O Nārada, listen as I recount the wondrous beginnings of creation as they unfolded before me. When I first emerged from the Supreme, I could not see Him, nor grasp His form. In silence, I waited, and then a voice of the highest order resounded, commanding me: “Brahman, create the world, both the stationary and the moving.” Confused and uncertain, I spoke in reply, “How shall I create? Where shall I create? With what shall I create this world?” My words were harsh, for I knew not the means or the place. Then, the divine voice, the Mother of the Universe, prompted by Viṣṇu, spoke again. She, who is the very embodiment of the world, addressed me: “Perform sacrifice; then power will arise in you, without doubt. Sacrifice indeed is Viṣṇu—this is the eternal teaching, O Brahman.” She assured me that nothing is unattainable for those who perform sacrifice, whether in this world or the next. Still seeking guidance, I asked her, “Where and with what should it be done? Tell me that, O greatly fortunate one. How should the sacrifice be performed?” The goddess answered: “The goddess who is embodied as Om, mother-like, pervading the universe—on the field of action, worship here the Lord of sacrifice, the Person of sacrifice.” She instructed me that this, above all, would be my means: with sacrifice, svāhā, svadhā, mantras, brāhmaṇas, offerings, and the like, I should worship Him. For Hari alone is all, and by such worship, everything of Viṣṇu is attained. Again, I asked, “Where is the land of action established?” At that time, O Nārada, neither the Bhāgīrathī nor the Narmadā existed, nor the Yamunā, Tāpi, Sarasvatī, Gautamī, nor the ocean, nor any river, nor any pure lake or stream. The goddess spoke to me repeatedly, revealing: on the southern side of Mount Sumeru, the southern side of Himavat, and south of the Vindhya and Sahya ranges, the land of action arises in all ages, auspicious in its dawn. Hearing her words, I left the great mountain Meru and came to that region, pondering where I should stay. Then the bodiless voice of Viṣṇu spoke: “Go from here, stay here, or sit here; here, indeed, make your resolve for the sacrifice. That sacrifice of yours will be completed.” Thus, when my resolve was made, O best of gods, I performed all the rites declared in the Vedas. In that moment, the Itihāsas and Purāṇas, and all that is within the range of words, sprang forth from my mouth and entered the sphere of memory. The entire meaning of the Vedas became known to me instantly, and I recalled the famous Puruṣa Sūkta. All the sacrificial implements described therein I prepared, arranging the vessels as prescribed. Standing purified, self-controlled, and initiated in that place, that region became known by my name. My sacred place of worship is renowned as Brahmagiri, extending up to eighty-four yojanas. To the east of Brahmagiri lies my sacred site; in its midst is the altar, and to its south, the gārhapatya fire. There, I arranged the āhavanīya fire as well. Yet, without a wife, the sacrifice cannot succeed, as the scriptures declare. Therefore, I divided my own body in two, O sage. From the former half, my wife was born for the accomplishment of the sacrifice; from the other half, I myself became the husband. The excellent season of spring I prepared as clarified butter. The fuel I arranged as summer, and autumn as the offering; the rainy season became the sacrificial grass. The seven meters became the enclosing sticks, and the divisions of time—kalā, kāṣṭhā, and nimeṣa—served as fuel, vessels, and sacred grass. Time itself, without beginning or end, manifested as the sacrificial post and the binding rope for the sacrificial animal. The cords of the three qualities—sattva and the others—became the bonds. But no sacrificial animal was present; thus, I spoke the Vaiṣṇava speech, bodiless: “Without a sacrificial animal, this sacrifice cannot be completed.” Then the eternal goddess, bodiless, spoke: “With the hymn of the Puruṣa, praise that Supreme Person with manly strength.” Saying “so be it,” I, as the Lord of gods, Janārdana—the source of my being—praised Him with devotion through the hymn of the Puruṣa. The goddess then said to me, “O Brahman, make me the sacrificial animal, recognizing the Puruṣa as my eternal progenitor.” By the side of the sacrificial post of time, I sprinkled the Puruṣa, established by the bonds of qualities and placed upon the sacred grass, who had appeared before me. In that very moment, from Him, all this came into being: from His mouth were born the Brāhmaṇas, and from His arms, the Kṣatriyas. From His mouth came Indra and Agni; from His breath, the wind; from His ears, the directions; and from His head, the entire heaven. From His mind, the moon; from His eyes, the sun; from His navel, the mid-space; and from His thighs, the people. From His feet, the Śūdra was produced, and the earth was born; from His hair follicles, the seers, and from His hair, the plants. Domestic and wild animals arose from His nails; from His anus and genitals came worms, insects, and flying creatures. All that is stationary and moving, visible and invisible, came from Him; and from me, the gods were again produced. At that moment, the very speech of Viṣṇu addressed me.