O King Janamejaya, you have performed a blessed act by honoring the sage Astika, born in a family of wanderers and son of Vasuki’s sister. May all well-being be yours, mighty-armed one, for you have listened to the entire story of the Bhāratas, bestowed generous gifts, and shown respect to the sages. Yet, despite your many virtuous deeds, your father did not attain heaven, nor was your lineage fully purified, O best of kings. Therefore, establish a grand temple for the Goddess with deep devotion, Janamejaya, for through her worship, all success will surely be yours. When Śivā is worshipped with supreme devotion, she bestows every perfection, brings prosperity to the lineage, and ensures the kingdom’s stability. Having completed the Goddess-sacrifice according to the proper rites, now listen to the supreme Purāṇa, the Śrīmad Bhāgavata. I shall narrate to you the most sacred story, divine and filled with many flavors, which delivers one from worldly existence. There is no Purāṇa more worthy of hearing than this, O king, nor any worship apart from the lotus feet of the Goddess. Blessed, wise, and fortunate are those, O best of kings, whose hearts overflow with love for the Goddess, where she always dwells. In contrast, those who have not worshipped the great Māyā, the ever-compassionate Mother, are seen to be greatly afflicted in this world, O Bhārata. All the gods, beginning with Brahma, are ever intent on worshipping her; who, then, would not serve her? Whoever listens daily to this teaching, perfectly declared by the Goddess to Vishnu, attains all desires. By hearing this, O King, peace will arise in your mind, and your ancestors will gain undiminishing heaven. Janamejaya then spoke: “O Lord, you have spoken of the great sacrifice called Ambā. Who is she? How did she arise, where, for what reason, and with what qualities? What is the nature of her sacrifice and its true form? Please tell me the proper procedure, O all-knowing, ocean of compassion. Also, describe in detail the origin of the universe as it has been said, and as you know it entirely, O best of the twice-born. I have heard of three gods—Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra—endowed with qualities, who perform creation, preservation, and destruction. Are these great souls independent, O descendant of Parāśara, or are they dependent on another? Are they subject to death and fate, or are they of the nature of existence, consciousness, and bliss? Are they connected with the elements, or not afflicted by the threefold miseries? Are these mighty lords of the gods under the control of time, or not? How did they arise, and for what reason? This is my doubt. Are they subject to joy and sorrow, joined with sleep and laziness? Are their bodies composed of the seven elements, or otherwise, O sage? Of what substances are they made, with what qualities and senses? What is their enjoyment, and what is the measure of their lifespan? Tell me also their places of residence and their powers. I wish to hear this story from you in detail, O Brahman.” Vyasa replied, “O King, you have posed a difficult question—the origin of Brahma and the others, and for what reason, O wise one. This very question I once asked the sage Narada. Astonished, he rose and replied—listen, O King. At a certain time, I saw the tranquil sage Narada, knower of all, best versed in the Vedas, standing on the bank of the Ganga. Seeing him, I became joyful and fell at his feet. At his command, I sat nearby on a noble seat. After hearing words of well-being, I questioned him, the son of Brahma, who was absorbed on the solitary, fine-sanded bank of the Jahnavi. I asked, ‘O wise sage, in this vast universe, who is declared to be the supreme creator? Tell me this in detail. From what did this universe arise? Is it impermanent or eternal? Please explain this, O foremost of the twice-born. Is this the work of a single creator, or of many creators, or otherwise? If there is no creator, then there can be no effect; this contradiction appears to me. Thus, immersed in a multitude of doubts, lift me up now, as I am caught in endless alternatives in this vast world.’ Some say that Śaṅkara is the cause of causes—Sadāśiva, the great god, free from creation and dissolution. He is self-content, lord of the gods, of three qualities, pure, the remover; the savior from worldly existence, eternal, and the cause of creation, preservation, and destruction. Others praise Viṣṇu as the lord and master of all, the supreme self, unmanifest, endowed with all powers. He grants enjoyment and liberation, is peaceful, the origin of all, facing all directions, all-pervading, the refuge of the universe, without beginning or end—Hari. Others declare the creator as the cause of creation, the knower of all, the mover of all beings—the four-faced lord, born from the lotus of the navel, the mighty one, creator of all worlds, dwelling in the world of truth. Some speak of the sun as the lord of all, as declared by the Vedic teachers; they praise and sing of him tirelessly, evening and morning. Likewise, in sacrifices, they worship Vāsava, the thousand-eyed Indra, god of gods, the powerful lord of all.” Thus, Vyasa began to recount the profound questions and the diverse views on the supreme source of creation, as heard from Narada, preparing to reveal the deeper truths to King Janamejaya.