With his limbs he never perpetrated even the slightest crime. The seven celebrated Rishis, viz., Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, and Vashishtha, who passed by the name of Chitra-shikhandins, uniting together on the breast of that foremost of mountains, viz., Meru, promulgated an excellent work on duties and observances which were consistent with the four Vedas. The contents of that work were uttered by seven mouths, and fomed the best compendium of human duties and obsevances. Known, as already stated, by the name of ChitraShikhandins, those seven Rishis form the seven elements, and the Self-born Manu, who is the eighth in the number, formed original Nature. These eight keep up the universe, and it was these eight who promulgated the treatise referred to.
न च कायेन कृतवान् स पापं परमण्वपि। ये हि ते ऋषयः ख्याताः सप्त चित्रशिखण्डिनः॥ तैरेकमतिभिर्भूत्वा यत् प्रोक्तं शास्रमुत्तमम्। वेदैश्चतुर्भिः समितं कृतं मेरौ महागिरौ॥ आस्यैः सप्तभिरुद्गीण लोकधर्ममनुत्तमम्। मरीचिरत्र्यङ्गिरसौ पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः। वसिष्ठश्च महातेजास्ते हि चित्रशिखण्डिनः॥ सप्त प्रकृतयो ह्येतास्तथा स्वायम्भुवोऽष्टमः। एताभिर्धार्यते लोकस्ताभ्यः शास्त्रं विनिःसृतम्॥