Markandeyapurana 49.7

49.7

udriktāstamasā sarve niḥ śrīkā hyalpacetasaḥ /
tataḥ saṃharṣamāṇāste dvandvotpannāstu prāṇinaḥ //

Mārkaṇḍeya spoke:
While Brahmā was first creating and was meditating on truth, he created a thousand pairs of human beings from his mouth, O Muni; when born, they come into being, characterized chiefly by goodness, and self-glorious. He created another thousand pairs from his breast; they were all characterized chiefly by passion, and were fiery and impatient. And he created again another thousand miserable pairs from his thighs;[2] they were known as characterized chiefly by passion and ignorance, and as enviously disposed. And he created another thousand pairs from his feet; they were all characterized chiefly by ignorance, and were unfortunate and little of understanding.

Then those living beings, produced in pairs, were rejoicing together; urged by their mutual distress they hastened to sexual intercourse. Thenceforward pairing originated in this kalpa. Women did not have their courses month by month; hence they did not then bring forth offspring, although they engaged in sexual intercourse. They bring forth just pairs of children once at the close of life. Thenceforward pairing originated in this kalpa. By meditation and thought those human beings give birth to offspring once. Sound and the other objects of sense were pure severally in their five marks.