From the mind of the Creator arose the first men, and from him too came the great Pitṛs, the revered ancestors who dwell beyond. For the fulfillment of sacrifice and the sustenance of the world, he brought forth the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas—the very foundation of all sacred rites. Brahmā, the self-born, became the source of all beings: the gods who rule the heavens, the wise sages, the ancestors, and humankind. From him also emerged the Yakṣas and Piśācas, mysterious and powerful, as well as the melodious Gandharvas and all the enchanting Apsarases. He fashioned both the perishable and the imperishable, the moving and the unmoving—every facet of existence. These beings are brought forth again and again, in cycles unending. The wise know that all these creations have a threefold origin, which, though undivided in essence, appears distinct to those who contemplate its mystery. Those established in goodness and endowed with equal vision declare that action unfolds according to its own domain and nature. By uttering the word 'diva', the great Lord created five radiant forms, which do not arise at night; and again, he withdraws them in due course. All modifications, from the great cosmic principle down to the particular, are natural expressions of his creative power. He adorned the world with countless rivers, vast oceans, and mountains by the thousands. In this vast Brahma-forest, the unmanifest Brahmā, all-knowing, moves unseen. Within this domain, the aggregate of intellect and the subtle cavity of the inner senses reside. Here, righteousness and unrighteousness blossom, yielding the fruits of pleasure and pain. This very Brahma-forest is the domain of the Brahma-tree, the source of all. Those who contemplate the ultimate principles call this the primordial substance—nature and illusion intertwined. The three primal creations of Brahma arise without conscious intent. From differentiation, these creations proceed, and Brahma is held as their origin. Each creation arises from the one before, and the wise recognize the cause behind it all. Know that the directions are his ears, the earth his feet; he, whose nature is beyond conception, is the mover of all beings. From his thighs sprang the Vaiśyas, from his feet the Śūdras; thus, all castes are born from his own body. Brahma himself is born from the cosmic egg, and by him the worlds are shaped. Those who reach these worlds attain the realm of Brahma—a path from which there is no return. There, they become equal to Brahma, both in form and in domain. By the force of destiny, the primordial nature extends itself. Even as in sleep, awareness arises without deliberate intent, so too does creation unfold. When withdrawal comes, distinctions among beings cease—except for those full of energy, who perceive diversity and dwell in the world of Brahma. Those who are perfected, possessing equal characteristics, remain pure in essence and free from stain. Nature, having dispatched itself, continues to act according to its own principle. Again, creation proceeds for those whose selves are bound by cause. Among all beings, there is a path of liberation for those who do not return to rebirth. When they ascend, rejoicing, their souls depart beyond the three worlds. Yet, when the time of the destruction of the kalpa arrives, those disciples who remain, along with animals, birds, plants, and reptiles, endure the dissolution. When a thousand rays of the sun are destroyed, then, in succession, those with a hundred rays burn the three worlds. First, the worlds are dried up by the absence of rain, then scorched by the blazing rays. Thus, all moving and unmoving beings, together with all forms of righteousness and unrighteousness, are brought to their end, as the grand cycle turns once more.