[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Purāṇas](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana) › [Viṣṇupurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu) › [A Prose English Translation of Vishnupuranam](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu~en-dutt) › 1.5.p3.1 # Vishnupurana 1.5.p3.1 A Prose English Translation of Vishnupuranam 1.5.p3.1 - **Language:** English ### [1.5.p3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu~en-dutt.1.5.p3.1) Maitreya said—"O ascetics, thou hast narrated unto me in brief the origin of gods &c. But, O best of the foremost anchorets, I wish to hear this at length". Parāçara said,—"O Brāhmana, on Brahmā being engaged in creation, from his mind issued the four orders of beings commencing with celestials and concluding with the immobile,—and although these are destroyed at the time of universal dissolution, they are never bereft of the mental tendencies they acquire in existence, consequent on their acts; or of the good or bad fortune resulting respectively from their fair or foul actions. Then desirous of creating deities, Asuras, ancestors and men, all going under the name of ambha, Brahmā began to contemplate. And as the lord of beings concentrated his soul, passion overspread him; and first from forth his hips came out Asuras. And then (Brahmā) renounced his person surcharged with darkness; and, O Maitreya, on being renounced by him, Foulness was converted into Night. And having assumed another body, he (again) became desirous of creating, and from the face of the pleased Brahmā, came forth, O twice-born one, celestials surcharged with the virtue of goodness. And that body also having been resigned, the quality of righteousness was turned into Day. And therefore it is that Asuras are powerful by night and deities by day. And he then assumed a person, fraught with goodness; and, he being honored as a sire, out of him sprang the ancestors. - [Previous: 1.5.p2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu~en-dutt.1.5.p2) - [Next: 1.5.p3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu~en-dutt.1.5.p3.2) - [Up: 1.5.p3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu~en-dutt.1.5.p3) ## Linked texts (1) - [Viṣṇupurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu.1.5.27-35) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu~en-dutt.1.5.p3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu~en-dutt.1.5.p3.1) · Pramāṇa