He who is spoken of in the scriptures is truly wondrous—he pervades all creation, present everywhere with hands and feet, with eyes, heads, and faces in every direction, and with ears spread throughout the world. This great being stands, filling all space, encompassing everything. The universe itself is his body: its head, arms, feet, eyes, and nose are his own. Moving freely through this vast field of existence, he acts as he wills, unhindered by any limitation. The bodies that populate the world are his fields, and he, the soul of yoga, knows each of them as he chooses. For this reason, he is called the knower of the field. He dwells in the unmanifest city, and so is known as the Person. The universe, with all its variety and knowable forms, is said to be none other than him, present everywhere. Because he appears in countless forms, he is remembered as the Universal Form; yet, his greatness is one and indivisible, and so he is also remembered as the One Person. He alone, eternal and unchanging, is called the Great Person. Obeying the order of creation, he brings himself forth by his own power. The inner self, he multiplies himself a hundredfold, a thousandfold, a hundred thousandfold, and into the millions. Just as water from the sky falls to earth and enters it according to its own nature, so does he enter into the essence of all qualities. Like the single wind, which, though one, becomes fivefold in different bodies, so too does he manifest both unity and diversity—there is no doubt about this. And just as fire, depending on its place, is called by different names, he too is known by many designations among Brahmā and the other gods. From a single lamp, thousands of lamps can be kindled; in the same way, from the One, thousands of forms arise. When he comes to realize his own true self, he stands alone; but when dissolution into oneness occurs, it is from him that all multiplicity arises. In this world, nothing—whether moving or unmoving—is eternal; only he is imperishable, immeasurable, and all-pervading. Therefore, O best of the twice-born, from the unmanifest arises the threefold nature; that which abides as both manifest and unmanifest is called Prakriti. Know this as the womb of Brahman, which is of the nature of both being and non-being, and which is revered in the world in all rites, both divine and ancestral. Truly, there is nothing higher than this—not father, nor even god, O twice-born; he is to be known as the self, and so I worship him. Even those who dwell in heaven, all embodied beings, bow before him; by his grace, they attain the path of the gods and the fruits destined by the seers. The gods and those established in their ashramas, taking refuge in his various forms, worship with devotion the primordial one, and he grants them their desired goals. He is said to be all-pervading and without qualities; thus, with the understanding I possess, I worship the Sun. And those whose minds are absorbed in him, who have taken refuge in the one principle, for them the supreme attainment is this: they enter into the One. Thus, O Nārada, this secret teaching has been declared to you; by my devotion, O sage among the gods, you too have remembered the supreme. Whether by gods, sages, or the ancients, he is remembered as the bestower of boons; and all worship the supreme self, the Sun. This was once told by the Sun to Nārada, and now, O best of the twice-born, I too have recounted the story of the Sun. This narrative, worthy to be told, has been related by me and should never be given to one who is not devoted to the Sun. Whoever recites this always, or hears it with faith, will surely enter the god of a thousand rays—of this there is no doubt. One who is afflicted or suffering from disease is freed by hearing this story of the Sun; the seeker of knowledge attains wisdom and the desired goal as well. Whoever recites this, O sage, attains his path swiftly; whatever desire he wishes for, he surely obtains. Therefore, always remember the blessed Sun, who is the creator, ordainer, and lord of the entire world. O best of sages, all the three worlds have their root in the Sun; from him arises this entire universe, with gods, asuras, and humans. The universal radiance belongs to Rudra, Upendra, Mahendra, the foremost of brahmins, the dwellers of heaven, and those of great splendor. The Sun alone is the Self of all, the Lord of all worlds, the God of gods, the Lord of creatures, the root and supreme deity of the three worlds. The offering properly placed in the fire reaches the Sun; from the Sun comes rain, from rain food, and from food all beings are born. All is born from the Sun and there itself dissolves; indeed, the coming into being and ceasing of worlds once arose from the Sun. He is the object of meditation for meditators and the source of liberation for those who seek release; there, beings attain extinction, and from there, they are born again and again. Moments, muhūrtas, days and nights, fortnights, months, years, seasons, and yugas—all these exist perpetually. Without the Sun, these reckonings of time do not exist; without time, there is no order, nor any activity of fire. Without the distinction of seasons, how could there be flowers and fruits? How could crops ripen, or the multitude of grasses and herbs flourish? Without the Sun, the activities of creatures here and in heaven cease; by the power of the world, all enters the Sun, the thief of water. Without rain, the Sun does not burn; without rain, it does not parch; without rain, it does not reach its boundary; with water, the Sun blazes forth. In spring, the Sun is tawny; in summer, he is golden in appearance; in the rains, he is white in color; and in autumn, the Sun is pale. Thus is the glory and mystery of the Sun, the supreme Self, the source and sustainer of all worlds.