Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.43

c5.43

2) Dakṣa’s creation of the prajas or subjects. Once Brahmā called Dakṣa and ordered him to create prajās or subjects. Accordingly Dakṣa created the gods, the hermits, the Gandharvas (Demi-gods), the Asuras, the serpents etc. Seeing that the subjects he created were not proliferating as required he thought of creating subjects by coition of male and female; and he begot by his wife Asiknī five thousand sons, and they were called Haryaśvas. They in their turn were about to create subjects when Nārada appeared before them and said “Oh, Haryaśvas, you are mere children and ignorant of the secrets of this world. How do you intend to create subjects ? You fools, since you have the power to go up and down and lengthwise and breadthwise, why don’t you try to find out the extremities of the earth ?” Hearing the words of Nārada, they all ran in different directions and have not returned since. Thus Dakṣa lost the Haryaśvas. Dakṣa again begot thousand sons by Asiknī and they were called Śabalāśvas. Seeing that they also were about to create subjects Nārada scattered them also, by some tricks. The Śabalāśvas who had gone to see the end of the earth have not yet returned.