Exoteric Hindû books mention Seven Classes of Pitris, and among them two distinct kinds of Progenitors or Ancestors: the Barhishad and the Agnishvâtta; or those possessed of the “sacred fire” and those devoid of it. Hindû ritualism seems to connect them with sacrificial fires, and with Grihastha Brâhmans in earlier incarnations; those who have, and those who have _not_ attended as they should to their household sacred fires in their previous births. The distinction, as said, is derived from the _Vedas_. The first and highest class (Esoterically), the Agnishvâtta, are represented in the exoteric allegory as Grihastha or Brâhman‐householders, who, having failed to maintain their domestic fires and to offer burnt sacrifices, in their past births in other Manvantaras, have lost every right to have oblations with fire presented to them. Whereas the Barhishad, being Brâhmans who have kept up their household sacred fires, are thus honoured to this day. Thence the Agnishvâtta are represented as devoid of, and the Barhishad as possessed of, fires. But Esoteric Philosophy explains the original qualifications as being due to the difference between the natures of the two Classes: the Agnishvâtta Pitris are devoid of “fire” _i.e._, of creative passion, because they are too divine and pure; whereas the Barhishad, being the Lunar Spirits more closely connected with Earth, became the creative Elohim of form, or the Adam of dust. The allegory says that Sanandana and other Vedhas, the Sons of Brahmâ, his first progeny: Were without desire or passion, inspired with holy wisdom, estranged from the universe and _undesirous of progeny_.(173) This also is what is meant in the shloka by the words, “They would not create,” and is explained as follows: “_The Primordial Emanations from the Creative Power are too near the Absolute Cause. They are transitional and latent forces, which will develop only in the next and subsequent removes._” This makes it plain. Hence Brahmâ is said to have felt wrathful when he saw that those Embodied spirits, produced from his limbs [_gâtra_], would not multiply themselves. After which, in the allegory, he creates other seven Mind‐born Sons(174) namely, Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasishtha, the latter being often replaced by Daksha, the most prolific of the Creators. In most of the texts these Seven Sons of Vasishtha‐Daksha are called the Seven Rishis of the _Third_ Manvantara; the latter referring both to the Third Round and also to the Third Root‐Race and its Branch‐Races in the Fourth Round. These are all the Creators of the various Beings on this Earth, the Prajâpati, and at the same time they appear as divers reïncarnations in the early Manvantaras or Races.