Listen, O noble one, to the ancient wisdom of creation and dissolution, as revealed in the Agni Purāṇa. The wise, guided by the powers called Sādhyas, and accompanied by the presiding deities of the elements and the senses, first fashion their subtle forms. Then, in an orderly process, they dissolve each form, step by step. Space is absorbed into the mind; the mind is merged into the ego; the ego is surrendered to the great principle, and that, in turn, is dissolved into the unmanifest. This unmanifest, shining forth as knowledge, is known as Vāsudeva. When Vāsudeva, grasping the unmanifest Māyā and moved by the desire to create, begins his divine work, he first brings forth Saṅkarṣaṇa, the essence of sound. Stirring Māyā further, he creates Pradyumna, who is the form of light. Next, he creates Aniruddha, the essence of taste, and Brahmā, the form of scent. As Aniruddha, Brahmā first creates water. Within this water, he forms the golden egg, using the five elements. When the soul enters this egg, its power is absorbed into the self. The life-breath, when joined with the soul, is called ‘active’; the soul itself, known as vyāhṛti, is the internal aspect among the life-breaths. With the presence of these life-breaths, intellect arises, taking eight forms. From intellect, ego is born, and from ego, the mind emerges. Five objects arise—sound, touch, form, taste, and smell—each endowed with intention and other qualities. From these, the senses are created by the power of knowledge: skin, ear, nose, eyes, tongue, and intellect itself as a sense. Next, the organs of action are formed: feet, anus, hands, speech, and genitals as the fifth. Now hear of the five elements: space, air, fire, water, and earth. With these, the gross body is produced, becoming the support of all beings. The wise then assign sacred syllables to the principles within the body. The principle of vital breath, represented by ‘bha’, is placed with the living being. The syllable ‘ba’ is set in the heart as the principle of intellect. ‘Pha’, composed of ego, is also placed there, and ‘pa’, arising from intention, is established as the principle of mind. The syllable ‘na’, the subtle sound, is placed on the head; ‘dha’, embodying touch, is placed at the mouth; ‘da’, the principle of form, is established in the heart; ‘tha’, the principle of taste, is placed in the abdomen; ‘ta’, the principle of smell, is established in the thighs. ‘ṇa’ is placed in the ears, and ‘ḍha’ in the skin. ‘ḍa’ is placed in both eyes, ‘ṭha’ in the tongue, ‘ṭa’ in the nose, and ‘ña’ in speech. ‘Jha’ is placed in the hands as their principle; ‘ja’ in the feet, ‘cha’ in the anus, and ‘ca’ in the genitals. The principle of earth, ‘ṅa’, is placed in both feet; ‘gha’ in the abdomen, and ‘ga’, the principle of fire, in the heart. ‘Kha’, the principle of air, is placed in the nose; ‘ka’, the principle of space, is always placed in the head. ‘Ya’, the solar deity, is placed in the lotus of the heart, from which seventy-two thousand channels emerge. ‘Ma’, joined with sixteen parts, is placed there as well, and in the midst of this, the practitioner contemplates the point—the circle of fire. The best of gods then places the syllable ‘ha’ with the sacred syllable, meditating ‘Om āṃ’, for the essence of the Supreme, and offering homage to the essence of the Person. ‘Om vāṃ’ is contemplated for the withdrawal of mind, and homage is offered to the essence of the universe. ‘Om vā’ is homage to the essence of all. These are the five powers spoken of. The first is applied while standing, the second while sitting, the third while lying down, and the fourth for actions of drinking. On the fifth day of the Gratyarcā ceremony, the five Upaniṣads are remembered. The syllable ‘huṅ’ is placed in the middle, meditating on Hari as composed of mantra. Wherever an image is to be established, the root mantra is placed there: ‘Om namo bhagavate Vāsudevāya’ is the root. The head, nose, forehead, mouth, throat, and heart are consecrated in order. Keśava is placed on the head, Nārāyaṇa on the mouth, Mādhava on the neck, Govinda on both arms, and Viṣṇu on the heart. Madhusūdana is placed on the back, Vāmana on the abdomen, Trivikrama on the waist, and Śrīdhara on the thighs. Hṛṣīkeśa is placed on the right side, Padmanābha on the ankle, and Dāmodara on the feet. These are the six limbs beginning with the heart. This is the general method for the primordial form, or for whichever deity’s installation is undertaken. For that deity, with its own root mantra, the enlivening is performed, using whatever name the form bears, and its first syllable as well. That syllable is divided with twelve vowels, and the limbs are arranged—the heart and others, and the ten-syllable root. Just as the principles are assigned in the deity, so they are assigned in the body. In the lotus circle, Viṣṇu is worshiped with fragrance and other offerings. One meditates on the seat, with its limbs and attendants, and contemplates the auspicious twelve-spoked wheel surrounding it. The three-naveled wheel, with two rims and furnished with spokes, is envisioned. In the rear region, the wise place the primordial elements and so on. The sun is worshiped at the tips of its rays, twelvefold; the moon is contemplated there, joined with sixteen digits. The best teacher contemplates the threefold strength in the navel, and meditates at the center of the twelve-petaled lotus. Thus, O noble one, is the sacred process of creation, dissolution, and installation, as revealed in the ancient teachings.