Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.2181

c9.2181

8) Creation-The Vedas etc. After having completed creation of the things mentioned above, the Prajāpati created from his face looking to the east, the Vedic metre Gāyatrī, Ṛgveda, Trivṛtstoma, the sāma song called Rathantara and the sacrifice Agniṣṭoma; from his face looking to the south, Yajurveda, the Vedic metre Traiṣṭubha, Pañcadaśa stoma. Bṛhatsāma and the sacrifice Uktha; from his face looking to the west, Sāmaveda, the Vedic metre Jagatī, Saptadaśastoma, Vairūpasāma and the sacrifice Atirātra. Thus all the creatures lofty and lower originated from the body of Brahmā. After having created Devas, Asuras, the manes and men, Brahmā again at the beginning of the world age, created Yakṣas, Devils, Gandharvas, celestial maids, Naras, Kinnaras, Rakṣas, cows, birds, animals, serpents etc. such as have long life and short life, movable and immovable, that we see in the world. Creatures which are created again and again do perform functions which creatures of their kind had been doing previously. Habits of killing or not killing, kindness or cruelty, righteousness or evil, truth or falsehood are adopted by them as becoming to their kind in previous lives. It was Brahmā who had created the uses and differences seen in the sense organs, elements and bodies. Brahmā took from the Vedic voice the shape, form, name, activities etc. of various creatures such as the Devas etc. and allotted them to each particular kind. So also he allotted names, work etc. to hermits as seen in the Vedas.