Her radiance was dazzling, her golden complexion shining like molten gold, and her brilliance surpassed ten million suns. She was adorned in red garments and bedecked with jeweled ornaments, a vision of divine splendor. Among all the gathered powers, the Lord himself stood as the presiding deity, and that supreme Mother of the worlds was revealed as the very embodiment of his own power. Before Krishna, the Supreme Lord, stood the conch, discus, mace, lotus, rosary, water-pot, and the divine weapons of Narayana, Brahma, Rudra, and Pashupata. In their presence, the goddess, filled with joy, offered her praise to Krishna. Prakriti, the Divine Mother, spoke: “The universe, endowed with all powers, exists through me and is pervaded by power. Yet, all of this is created by you and is not independent; you alone are the Lord of the worlds. You are the creator when there is creation, the destroyer when there is dissolution, and in but the blink of Brahma’s eye, you bring about the end of all. O Lord, who can truly describe your immeasurable power? All that moves and does not move, all the gods with Brahma at their head, exist through you. I bow to you, Supreme Self—most complete, most praiseworthy, ever blissful. Even Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the rest cannot adequately praise you. Nor can the Vedas, the wisest of scriptures, capture your glory.” Having spoken thus, Durga, seated upon her jeweled lion-throne, completed her hymn to Krishna, the Supreme Self. Though she left his house, Durga never truly departs from it at any time. Sauti then continued: The goddess, radiant like pure crystal, appeared singular and enchanting, clad in white garments and adorned with every ornament. Standing before the Supreme, Eternal Brahman, she offered her praise. Savitri spoke, honoring the One who is beyond the highest, dark-hued, changeless, and stainless. After her words, the smiling goddess took her seat upon a splendid jeweled throne. Then, she appeared before Krishna, the Supreme Self, who stirs the minds of all lovers with his five arrows of desire. From the left side of that supreme man, the best among desiring women, Kama’s beloved, arose—Rati, beloved of all, smiling and virtuous. Together, Kama and Rati praised Hari and remained there in his presence. Kama then released all his arrows—those of killing, stupefying, causing yawning, and drying up—to test their power. Upon seeing Rati, Brahma’s seed was released. The blazing fire from that seed burned up his garment and rose high. Witnessing this, Krishna, by his divine play, created water and flooded the universe with it, the waters arising from a drop from his mouth. From that moment, fire has been extinguished by water. From these waters, a single man emerged, known as Varuna, the lord of waters. From the left side of that fire, a maiden appeared, and from the left side of Varuna, another maiden was born. The glorious wind arose, born from the breath of the Supreme, and from the left side of that wind, yet another maiden was born. By the arrow of desire from Krishna, a discharge of seed occurred, continuing the divine unfolding of creation.