(1) Verily, in the beginning this world was Brahma, It knew only itself (atmanam): is the source of Kshatrahood. Therefore, even if the king attains supremacy, he rests finally upon Brahmanhood as his own source, So whoever injures him [i.e. a Brahman] attacks his own source. He fares worse in proportion as he injures one who is better. is. He was not yet developed. He created the Vis (the commonalty),those kinds of gods that are mentioned in numbers: the Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas, the Vi^vadevas, the Maruts.

(7) From him the many Devas too are begotten, the Sâdhyas (genii), men, cattle, birds, the up and down breathings, rice and corn (for sacrifices), penance, faith, truth, abstinence, and law.

(4) It is — as, from a fire laid with damp fuel, clouds of smoke separately issue forth, so, lo, verily, from this great Being (bkuta) has been breathed forth that which is Rig- Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda, [Hymns] of the Atharvans and Angi- rases, Legend (itihasa\ Ancient Lore (purana\ Sciences (mdya), Mystic Doctrines (upanisad), Verses (Moka\ Aphorisms (sutra), Explanations (anuuyakhydna), Commentaries (uya- kkyana), sacrifice, oblation, food, drink, this world and the other, and all beings. From it, indeed, have all these been breathed forth.

(8) 'The Brahman swells by means of brooding (penance); hence is produced matter (food); from matter breath, mind, the true, the worlds (seven), and from the works (performed by men in the worlds), the immortal (the eternal effects, rewards, and punishments of works).'

(17) In such wise than, as I have said, the generation of these seven came to pass. Earth was as woman, her Water filled with longing; ripeness she took from Fire, spirit from Aether. Nature thus brought forth frames to suit the form of Man. And Man from Light and Life changed into soul and mind - from Life to soul, from Light to mind. And thus continued all the sense-world's parts until the period of their end and new beginnings.

(9) 'From him who perceives all and who knows all, whose brooding (penance) consists of knowledge, from him (the highest Brahman) is born that Brahman, name, form, and matter (food).'

(4) Now the Line of Tradition (vainsa). — (We [received this teaching] from Pautimashya), Pautimashya from Gaupavana, Gaupavana from Pautimashya, Pautimashya from Gaupavana, Gaupavana from Kausika, Kausika from Kaundinya, Kaundinya from Sandilya, Sandilya from Kausika and Gautama, Gautama [2] from Agnive^ya, Agnivesya from Gargya, Gargya from Gargya, G§rgya from Gautama, Gautama from Saitava, Saitava from Parasaryayana, Parasaryayana from Gargyayana, Gargyayana from Uddalakayana, Uddalakayana from Jabalayana, Jabalayana from Madhyamdinayana, Madhyamdinayana from Saukarayana, Saukarayana from Kashayana, Kashayana from Sayakayana, Sayakayana from Kausikayani, Kau^ikayani [3] from Ghritakausika, Ghritakausika from Parasaryayana, Parasaryayana from Parasarya, Parasarya from Jatukarnya, Jatukarnya from Asurayana and Yaska, Asurayana from Traivani, Traivani from Aupajandhani^ Aupajandhani from Asuri, Asuri from Bharadvaja, Bharadvaja from Atreya, Atreya from Manti, Manti from Gautama, Gautama from Gautama, Gautama from Vatsya, Vatsya from Sandilya, Sandilya from Kaisorya Kapya, Kai^orya Kapya from Kumaraharita, Kumaraharita from Galava, Galava from Vidarbhikaundinya, Vidarbhlkaundinya from Vatsanapat Babhrava, Vatsanapat Babhrava from Pathin Saubhara, Pathin Saubhara from Ayasya Angirasa, Ayasya Angirasa from Abhuti Tvashtra, Abhuti Tvashtra from Vi^varupa Tvashtra, Vi^varupa Tvashtra from the two A^vlns, the two A^vins from Dadhyanc Atharvana, Dadhyanc Atharvana from Atharvan Daiva, Atharvan Daiva from Mrityu Pradhvarhsana, Mrityu Pradhvarhsana from Pradhvarhsana, Pradhvarhsana from Eka Rishi, Eka Rishi from Vipracitti, Vipracitti from Vyashti, Vyashti from Sanaru, Sanaru from Sanatana, Sanatana from Sanaga, Sanaga from Parameshthin, Parameshthin from Brahma. Brahma is the Self-existent (svayam-bhu). Adoration to Brahma!

(21) The birth, or the rising or springing up of the seven planets, and of all the stars, is no otherwise than as the life, and wonderful proportion, variety and harmony of the Deity, has generated itself from eternity.

(28) And now the whole world of creatures born alive, and things that grow, revolves in sevens. The first-born princes of the angels, who have the greatest power, are seven. The mathematicians also say that the planets, which perform their course around the earth, are seven; by which the Chaldeans think that all which concerns mortal life is effected through sympathy, in consequence of which they also undertake to tell things respecting the future.

(9) And God-the-Mind, being male and female both, as Light and Life subsisting, brought forth another Mind to give things form, who, God as he was of Fire and Spirit, formed Seven Rulers who enclose the cosmos that the sense perceives. Men call their ruling Fate.

(32) "After this manner were the seven men generated. Earth was the female element and water the male element, and from the fire and the æther they received their spirits, and Nature produced bodies after the species and shapes of men. And man received the Life and Light of the Great Dragon, and of the Life was made his Soul and of the Light his Mind. And so, all these composite creatures containing immortality, but partaking of mortality, continued in this state for the duration of a period. They reproduced themselves out of themselves, for each was male and female. But at the end of the period the knot of Destiny was untied by the will of God and the bond of all things was loosened.

(5) From him comes Agni (fire), the sun being the fuel; from the moon (Soma) comes rain (Parganya); from the earth herbs; and man gives seed unto the woman. Thus many beings are begotten from the Person (purusha).

(1) Brahmâ (Hiranyagarbha or Paramesvara) told this to Pragâpati (Kasyapa), Pragâpati to Manu (his son), Manu to mankind. He who has learnt the Veda from a family of teachers, according to the sacred rule, in the leisure time left from the duties to be performed for the Guru, who, after receiving his discharge, has settled in his own house, keeping up the memory of what he has learnt by repeating it regularly in some sacred spot, who has begotten virtuous sons, and concentrated all his senses on the Self, never giving pain to any creature, except at the tîrthas (sacrifices, &c.), he who behaves thus all his life, reaches the world of Brahman, and does not return, yea, he does not return.

(2) 'That Being (i. e. that which had produced fire, water, and earth) thought, let me now enter those three beings (fire, water, earth) with this living Self (gîva âtmâ) , and let me then reveal (develop) names and forms.

(3) From him (when entering on creation) is born breath, mind, and all organs of sense, ether, air, light, water, and the earth, the support of all.

(3) You, unborn, from you come the eternal ones and eternal realms, the all-perfect ones, who are established, and the perfect beings.

(1) BRAHMA was the first of the Devas, the maker of the universe, the preserver of the world. He told the knowledge of Brahman, the foundation of all knowledge, to his eldest son Atharva.