firmament, the Rivers, the sky, the prince of birds (viz., Garuda), all those persons on earth who have become crowned with success in consequence of their penances and who are existing in an immobile or mobile form, the Himavat, all the mountains, the four Oceans, the followers and associates of Bhava who are possessed of prowess equal to that of Bhava himself, the illustrious and ever-victorious Vishnu, and Skanda, and Ambika,—­these are the great souls by reciting whose name with restrained senses, one becomes cleansed of all sins.  After this I shall recite the names of those foremost Rishis who are known as Manavas.  They are Yavakrita, and Raibhya, and Arvavasu, and Paravasu, and Aushija, and Kakshivat, and Vala the son of Angiras.  Then comes Kanwa the son of the Rishi Medhatithi, and Varishada.  All these are endued with the energy of Brahma and have been spoken of (in the scriptures) as creators of the universe.  They have sprung from Rudra and Anala and the Vasus.  By reciting their names people obtain great benefits.  Indeed, by doing good deeds on earth, people sport in joy in heaven, with the deities.  These Rishis are the priests of Indra.  They live in the east.  That man who, with rapt attention, recites the names of these Rishis, succeeds in ascending to the regions of Indra and obtaining great honours there.  Unmachu, Pramchu, Swastyatreya of great energy, Dridhavya, Urdhvavahu, Trinasoma, Angiras, and Agastya of great energy, the son of Mitravaruna,—­these seven are the Ritwiks of Yama the king of the dead, and dwell in the southern quarter.  Dridheyu and Riteyu, and Pariyadha of great fame, and Ekata, and Dwita, and Trita—­the last three endued with splendour like that of the sun,—­and Atri’s son of righteous soul, viz., the Rishi Saraswata,—­these seven who had acted as Ritwiks in the great sacrifice of Varuna—­have taken up their abodes in the western quarter.  Atri, the illustrious Vasishtha, the great Rishi Kasyapa, Gotama, Bharadwaja, Viswamitra, the son of Kusika, and Richika’s fierce son Jamadagni of great energy,—­these seven are the Ritwiks of the Lord of treasures and dwell in the northern quarter.  There are seven other Rishis that live in all directions without being confined to any particular one.  They, it is, who are the inducers of fame and of all this beneficial to men, and they have been sung as the creators of the worlds.  Dharma, Kama, Kala, Vasu, Vasuki, Ananta, and Kapila,—­these seven are the upholders of the world.  Rama, Vyasa, Drona’s son Aswatthaman, are the other Rishis (that are regarded as the foremost).  These are the great Rishis as distributed into seven groups, each group consisting of seven.  They are the creators of that peace and good that men enjoy.  They are said to be the Regents of the several points of the compass.  One should turn one’s face to that direction in which one of these Rishis live if one wishes to worship him.  Those Rishis are the creators of all creatures and have been regarded