In ancient times, the great Lord, through the sacred household fire and the ritual of offering, firmly established the fire itself, the Veda, the consecration, and the sacred fuel, setting them as the foundation of all rites. He fashioned the sprinkling vessel and the sacrificial ladle, prepared the ablutions, and, with hands respectfully turned downward, made those who partake in the offerings. He appointed the gods as the recipients of oblations and the ancestors as the receivers of ancestral offerings, engaging them all in acts of sacrifice for the sake of enjoyment, always according to the proper rites. He created the vessels, the gifts, the consecration, the sacrificial cakes, the mortars, the sacrificial post, the sacred fuel, the ladle, soma, purifiers, and the enclosing sticks—each element essential for the sacrificial ceremonies. He further brought forth the sacrificial materials, the various cups, the assistants, the sacrificers, the priests, and the foremost sacrifices, ensuring that every aspect of ritual was complete. By his supreme act, he apportioned all these according to the cycles of the yugas, and by his power, he created the worlds. He established the moments, twinklings, measures, and divisions of time: the threefold division, hours, lunar days, months, days, and the year itself. He gave rise to the seasons, the conjunctions of time, the threefold measure across the three worlds, the fields of life, increase, the marks, and the beauty of form. He created the three worlds, the three gods, the three Vedas, the three fires, the threefold division of time, the three acts, the three classes, and the three qualities. All the worlds were shaped by him through endless activity; he is the creator present in all beings, possessing the qualities of all. He delights in people through yoga beginning with the senses, and through yoga, he is the coming and going. He is the very ordinance, the Lord himself. For those endowed with righteousness, he is the path; for those of evil deeds, he is the lack of path. He is the origin and protector of the four classes. He knows the fourfold knowledge, abides in the four stages of life, and is the directions, the sky, the earth, the wind, and the fire. He is the light composed of the moon and sun, the lord of the ages, the wanderer of the night; he is heard as the supreme light and as the supreme austerity. Some call him the supreme, others the non-supreme; he is the Supreme Self, the god among the Adityas, the destroyer of the Daityas, the all-pervading one. He is the ender at the close of ages, the destroyer of those who destroy worlds, the bridge among the bridges of the worlds, and the purest among those who perform pure acts. He is to be known by those who know the Vedas, the lord of those with creative power; he is Soma among the gentle and Agni among those radiant with fire. He is the lord among Indras, the essence of asceticism among ascetics, humility among the disciplined, and brilliance among the brilliant. He is the form among those worthy of form, the goal among those who have goals; he is the wind born of ether, and from wind arises the vital breath, from which comes the fire that consumes offerings. In heaven, he is the fire that receives offerings; as vital breath, he is Agni, the slayer of Madhu. From essence arises blood, and from blood, flesh is produced. From flesh, fat is born; from fat, bone arises; from bone comes marrow, and from marrow, semen is produced. From semen, the embryo is formed, rooted in essence; in this, the first portion of water is called the lunar mass. The embryo, born of the heat of the womb, is known as the second mass. Semen is of the nature of Soma, and menstrual blood is of the nature of fire. Their qualities follow their essences; in the seed, both moon and fire are present. In the phlegmatic group, semen prevails; in the bilious group, blood. The heart is the seat of phlegm; bile is established at the navel. The heart, at the center of the body, is the seat of the mind. Between the navel and the inner cavity resides the god of fire. The mind is Prajapati, and phlegm is manifest as the moon; bile is considered fire. Thus, the world is of the nature of fire and moon. In this way, the embryo develops, growing into a lump. The wind, united with the Supreme Self, enters in, dividing itself fivefold within the body: prāṇa, apāna, samāna, udāna, and vyāna. Prāṇa moves, nourishing the Supreme Self within; apāna governs the lower body, udāna the upper, vyāna pervades throughout, and samāna brings balance. From this, the elements arise, perceptible to the senses: earth, wind, space, water, and fire. Within him, the senses are established, each in its place; the body is of earth, the vital self of wind. Holes are born from space; from water comes flow; light becomes the eyes, and consciousness is remembered as the mind. Villages and sense-objects, too, proceed from his power. Thus, the eternal Person creates all these worlds. Then, the sages and seekers ask: How did Viṣṇu come to take human birth in this mortal world? This, O Brahman, is our doubt and great wonder. How did the path of the swiftest lead to a human form? This supreme marvel of Viṣṇu is spoken of by gods and demons alike. Tell us, O great sage, the wondrous origin of Viṣṇu, whose strength and power are renowned, whose brilliance is immeasurable. Speak of the true nature of Viṣṇu, whose deeds are astonishing—how that god, the supreme among gods, the remover of distress, came to be. He is all-pervading, Lord of the universe, supreme ruler of all worlds, the god who creates, sustains, and ends creation, the bringer of happiness to all beings. He is imperishable, eternal, infinite, free from increase and decay, untouched, without qualities, subtle, changeless, and stainless.