# The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section LXV

Section LXV. ( Sambhava Parva continued. )
Vaisampayana said, "Then Indra held a consultation with Narayana about the latter's decent on earth from heaven with all the gods according to their respective portions. And having commanded all the dwellers of heaven, Indra returned from the abode of Narayana. And the dwellers of heaven gradually became incarnate on Earth for the destruction of the Asuras and the welfare of the three worlds. And then, O tiger amongst kings, the celestials took their births, according as they pleased, in the lines of Brahmarshis and royal sages. And they slew the Danavas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas and Snakes, other man-eaters, and, indeed, many other creatures. And, O bull of the Bharata race, the Danavas and Rakshasas, Gandharvas and Snakes, could not slay the incarnate celestials even in their infancy, they were so strong!"
Janamejaya said, "I desire to hear, from the beginning, of the births of the gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, men, Yakshas, and Rakshas. Therefore, it behoveth thee to tell me about the births of all creatures."
Vaisampayana said, "Indeed, I shall, having bowed down to the self-create, tell thee in detail the origin of the celestials and other creatures. It is known that Brahmā hath six spiritual sons, viz, Marichi, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu. And Marichi's son is Kasyapa, and from Kasyapa have sprung these creatures. Unto Daksha (one of the Prajapatis) were born thirteen daughters of great good fortune. The daughters of Daksha are, O tiger among men and prince of the Bharata race, Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kala, Danayu, Sinhika, Krodha, Pradha, Viswa, Vinata, Kapila, Muni, and Kadru. The sons and grand-sons of these, gifted with great energy, have been infinite. From Aditi have sprung the twelve Adityas who are the lords of the universe. And, O Bharata, as they are according to their names, shall I recount them to thee. They are Dhata, Mitra, Aryama, Sakra, Varuna, Angsa, Vaga, Vivaswan, Pusha, Savita, Tashta, and Vishnu. The ​youngest, however, is superior to them all in merit. Diti had one son called Hiranya-kashipu. And the illustrious Hiranya-kashipu had five sons, all famous throughout the worlds. The eldest of them all was Prahradha, the next was Sanghradha; the third was Anuhrada; and after him were Shivi and Vashkala. And, O Bharata, it is known everywhere that Prahrada had three sons. They were Virochana, Kumva, and Nikumva. And unto Virochana was born a son, Vali, of great prowess. And the son of Vali is known to be the great Asura Vana. And blessed with good fortune Vana was a follower of Rudra, (Siva) and was known also by the name of Mahakala. And Danu had forty sons, O Bharata! The eldest of them all was king Vipra-chitti of great fame. Shamvara and Namuchi, and Puloma; Ashiloma, and Keshi, and Durjaya; Ayashira, Aswa-shira, and the powerful Aswa-sanku; also Gagana-murdha, and Vegavana, and he called Ketumana; Swarvanu, Aswa, Aswa-pati, Vrishaparva, and then Ajaka; and Aswa-griva, and Sukshma, and Tuhundu of great strength; Ekapada, and Ekachakra, Virupaksha, Mahodara; and Nichandra, and Nikumva, Kupata, and then Kapata; Sarava, and Salava, Surya, and then Chandrama; these in the race of Danu are stated to be well-known. The Surya and Chandrama (the Sun and the Moon) of the celestials are other persons, and not the sons of Danu as mentioned above. The following ten gifted with great strength and vigour were also, O king, born in the race of Danu:—Ekaksha, Amritapa of heroic courage, Pralamva and Naraka; Vatapi, Shatru-tapana, and Shat-ha the great Asura; Gavishta, and Vanayu, and the Danava called Dirghajihva. And, O Bharata, the sons and the grand-sons of these were known to be countless. And Singhika gave birth to Rahu the persecutor of the Sun and the Moon; to three others, Suchandra, Chandra-hanta, and Chandra-pramardana. And the countless progeny of Krura (Krodha) were as much crooked and wicked as herself. And the tribe was wrathful, of crooked deeds, and persecutors of their foes. And Danayu also had four sons who were bulls among the Asuras. They were Vikshara, Vala, Vira, and Vritra the great Asura. And the sons of Kalā were all like Kala (Yama) himself and smiters of all ​foes. And they were of great fame, of great energy and oppressors of all foes. And the sons of Kala were Vinashana; and Krodha, and then Krodha-hanta, and Krodha-shatru. And there were many others among the sons of Kala. And Sukra the son of a Rishi was the chief priest of the Asuras. And the celebrated Sukra had four sons who were priests of the Asuras. And they were Tashtadhara and Atri and two others, Radura and Karmi. They were like the Sun himself in energy, and devoted to Brahma and the welfare of the worlds.
"Thus hath been recited by me, as heard in the Purana, the progeny of the gods and the Asuras both of great strength and energy. I am incapable, O king, of counting the descendants of these, countless as they are and not much known to fame.
"And the sons of Vinata were Tarkhya, Arishta-nemi, and then Gadura and Aruna, Aruni, and Varuni. And Shesha, Anata, Vasuki, Takshaka, Kurma, and Kulika, are known to be the sons of Kadru; and Bhima-sena, Ugra-sena, Suparna, Varuna, Gopati, and Dhrita-rashtra, and Surya-varcha the seventh; Satyavak, Arkaparna, Prayuta, Bhima, and Chitraratha known to fame, of great learning, and the controller of his passions, and then Shalishira, and, O king, Parjannya, the fourteenth in the list; Kali, the fifteenth, and Narada, the sixteenth; these Devas and Gandharvas are known to be the sons of Muni (Dak-ha's daughter as mentioned before.) I shall recount many others, O Bharata! Anavadya, Manu, Vansa Asurā, Margana-pria, Anupa, Suvaga, Vasi, were the daughters brought forth by Pradha. Sidha, and Purna, and Varhi, and Purnayu of great game; Brahmachari, Ratiguna, and Suparna who was the seventh; Viswavasu, Vann, and Shuchandra who was the tenth, were also the sons of Pradha; and they were gods some of them and some Gandharvas. And it is also known that this Pradha of great good fortune by the celestial Rishi (Kasyapa her husband) brought forth the sacred race of the Apsaras. Alamvusa, Misra-keshi, Vidyut-parna, Tilot-tama, Aruna, Rakshita, Ramva, Monorama, Keshini, Suvahu, Surarta, Suraja, Supria, were the daughters, and Ativahu, and the ​celebrated Haha and Huhu, and Tumvuru were the sons—the best of Gandharvas—of Prodha. And Amrita, the Brahmanas, kine, Gandharvas, and Apsaras, were born of Kapila as stated in the Purana.
"Thus hath been recited to thee by me the birth of all creatures duly—of Gandharvas and Apsaras, of Snakes, Suparnas, Rudras, and Marutas; of kine and of Brahmanas blessed with great good fortune and of sacred deeds. And this account, (if read) extendeth the period of life, is sacred, worthy of all praise, and giveth pleasure to the ear. It should be always heard and recited to others, in a proper frame of mind.
"He who duly readeth this account of the birth of all high-souled creatures, in the presence of the gods and Brahmanas, obtaineth large progeny, good fortune, and fame, and attaineth also to excellent worlds hereafter."
And so ends the sixty-fifth Section in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.