Listen now to the wondrous account of creation and dissolution, as revealed in the sacred scripture. The directions themselves are his ears, and the earth forms his feet; he is of inconceivable nature, the mover of all beings. From his mighty thighs arose the Vaiśyas, and from his feet, the Śūdras; thus, all the castes have their origin in his body. Brahma himself is born from the cosmic egg, and by his power, the worlds are brought forth. Those worlds eventually attain the realm of Brahma, following a path from which there is no return. In that state, beings become equal to Brahma, both in form and in domain. By the force of what must inevitably come to pass, the primordial extends itself, just as awareness arises in sleep without conscious intent. When withdrawal occurs, all distinctions among beings cease—though not for those who are full of energy and remain active. Among those who perceive diversity and dwell in the world of Brahma, the perfected ones are pure in essence, possessing equal characteristics and free from stain. Nature, having dispatched itself, acts according to its own principle. Once again, creation proceeds for those whose selves are bound by cause. Among these, there is a path to liberation for those who do not return to rebirth. When they ascend, the rejoicing souls depart from the three worlds. But when the destruction of the kalpa approaches, those disciples who remain, along with animals, birds, plants, and reptiles, witness the end. 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 lack of rain and scorched by these rays; all moving and unmoving beings, along with righteousness and unrighteousness, are freed from the well-known heat and the bonds of virtue. Having passed the night of Brahmā, whose birth is unmanifest, the inhabitants of the three worlds enter into that state. When the earth is flooded by rain or submerged in desolate oceans, the waters flow forth, and the mountains as well. Then the ocean, covering the entire earth, comes into being. All these elements come together and are perceived as months and radiances. The element spreads out, and from it, the subtle ones are remembered. In that one ocean, the waters persist; they are not destroyed, and thus, all people remain in the form of water for as long as that night endures. With the wind calmed, darkness prevails, and there is no light anywhere. In that state, he wishes once again to bring about the division of the world. Then he becomes Brahma, with a thousand eyes and a thousand feet. Brahma, known as Narayana, sleeps upon the waters in that time. By this first step, the ancient account is proclaimed. Having heard this, Kapeya, with a delighted mind, begins to question further. From that point, the knower of cycles explains the succession. Kapeya expresses his wish to know this thoroughly, for the narrator is indeed skilled. Thus, the narration of the complete origin of the three worlds commences, encompassing the past, the future, and the succession of cycles among them.