Savitri spoke of the One who is beyond the highest, dark-hued, changeless, and stainless. Having uttered these words, the smiling goddess took her seat upon a splendid jeweled throne. Afterward, she appeared before Krishna, the Supreme Self, who stirs the minds of all lovers with his five arrows. From Krishna’s left side, the best of desiring women—Kama’s beloved—arose. Rati, beloved of all, appeared; upon seeing her, she smiled, virtuous and radiant. Together with her, Kama praised Hari and remained before his presence. Kama then released all his arrows—those that kill, stupefy, cause yawning, and dry up—testing the power of each. At the sight of Rati, Brahma’s seed was released. The blazing fire that arose burned up his garment. Witnessing this increase, Krishna, through his playful will, created water. He flooded the universe with water that sprang from a drop from his mouth. From that time onward, fire is extinguished by water. From these waters, a single man arose, known as Varuna. From the left side of that fire, a maiden appeared; likewise, from the left side of the lord of waters, another maiden was born. The glorious wind then arose, born from the breath of the Supreme. From the wind’s left side, a maiden was also born. By Krishna’s arrow of desire, another discharge of seed occurred. After a thousand years, it took the form of a water-bubble. Within a single pore of this being’s body abides the entirety of the universe, yet he is only a sixteenth part of Krishna, the Supreme Soul. He lay upon the great ocean, like a lotus leaf floating upon water. From those waters, beings arose, intent on slaying Brahma. The entire earth came into existence from the very marrow of these events. Seeking clarity, a devotee requested an explanation to dispel doubt. All the account of the creation at the beginning was thus related. At the dawn of creation, Narayana and Maheshvara were established. At the very beginning of the Brahma-kalpa, this narrative was told. There are threefold kalpas: Brahma, Varaha, and Padma. Four yugas follow: Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali. A manvantara consists of seventy-one divine yugas, and a year of Brahma comprises three hundred and sixty such days. All this is but a blink of an eye in the time of Krishna, the Supreme Soul. There are many lesser kalpas, known as cycles of dissolution and renewal. A single day of Brahma is called a kalpa, and three principal kalpas are designated: Brahma, Varaha, and Padma. In the Brahma kalpa, the Creator fashioned the earth and performed creation. In the Varaha kalpa, he lifted the earth, which had been lost and submerged in the netherworld.