O King, know that all the gods, beginning with Brahma himself, are ever devoted to worshipping the Divine Mother. Who indeed would not serve her, seeing even the greatest of the gods bow before her glory? Whoever listens daily to these sacred teachings—perfectly declared by the Goddess herself to Vishnu—will surely attain all their heart’s desires. By hearing this, O King, peace will blossom within your mind, and by the merit of listening to this Purana, your ancestors will gain undiminishing heavenly abodes. Then Janamejaya, filled with curiosity and reverence, spoke: “O Lord, you have described the great sacrifice known as Ambā. Who is she? How and where did she arise, and for what purpose? What are her qualities? Please tell me the true nature of her sacrifice, its real form, and the proper way to perform it, for you are all-knowing, an ocean of compassion. “Also, describe in detail the origin of the universe, as it has been spoken and as you know it in full, O best among the twice-born. I have heard of the three great gods—Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra—who are endowed with qualities and perform the acts of creation, preservation, and destruction. Are these great souls independent, O descendant of Parāśara, or do they depend on another? I long to hear the truth of this. “Are they subject to death and fate, or are they of the nature of pure existence, consciousness, and bliss? Are they connected with the elements, or are they beyond all suffering? 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 do they enjoy, and what is the measure of their lifespan? Tell me also of their abodes and their powers; I wish to hear this story from you in detail, O Brahman.” Vyasa replied, “O King, you have asked a most profound question—the origin of Brahma and the others, and for what reason they came to be. This very question, wise one, was once asked by me to the sage Narada. Astonished, he rose and answered me—listen closely, O King. “Once, at a certain time, I beheld the tranquil sage Narada, knower of all things and best versed in the Vedas, standing upon the bank of the sacred Ganga. Seeing him, I was filled with joy and, bowing at his feet, I sat near him as he commanded, upon a noble seat. After exchanging words of well-being, I questioned him, the son of Brahma, who stood absorbed on the solitary, fine-sanded bank of Jahnavi. “I asked, ‘O wise sage, in this vast universe, who is proclaimed as the supreme creator? Tell me this in detail. From what did this universe arise? Is it impermanent or eternal? Please explain, O foremost of the twice-born. Is this the work of a single creator, or of many, or otherwise? If there is no creator, then no effect can arise—this contradiction perplexes me. “‘Thus, caught in a web of doubts, lift me up, for I am lost amidst endless alternatives in this immense world. Some say that Śaṅkara is the cause of causes—Sadāśiva, the great god beyond creation and dissolution. He is self-content, lord of the gods, of triple qualities, pure, the remover of suffering; the savior from worldly existence, eternal, the source of creation, preservation, and destruction. “‘Others praise Viṣṇu as the supreme lord and master of all, the unmanifest Self, endowed with all powers. He grants enjoyment and liberation, is ever peaceful, the origin of all, facing all directions, all-pervading, the refuge of the universe, without beginning or end—Hari. “‘Others declare the creator, the knower of all, the mover of all beings, as the cause of creation—the four-faced lord, Brahma, born from the lotus of the navel, mighty 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 him tirelessly, evening and morning. In sacrifices, many worship Vāsava, Indra of the thousand eyes, god of gods, powerful lord of all, lord of sacrifice, ruler of the three worlds, husband of Śacī, enjoyer of offerings and soma. “‘Others worship Varuṇa, Soma, Agni, Vāyu, Yama, Kubera the giver of wealth, and Gaṇeśa as well—Heramba, the elephant-faced one, fulfiller of all tasks, bestower of success by remembrance, giver of desires, supreme among those who grant wishes. “‘Some teachers declare Bhavānī as the giver of all aims, the primordial Māyā, the great power, Prakṛti following Puruṣa. United with Brahman, she is the cause of creation, preservation, and destruction, mother of all beings, and of the gods as well. “‘She is beginningless and endless, complete, pervading all creatures, sovereign of all worlds, both with and without qualities, ever auspicious. She is Vaiṣṇavī, Śāṅkarī, Brāhmī, Vāsavī, Vāruṇī, Vārāhī, Nārasiṃhī, and the wondrous Mahālakṣmī. “‘She is the Mother of the Vedas, knowledge firm as the tree of existence, destroyer of all suffering, and fulfiller of all desires by remembrance. She grants liberation to those who seek it, bestows results to those who desire them, her form transcending the three guṇas, yet she is the cause of their expansion. Both without qualities and with qualities, those who seek results meditate upon her. Truly, she is stainless, formless, untouched, and beyond all qualities.’ “Thus did I question the sage Narada, seeking to know the supreme truth behind all that is. O King, listen now as I recount to you what he revealed.