“Thus, O chief of Kuru’s race, this universe was started into birth by the high-souled Krishna.  That observer of all the worlds, viz., the celestial Rishi Narada, has said that Krishna is the Supreme God.[710] Even Narada, O king, admits the supremacy of Krishna and his eternity, O mighty-armed chief of Bharata’s race.[711] Thus, O mighty-armed one, is Kesava of unvanquishable prowess.  That lotus-eyed one, is not a mere man.  He is inconceivable.’”

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.