12.201
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
O best of the Bharatas, who were the lords of beings in ancient times? And who are the greatly fortunate sages remembered in each direction?
Bhīṣma said.
O best of the Bharatas, listen to what you have asked me: the lords of the people who are remembered individually in each direction.
There is one self-born, glorious, and eternal Brahmā, the first. From Brahmā, there are indeed seven great-souled sons of Svayambhu. ॥12-201-3॥
Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and the highly blessed Vasiṣṭha were all similar to Svayambhū (Brahmā) himself.
It has been established in the Purāṇa that there are seven Brahmās. Therefore, I shall now describe all the Prajāpatis.
Prācīnabarhi, the eternal and venerable one, was born from the lineage of Atri and had Brahmā as his origin. From him came the ten Prācetasa descendants.
Of the ten, there is one son named Daksha, the Prajapati. He is known in the world by two names: Daksha and Ka.
Kaśyapa, the son of Marīci, is known by two names: one is Ariṣṭanemi and the other is Kaśyapa.
Aṅga, the legitimate son, the illustrious king, and Bhauma, who was powerful, was worshipped for a thousand divine ages.
Aryaman, the blessed one, and other sons, O mighty one; these regions have been described as the sources of power for the worlds.
O Acyuta, Śaśabindu had ten thousand wives, and in each one, there were a thousand sons at that time.
Thus, among the hundred thousands, a hundred sons of that great-souled one, none of them desire any other progenitor.
The sages speak of the ancient lineage of Śāśabindu. This great lineage, descended from the Vṛṣṇis, is that of Prajāpati.
These illustrious lords of beings have been listed. Now, I will describe the gods, the rulers of the three worlds.
Bhaga, Aṁśa, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuṇa, Savitṛ, Dhātṛ, and Vivasvān—all of great strength—(are present here).
Pūṣā, Tvaṣṭā, and likewise Indra, and the twelfth, Viṣṇu, are so called. These twelve Ādityas are all born from Kaśyapa himself.
Nāsatya and Dasra, the two Aśvins, are also remembered in tradition as the sons of Mārṭāṇḍa, the eighth son of Prajāpati.
The prosperous and greatly renowned Viśvarūpa, son of Tvaṣṭṛ, as well as Ajaikapāt, Ahirbudhnya, Virūpākṣa, and then Raivata.
Hara, who is of many forms, three-eyed, lord of the gods; Savitṛ, Jayanta, the wielder of Pināka, and the unconquered one. Formerly, the eight Vasus, greatly fortunate, are proclaimed as such. 12-201-19.
These gods of such kind are indeed considered to be of Manu, of Prajāpati. Both they and the former gods, thus, the ancestors are remembered as of two kinds.
Some are devoted to conduct and form; others are Siddhas and Sādhyas; the Ribhus, Maruts, and other groups of gods were also urged.
Thus, these are enumerated together: the Viśvedevās and the Aśvins. The Ādityas are the kṣatriyas among them; the Maruts are the clans of those.
The two Aśvins are regarded as Śūdras engaged in intense austerity. The Angirasa gods are remembered as Brāhmaṇas—this is the established conclusion.
Thus, the fourfold division of all gods has been proclaimed.
Whoever rises in the morning and recites these deities is freed from all sins, whether arising from one's own birth or from the actions of others.
Then Yavakrīta, Raibhya, Arvāvasu and Parāvasu, Aushija, Kakṣīvān, Nala, and the sons of Angiras.
O dear one, in the east, the seven sages—Kaṇva, the son of the sage Medhātithi, and Barhiṣad—are also known as the creators of the three worlds.
Unmucah, Vimucah, Svastyātreya, the powerful one, Pramucah, Edhmavāha, the venerable one, and the one of firm vow.
Agastya, the powerful son of Mitra and Varuṇa, and these Brahmarṣis always dwell in the southern direction.
Ruṣadgu, Kavaṣa, Dhaumya, Parivyādha, and the powerful one; on one side, on the second, and on the third, the great sages (were present).
The son of Atri, the venerable one, and the lord Sarasvata, along with these nine great souls, have taken refuge in the western direction.
Ātreya, Vasiṣṭha, Kaśyapa, the great sage, Gautama with Bharadvāja, Viśvāmitra, and then Kauśika.
Likewise, the son of the great-souled Ṛcīka, the venerable Jamadagni, along with these seven, went towards the northern direction.
All these, who have been mentioned in every direction, are of brilliant energy; they are great souls, witnesses, and the influencers of the worlds.
Thus, these great souls are established in every direction. By reciting their names, one is freed from all sins.
Whichever direction these people have gone for refuge, one is freed from all sins and, being prosperous, should return home.
