Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/223

Rh Kinnaras (half-men and half-horses), and Yakshas. And, O king, the sons of Pulaha were, it is said, the Salavas (the winged insects), the lions, the Kimpurushas (half-lions and half-men), the tigers, bears, and wolves. And the sons of Kratu, sacred as sacrifices, were the companions of Surya, (the Valakhilyas), known in the three worlds and devoted to truth and vows. And, O thou protector of the Earth, the illustrious Rishi Daksha, of soul in complete peace, and great asceticism, sprung from the right toe of Brahma. And from the left toe of Brahma sprang the wife of the high-souled Daksha. And the Muni (Daksha) begat in her fifty daughters; and all those daughters were of faultless features and limbs, and of eyes like lotus leaves. And the Prajapati Daksha, not having any sons, made those daughters his Putrikas (so that their sons might belong both to himself and their husbands.) And Daksha bestowed according to the sacred ordinance, ten of his daughters on Dharma, twenty-seven on Chandra (the Moon), and thirteen on Kashyapa. Listen as I recount the wives of Dharma according to their names! They are ten in all—Kirti, Laksmi, Dhriti, Medha, Pushti, Sradha, Kriā, Budhi, Lajjā, and Mati. These are the wives of Dharma as appointed by the self-create. It is known also throughout the worlds that the wives of Shoma, all of sacred vows, are employed in indicating time; and they are the Nakshattras and the Yoginis and they became so for assisting the courses of the worlds.

"And Brahmā had another son named Manu. And Manu had a son of name Prajapati. And the sons of Prajapati were eight and were called the Vasus whom I shall name in detail. They were Dhara, Dhruva, Shoma, Aha, Anila, Anala, Pratyusa, and Prabhasa. These eight are known as the Vasus. Of these, Dhara and the truth-knowing Dhruva were born of Dhumra; Chandrama (Shoma) and Shasana (Anila) were born of the amiable Shasa; Aha was the son of Rata; and Hutashana (Anala) of Shandilya; and Pratyusha and Prabhasa were the sons of Prabhata. And Dhara had two sons, Dravina and Hutahavyavaha. And the son of Dhruva is the illustrious Kala