapa, Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa (were born) through Diti.

6. Siṃhikā was also their daughter, who was married by Vipracitti. Rāhu and others born to her were known as Saiṃhikeyas.

7-8. The four sons of Hiraṇyakaśipu (were) very effulgent. (They were) Anuhrāda, Hrāda, Prahrāda a staunch devotee of Viṣṇu; and Saṃhrāda was the fourth (son). Hrada (was) the son of Hrāda. Āyuṣmat, Śibi, and Bāṣkala (were) the sons of Hrada.

9. Virocana (was) the son of Prahrāda. Bali was born to Virocana. Bali had hundred sons. Bāṇa was the foremost among them, O great sage!

10. Having propitiated the consort of Umā (Śiva) in the past kalpa, a boon was obtained by Bāṇa from the lord that he would always wander by the side (of the lord).

11. The sons of Hiraṇyākṣa were five.^[2] Śambara, Śakuni^[3], Dvimūrddhan [=Dvimūrdhan?], Śaṅkurārya^[4] were (the prominent among) the hundred sons of Danu.

12. Suprabhā was the daughter of Svarbhānu (a son of Danu). Śacī was known as the daughter of Puloman (a son of Danu). Upadānavī, Hayaśirā, and Śarmiṣṭhā (were) the daughters of Vṛṣaparvan (a son of Danu).

13. Pulomā and Kālakā were the two daughters of Vaiśvānara. They both married Kaśyapa and they had crores of sons.

14-16. In the family of Prahrāda (were born) four crores (of sons) (known as) the nivātakavaca (protected by armour). Tāmrā had six daughters—Kākī, Śyenī, Bhāsī, Gṛdhrikā, Śuci and Sugrīvā. The crows and (other birds) were born from them. The horses and camels (were born in the line) of Tāmrā. Aruṇa and Garuḍa (were born) from Vinatā. Thousands of serpents (were) born of Surasā. Thousands of serpents (such as) Śeṣa, Vāsuki, Takṣaka and others were born of Kadrū.

17. Animals having tusks, other earthly beings and the aquatic birds were born to Krodhā. The cows, buffaloes and other animals (were born) from Surabhi. The grass and other things were the production of Irā.

18. The Yakṣas (semi-divine beings) and the demons (were born) of Khasā. The nymphs came into being from Muni. The Gandharvas (a class of semi-divine beings) (were born) to Ariṣṭā. Thus the stationary as well as the movable are born of Kaśyapa.

19-21. Innumerable are the offspring of these. The Dānavas (the progeny of Danu) (the demons) were conquered by the celestials. Diti, who had lost her offspring, propitiated Kaśyapa, desirous of (getting) a son capable of destroying Indra. (She) achieved (her object) from Kaśyapa. Indra, seeking to find a fault (found out that she) had slept without washing her feet^[5] and destroyed (cut off) the embryo. They became celestials (known as) Maruts, fifty one (in number) radiant with lustre and the allies of Śakra (Indra).^[6]

22. All these (are) forms of Hari. Having installed Pṛthu as the ruler, Hari duly set apart kingdoms for others.

23. The moon (was made the king) of the twice-born and the plants, Varuṇa (as) the king of waters, Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera) (as) the king of kings, Viṣṇu (as) the lord of Suns.

24. Pāvaka (fire) as the king of Vasus; Vāsava (Indra) (as) the lord of Maruts and then Dakṣa (as the king) of Prajāpatis (patriarchs), Prahlāda (as) the ruler of demons.

25. Yama (was made) the king of manes, Hara (Siva) (as) the lord of goblins, Himavat (as the ruler) of mountains, the ocean (as) the lord of rivers.

26. Citraratha (was made the ruler) of Gandharvas, and then Vāsuki (as the ruler) of Nāgas, Takṣaka (as) the king of serpents, and then Garuḍa, among the birds.

27. The Airāvata (was made the ruler) among the lords of elephants, bull of the kine and the tiger, of the animals, (and) Plakṣa (the Indian fig-tree) (as) the lord of trees.

28. And Uccaiḥśravas (was made the ruler) among the horses.^[6] Sudhanvan (son ofVairāja Prajāpati) became the regent of the east, Śaṅkhapād (the son of Kardama Prajāpati) (the regent) of the south, Ketumat (son of Rajas) as the protector of the waters (on the west), Hiraṇyaromaka (son of Parjanya Prajāpati) on the Saumya (the north).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to the science of Jyotiṣa, these four lightnings are kapilā, atilohitā, pītā and asitā indicating respectively wind, heat, rain and famine.

[2]:

They are Utkura, Śakuni, Bhūtasantāpana, Mahānābha, Mahābāhu and Kālanābha. See Vi.P. I. xxi. 1-3.

[3]:

Given as the son of Hiraṇyākṣa. See ibid.

[4]:

Śaṅkuśirāḥ [=Śaṅkuśiras?]. See ibid.

The reading given in the text here mixes the progeny of Hiraṇyākṣa and that of Danu.

[5]:

Failure to observe the necessary hygiene deprived her desire to get a vanquisher of Indra. For a detailed account of this episode see Vi.P. I. xxi. 30-41; P. Index II. pp. 87-88.

[6]:

Cf.Vi. P. I. xxi. 11-14.