Listen, as the wondrous realm is revealed: Its very form is pure brilliance, an expanse of radiance so great that words fall short, composed of precious gems and supreme in all creation. This magnificent domain is sustained by the Lord Himself through the power of yoga, ever excellent and situated high in the sky. Within it are countless palaces, each fashioned from true jewels, their beauty beyond imagination. Beneath this celestial realm, to the south and to the left, stretches a vast region spanning fifty crore yojanas. At its heart lies Vaikuntha, circular in form, measuring a crore yojanas across. There, four-armed companions attend the Lord—beings untouched by old age, death, or any such affliction. When dissolution comes, this realm dissolves into void; but with creation, it is graced by Shiva and his attendants. Vaikuntha is supremely delightful, the eternal source of the highest bliss. It alone generates boundless joy, for it is formless, transcending even the supreme. The Lord who resides there is of the hue of a fresh raincloud, with eyes like blooming red lotuses. His beauty surpasses that of a crore Cupids; He is the very abode of divine play, enchanting all who behold Him. His form is adorned with a multitude of true jewel ornaments, and His heart is ever loving toward His devotees. Upon His chest shines the sacred mark of Śrīvatsa, radiant with the Kaustubha gem. Seated on a jeweled throne, He is further adorned with a garland of forest flowers. This Lord is formed by His own will, the seed and support of all, transcending the supreme. His radiance is like a crore full moons, and He bestows grace upon all devotees. At the center of the circle of the rāsa dance, He sits in perfect peace—the supreme Lord of the rāsa. He is the seed of supreme bliss: true, imperishable, undecaying, the Lord and embodiment of all perfections, and the bestower of perfection. He is the supreme Lord, beyond nature and without qualities, yet of eternal form—true, independent, the one alone, the very essence of the supreme Self. Thus, bearing this supreme form, the Blessed Lord alone exists. In the beginning, before creation, Sauti tells us, the world was barren and empty—devoid of creatures, waterless, dreadful, windless, and shrouded in darkness. There were no trees, mountains, oceans, or any such things; its appearance was distorted and strange. The Lord, contemplating all this in His mind, stood alone, without any companion. At the dawn of creation, beings began to emerge from the southern side of the cosmic Man. Then arose the great ego and the five subtle elements. Afterwards, Narayana Himself, the Supreme Lord, manifested. He appeared holding the conch, discus, mace, and lotus, His lotus-face adorned with a gentle smile. Upon His chest shimmered the mark of Srivatsa—He was the abode and origin of Sri, the very source of all prosperity. His form was beautiful and charming, shining with the radiance of Kamadeva. Narayana then spoke: “I am the cause of all causes, and the very action that gives rise to action. I am austerity, its eternal fruit, the lord of ascetics, and the ascetic himself. Though desireless, I am of the form of desire, the destroyer and cause of desire. I am the form of the Vedas, the origin of the Vedas, the fruit declared by the Vedas, and the fruit itself.” Having spoken thus, filled with devotion, the Lord remained there by His own command. Sauti further declares: Whoever recites the hymn composed by Narayana with focused mind—if one desires a son, he obtains a son; if one desires a wife, he gains a beloved. Even one afflicted in prison is freed by this hymn. Then, he appeared—pure as crystal, with five faces, clothed only in the directions. His form shone with the hue of molten gold, adorned with matted locks, and was most excellent to behold. Thus is the revelation of the supreme Lord and the beginning of creation, as spoken in the ancient scripture.