Who was Maarishaa and Her Children

Som further said - "Now I tell you about Maarishaa as who she was and what was her previous life. If I tell you this, you will get the fruit of increasing people. She was a queen in her previous life. Her husband died without giving her a son. Then she pleased Vishnu with her Bhakti (devotion). Vishnu appeared before her and asked her to ask for any Var. She said - "I became widow at a very early age, so my this life has gone waste. I wish that life after life I should get very gracious husband and sons like Brahmaa Jee. And I should have all kinds of qualities and be born without mother." Vishnu raised the bent woman and said - "You will have 10 husbands in only one life and at the same time you will have a son like Prajaapati. He will extend several families. Whole Trilok will be full of his descendents, and you will also be born without mother and full of all qualities." After saying this Vishnu disappeared from there. The same woman is now being born as Maarishaa and now is your wife.

Maarishaa gave birth to Daksh Prajaapati who was born from Brahmaa Jee before. Later Daksh produced many kinds of creatures. First he created with his mind, then he created women also. He gave 10 of his daughters to Dharm, 13 to Kashyap, and 27 to Chandramaa (Moon). They produced Devtaa, Daitya, Naag, cow, birds, Gandharv, Apsaraa and Daanav etc. From this time only people started being born through sexual intercourse. Before that Tapaswee used to produce children through the power of their Tap by intention, or seeing, or touching only."

Maitreya Jee said - "Hey Muni, I have heard that Daksh was born from Brahmaa's right thumb. I am curious to know that being the grandson of Som he was his father-in-law in relation." Paraashar said - "Hey Maitreya, Beings are created and destroyed continuously, so Rishi and others who have Divine sight do not have any Moh (confusion). These Daksh are born in Yug after Yug and the learned do not have any doubts in it. Before they were not even elder or younger too. At that time Tap was the only measurement of being elder."

Maitreya Jee said - "Now you tell me about the origin of Devtaa, Daanav, Gandharv, Sarp (snakes) and Raakshas." Paraashar said - "Now listen to how Daksh created creatures. First he created Rishi, Gandharv, Asur, snakes etc only by his mind. But when his people didn't increase considerably, then he married Veeran Prajaapati's daughter Asinkee with the desire of increasing people by sexual relationship. Then he produced 5,000 sons from her. All of them were called Haryashwa Gan.

Seeing them inclined to produce children, Naarad said to them - "Hey Haryashwa Gan, It seems that you are going to produce children, so listen to me first. It is very sad that you are still ignorant about the upper, middle or lower part of this Earth, then how will you produce people here? You can go anywhere, wherever you like, then why not you go and see the end of the Prithvi." Hearing this they went away and did not return, as rivers do not return from sea.

After Haryashwa Gan had gone away, Daksh produced 1,000 sons from Vairunee. They were called Shabalaashwa Gan. As they got prepared to increase the population, Naarad again told told them the same thing what he told Haryashwa Gan. They also understood Naarad and went away in all directions and never returned. Since then this is the belief that if a brother goes in search of his brother he himself gets destroyed.

When Daksh came to know about this he got very angry at Naarad and gave Shaap to him. Hey Maitreya, We have heard that after them Daksh produced 60 daughters from Vairunee. Amongst them, he married 10 daughters to Dharm, 13 to Kashyap, 27 to Som and 4 to Arishtnemi. He gave 2 to Bhooputra, 2 to Angiraa and 2 to Krishaashwa. Now you listen to their names:

Arundhatee, Vasu, Yaamee, Lambaa, Bhaanu, Marutvatee, Sankalpaa, Muhoortaa, Saadhyaa and Vishwaa - these 10 were wives of Dharm. Now you listen to their sons' names:

Vishwaa had Vishwedev,                 Saadhyaa had Saadhya Gan
Marutvatee had Marutvaan           Vasu had Vasu Gan (8)
Bhaanu had Bhaanu                          Muhoortaa had Devtaa of Muhoort
Lambaa had Ghosh                          Yaamee had Naagveethee
Arundhatee had Human Beings      Sankalpaa had Sankalp

Whose life is only various kinds of Tej (power) and wealth, such Vasu Gan are known as eight in number. They are: Aap, Dhruv, Som, Dharm, Anil (Vaayu), Anal (Agni), Pratyoosh, and Prabhaas. Aap's sons were Vaitand, Shram, Shaant, and Dhwani. Dhruv's son was the destroyer of the world - Kaal. Som's son was Varchaa, Dharm's sons' name were - Dravin, Hut, Havyavah, Shishir, Praan and Varun from his wife Manoharaa. Anil's wife was Shivaa, they had Manojav and Avigyaatgati two sons. Agni had Kumaar (Kaartikeya) from reed. Since he was fed by six Krittikaa, he was called Kaartikeya. He had 3 younger brothers - Shaakh, Vishaakh, and Negmeya. Pratyoosh had the son named Deval Rishi. And Deval had two sons.

Brihaspati's sister Varastree was the wife of 8th Vasu Prabhaas. She gave birth to Vishwakarmaa - the architect of Devtaa. He used to make all kinds of jewelry, Vimaan (airplanes), and cities. Vishwakarmaa had 4 sons - Ajaikpaad, Ahirbhudhnya, Twashtaa and Rudra. Twashtaa's son was Vishwaroop. Har, Bahuroop, Tryambak, Aparaajit, Vrishaakapi, Shambhu Kapardee, Raivat, Mrivyaadh, Sharv and Kapaalee - these are 11 Rudra. Hundreds of such Rudra are famous.

Now listen to about 13 daughters of Daksh who were the wives of Maharshi Kashyap. They were - Aditi, Diti, Danu, Arishtaa, Surasaa, Khasaa, Surabhi, Vinataa, Taamraa, Krodhvashaa, Iraa, Kadru, and Muni.

In Chaakshush Manvantar, there were 12 Dev Gan named Tushit. After Chaakshush Manvantar, in Vaivaswat Manvantar, they met each other and said - "We should soon take birth from Aditi's womb, that will only be good for us." Thus they took birth in Kashyap's house from Aditi. They were then - Vishnu, Indra, Aryamaa, Dhaataa, Twashtaa, Pooshaa, Vivaswaan, Savitaa, Mitra, Varun, Anshu, and Bhag. They were called 12 Aaditya. Thus who were Tushit named Dev Gan in Chaakshush Manvantar, the same were called 12 Aaditya in Vaivaswat Manvantar.

Som had 27 daughters of Daksh as his wives. They were all Nakshatra (constellations) and are known from the same names.

Arishtnemi's wives gave birth to 16 sons. Bahuputra's wives were four types of lightning - Kapilaa, Atilohitaa, Peetaa, and Ashitaa. According to Jyoti Shaastra, Kapil (brown) colored lightening brings winds. Atilohit (much red) colored lightning brings sunshine. Peet (yellow) colored lightning brings rains. Ashitaa (white) colored lightning brings famine.

Pratyangiraa gave birth to Devshreshth. Krishaashwa had Devpraharan named Dev Gan.

So Hey Maiterya, These 33 Devtaa - 8 Vasu, 11 Rudra, 12 Aaditya, Prajaapati and Vashatkaar, take birth according to their own wish. It is said that they continuously take birth and continuously die. Their age is 1,000 Yug. As Soorya rises and sets on Prithvi daily, in the same way they also take birth in every Yug.

We have heard that Kashyap Rishi had two mighty sons and one daughter who was married to Viprachitti (born from Diti).

Hiranyakashyap had 4 sons - Anuhlaad, Hlaad, Prahalaad and Sanhlaad. Among them Prahlaad was most religious and was a great devotee of Vishnu. Because of his Bhakti Hiranyakashyap wanted to kill him. He tried several means - he was put in fire, put in sea after tied with a Paash, was attacked with several kinds of weapons, was bitten by snakes, was hit by stones, was dropped from a mountain, was bitten by mad elephants, but nothing could kill him. Even the Krityaa produced by Purohit of Daitya could not end his life. Shambaraasur's Maayaa (illusion) could not affect him. Poisoned food cooked by royal cooks could not kill him."