Thereupon in accordance with the words of Soma restraining their anger against the trees the Prachetas duly married Marisha (45). Then they all mentally thought of conception in Marisha. O Bhārata, the Patriarch Daksha was born of Marisha through the tenth Prachetas with a portion of Soma’s energy (46). Then to multiply the race of Soma he created various offspring, mobile, immobile, two legged and four legged sons. Having created mentally first the sons Daksha created his daughters (47). Of them Dharma espoused ten and Kagyapa thirteen. The Lord Daksha then conferred on the king Soma the remaining ones called Nakshatras or planets (48), They gave birth to gods, sky-rangers, cows, Nagas, Danavas, Gandharvas, Apsaras and various other beings (49). Since then, O king, creatures are being engendered by sexual intercourse. Their predecessors were created by (mere) thinking, seeing and touching (50). Janemejaya said:—You had described before the birth of the gods, demons, Gandharvas, serpents and Rakshasas as well as that of the high-souled Daksha (51). O sinless one, you have said that Daksha sprang from the right thumb of Brahmā and his wife from the left. How could they then enter into a matrimonial alliance? (52) How could the great ascetic Daksha attain to the energy of Prachetas? Being a grand-son of Soma how could he become his father-in-law? I have grave doubts in this, O Vipra, it behoves you to remove them (53). Vaishampayana said:—Origin and destruction are always present in the elemental creation. The Rishis and the wise are not bewildered at it (54). O king, the Dakshas are born in every yuga. There is one Daksha in one yuga and another in another. The learned make no mistakes in it (55). O king, there was formerly no priority of birth among them—they were considered elder by asceticism and their prowess was the cause thereof (56). He, who knows the mobile and immobile creation of Daksha, gets offspring and when the lease of his life runs out is worshipped in the celestial region (57). CHAPTER III. AN ACCOUNT OF VARIOUS FAMILIES; DAKSHA’S OFFSPRING. Janamejaya said:—O Vaishampāyana, do thou describe at length the origin of the gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, serpents and Rakshasas (1).