Prachetaa Gan and the Birth of People

Paraashar further said - "Hey Maitreya Muni, Prithu had two sons - Antardhaan and Vaadee. Antardhaan had one son named Havirdhaan from his wife Shikandinee. Havirdhaan had six sons from Dhishanaa (from Agni's family) - Praacheenbarhi, Shukra, Gaya, Krishn, Vrij and Ajin. Praacheenbarhi was a great Prajaapati who produced many people as his people. In his times, Praacheenaagra Kush grass was found everywhere on the earth, that is why he was called Praacheenbarhi. He married the daughter of Samudra - Savarnaa. Savarnaa gave birth to 10 sons. They all were called Prachetaa. They did Tapasyaa inside the sea water for 10,000 years."

Maitreya asked - "Hey Muni, Why did they do Tapasyaa in sea water? Please tell me about this." Paraashar Muni said - "Once their father asked them to produce children, he said to them - "Brahmaa Jee has ordered me to produce children, so I told him "Yes". Now you also produce children." Prachetaa Gan said - "As you say, Father. But tell us the way how should we do it?" Father said - "One can get everything by worshiping Bhagvaan Vishnu, so you must worship Vishnu to increase the population. Whoever desires Dharm, Arth, Kaam, and Moksh should worship Vishnu only. In the beginning of the Kalp, Brahmaa also produced people by worshipping Vishnu only, so you also do the same." Hearing Father's orders, all ten Prachetaa did Tap for Vishnu by immersing in sea water for 10,000 years."

Maitreya asked - "Please tell me that prayer which they did to please Hari." [This prayer is given in Vishnu Puraan on pages 60-62] Bhagavaan Vishnu appeared before them inside the sea. They saw Shree Hari seated on Garud. They saluted Him. Hari said - "I have come here to give your desired Var, ask for it." Prachetaa Gan told Him about the order of their father. Hari said - "So be it." and disappeared from there. Prachetaa Gan also came out of the sea.

Since Prachetaa Gan were busy in Tapasyaa, all kinds of trees grew on Prithvi and a lots of people died. The trees were so many that even sky was filled with trees, so neither air flowed properly, nor people could do anything. When Prachetaa Gan came out of the sea, and saw all kinds of trees grown around them got very angry. They emitted air and fire from their mouth. Air uprooted the trees and dried them; while fire burned them. Thus trees started getting destroyed.

Seeing this destruction Som (Chandra Dev or Moon) went to Prachetaa Gan and said - "Hey Prachetaa, Please calm down your anger and listen to what I say to you. I will negotiate your friendship with trees. They have a daughter. I brought her up that girl with my Amrit rays knowing her future role. She is known as Maarishaa. In fact she is born for this purpose only. She will take your family line forward. She will produce a Prajaapati named Daksh through half the grace of yours and half the grace of mine. He himself will have the grace like Agni and produce lots of people.

In earlier times there was a Muni Kandu. He did severe tap on the banks of Gomatee River. Afraid of his Tap, Indra sent his Pramlochaa named Apsaraa. She succeeded in disturbing his Tap, so he stayed with her in a cave of Mandaraachal Parvat for over 100 years. Then one day she asked his permission to go back to Swarg Lok. Muni loved her very much so he asked her to stay back for some more time. She stayed with him for another 100 years. After that she again asked his permission to go back to Swarg Lok, but Muni again kept her back for some more time. So she pent a little less than 200 years there. Thus whenever she asked to go to Swarg, Muni kept her back for some more time.

One day when Muni came out of his hut in a hurry, she asked him - "Hey Muni, where do you go?" Muni said - "It is evening now, so I go to do my Sandhyaa, otherwise my routine will be disturbed." At this Pramlochaa smiled and said - "Has Soorya set today only? During the last so many years, has your Soorya set only today? Who will not be surprised to hear this?" Muni said - "O Beautiful, You have come here, on this bank only today. I saw you entering my Aashram only today morning. Now the day has ended and evening is setting in. Why do you make the mockery of me like this? Tell me the truth."

Pramlochaa said - "This is true that I have come in the morning, but that morning has passed hundreds of years ago." Kandu Rishi asked - "Tell me the truth, for how long you have been living with me?" Pramlochaa said - "Nine hundred and seventy years and six months and three days more." Kandu said - "Are you speaking the truth or making a mockery of me? I feel as if I have stayed with you only for one day." Pramlochaa said - "How can I tell a lie to you? Especially at that time when you are on your way to your Dharm's path."

After hearing this Kandu Rishi condemned himself and said to that Apsaraa - "O Sinner, Now you can go anywhere you like to go. You have already fulfilled Indra's mission. I am not burning you by my anger because saints become friend if somebody walks with them even seven steps only. You have surpassed all that. You are not responsible for this situation, it is only me. All fault is mine because  could not control my Indriyaan."

Som said - "Till Muni said all this, that woman continued to tremble with fear. Then she went away through skyway wiping her sweated body with the leaves of trees. At that time she was pregnant, so her fetus came out of her body with that sweat. Trees took that sweat, wind brought it together, and I started developing it with my rays. At appropriate time the child took birth and was named Maarishaa. Now these trees will give her to you, so be calm. This Maarishaa is the daughter of Pramlochaa, born from trees, is the child of Kandu Muni, Vaayu and myself."

Paraashar further said - "Then Kandu Muni went to Purushottam Teerth and started worshipping Vishnu." Prachetaa Gan said - "We want to hear that Brahmpaar named Stotra (given on p 66-67) of Kandu Muni which he was pronouncing during his Jap. Then Som told them that Stotra. The Muni got the Parampad doing Tap.