Stories of the Brahma Purana Part-I

In the forest of Naimisharanya, sages conducted a 12-year sacrifice, blessed with pleasant weather and abundant resources. Romaharshana, disciple of Veda Vyasa, was present and asked to narrate Puranic stories about creation, preservation, and destruction of the universe. Romaharshana explained that initially, the cosmic waters housed Vishnu in slumber, known as Narayana. A golden egg emerged from the waters, birthing Brahma, the self-created one (Svayambhu). Brahma dwelled within the egg for a year, then divided it into heaven and earth, establishing the cosmos. He created seven great sages, Rudra, and Sanatkumara.

In the continuing narrative of creation, Brahma gave birth to a man and a woman from his own body, named Svayambhuva Manu and Shatarupa. Manu is considered the progenitor of humanity, hence they are known as "manava." Manu and Shatarupa had three sons: Vira, Priyavrata, and Uttanapada. Dhruva, the great-grandson of Manu, undertook intense meditation (tapasya) for 3,000 divine years, earning Brahma's favor. As a reward, Brahma granted Dhruva an eternal place in the sky, near the constellation Ursa Majoris, known as the Pole Star.

In Dhruva's lineage, there was King Prachinavarhi, with ten sons known as the Prachetas. They abandoned worldly responsibilities to perform tapasya beneath the ocean for 10,000 years. This left the Earth rulerless, causing chaos, death, and overgrown forests. The Prachetas, upon learning of this devastation, created wind and fire from their mouths to clear the forests.

Their anger alarmed everyone, including the moon-god Soma (Chandra), who brought a beautiful woman named Marisha to the Prachetas, proposing that her son would rule the world. The Prachetas agreed, and Daksha was born. "Prajapati" became Daksha's title, signifying his rule over the subjects of the world.

The sages listening to Romaharshana expressed confusion regarding Daksha's origin, as they had heard different accounts. Romaharshana clarified that multiple Dakshas had emerged, one born from Brahma's toe and another as the son of the Prachetas.

Daksha, a powerful sage, and his wife Asikli gave birth to a significant lineage of beings. Their initial five thousand sons, known as the Haryashvas, were destined to rule the world. However, sage Narada advised them to explore the world's geography before ruling. The Haryashvas embarked on this journey and never returned.

Daksha and Asikli, concerned about their sons' disappearance, had another thousand sons called the Shavalashvas. These sons also went in search of the world's geography and didn't return. Daksha, blaming Narada for instigating his sons, contemplated killing Narada. But Brahma intervened, persuading Daksha to control his anger. Daksha agreed, on the condition that Brahma marry his daughter Priya and Narada be reborn as Priya's son.

Daksha and Asikli had many daughters, with ten married to the god Dharma and thirteen to the sage Kashyapa. Twenty-seven daughters were married to the moon-god Soma, while others were wedded to various sages and deities.

The ten daughters married to Dharma were named Arundhati, Vasu, Yami, Lamba, Bhanu, Marutvati, Sankalpa, Muhurta, Sadhya, and Vishva. Their offspring included the objects of the world, the eight Vasus, and other notable deities like Kartikeya and Vishvakarma.

Sadhya's and Vishva's children were respectively the Sadhyadevas and Vishvadervas. The twenty-seven daughters married to Soma became the stars, or nakshatras.

Kashyapa married thirteen of Daksha's daughters, including Aditi, Diti, Danu, and others. Aditi gave birth to the twelve adityas, while Diti's sons became the daityas (demons), including Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu, and their descendants.

Daksha's lineage also included gandharvas (singers of heaven) from Arishta, snakes (sarpa) from Surasa, yakshas and rakshasas from Khasa, and cows and buffaloes from Surabhi. Vinata had two sons, Aruna and Garuda, with Garuda becoming the king of the birds.

Tamra had six daughters, giving rise to owls, eagles, vultures, crows, water-fowl, horses, camels, and donkeys. Krodhavasha had fourteen thousand children known as nagas (snakes), Ila gave birth to various flora, and Kadru's sons were the nagas, including Ananta, Vasuki, Takshaka, and Nahusha.

Muni, another daughter of Daksha, gave birth to the apsaras (dancers of heaven).

A conflict between Diti's daityas and Aditi's adityas led to a prayer from Diti for a son who would slay Indra, king of the gods. Kashyapa granted her wish with a condition: she had to carry the child for a hundred years and strictly follow his instructions. Indra learned of her plan and entered her womb when she fell asleep without washing her feet. He divided the baby into seven parts, which became the Maruts. Despite Diti's failure to fulfill the conditions, the Maruts did not kill Indra and instead became his companions.