Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra are known throughout the world as the creators, sustainers, and destroyers of the universe. This is the order people understand, yet, O Goddess, is this truly the whole truth? In reality, it is only by your will that we act; our strength comes from you alone, O birthless Mother. O Daughter of the Mountain, it is not the earth herself who supports all creation, but your sustaining power that upholds everything. Even the sun shines only by your radiance, O Giver of Boons. You, pure and untainted, are the light that shines forth as the entire universe. Brahma, Vishnu, and I, Rudra, exist only by your power; we are born, not eternal. What other gods, even Indra and the rest, claim eternity? You alone, O Mother, are the eternal, ancient Prakriti. If you, O Bhavani, show compassion to the ancient Purusha, then I know I am always in your presence. Otherwise, I, the Lord, beginningless and actionless, would remain as the self of the universe, but lost in darkness, as mere nature. You alone are knowledge for the wise; you are the power among the strong. You are fame, beauty, fortune, satisfaction, the giver of liberation, and the very detachment within the world of men. You are the Gayatri, the foremost portion of the Vedas; you are Svaha, Svadha, the blessed one, and the subtle half-syllable with qualities. The Veda itself is prescribed for you, O Bhavani, for the constant reviving of the ancient gods. You create the entire universe solely for the sake of liberation; those who attain it no longer possess individual existence. The souls are but parts of you, the sinless, beginningless, endless one, like waves spreading from the full ocean. When the soul realizes that all this is your doing, then it is known that you withdraw everything. Just as a play, created by an actor, ceases when the purpose is fulfilled, so do you, O manifest power, withdraw when your work is done. You alone are my savior from the ocean of delusion, O Ambika; I always approach you in great distress. When the end comes, fashioned by passions and suffering, protect me at that time. Salutations to you, O Goddess, O great wisdom! I bow to your feet. Always grant me the light of knowledge, O Giver of all aims, O auspicious one. When Vishnu, the god of gods, Janardana, finished speaking thus, Shankara, Sharva, stood before the Goddess with reverence and spoke. Shiva said: O Goddess, if Hari is your manifestation, and Padmaja (Brahma) is also born from you, why should I not also possess good qualities from you, O Shiva, skillful in the creation of all worlds? You are the earth, water, air, and space; you are also the quality of fire. O Mother, you are those elements and their instruments; you are intellect, mind, and ego. Those who speak otherwise, who say that Hari, Hara, and others created the world, do not know. It is only your three forms that always create the world, both moving and unmoving. The world exists with earth, air, space, fire, water, and their objects and qualities. If so, how could all this manifest clearly without even a fraction of your power, O Mother? You are all this, both moving and unmoving, imagined as the forms of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. With various playful forms and wondrous displays, you cease or delight, O Mother, as you wish. Whenever I, Hari, and the lotus-born desire to create all worlds, O Ambika, we attain this only after receiving the dust of your lotus feet. If your mind is not always softened by compassion, O Ambika, how could I be assigned the quality of darkness, the lotus-born be born of passion, and Hari be endowed with the quality of goodness? If your mind is not impartial, O Ambika, how is this world so diverse—filled with ministers, kings, servants, wealthy and poor, all mingled together? Your qualities alone are always capable in creation, preservation, and destruction; by you, Hari, Hara, and the lotus-born are fashioned as the causes of the three worlds. I, Hari, and the lotus-born have explored the worlds, even traveling in celestial vehicles; tell me, by whom are new worlds created? You create and protect the world, O Mother of the world, and destroy it as you wish by your own power; you always delight your spouse, the Purusha, yet we do not know your path, O Shiva. Mother, grant us the service of your lotus feet, even to us who have attained the state of youthful devotees; having gained manhood but deprived of your lotus feet, where could we find clear happiness? O Mother, I have no desire for anything in this world, abandoning your lotus feet, O Shiva—even if I were to gain a human body or the lordship of the three worlds. O beautiful one, I have not the slightest pleasure, even after attaining youthfulness near you; how could manhood bring happiness if your feet are not within sight? O Ambika, may my fame always remain unsullied in the three worlds; having attained youthfulness, I have become acquainted with your lotus feet, which destroy the cycle of birth. Who, having abandoned the service of your presence on earth, would desire a kingdom free from thorns? That prosperity soon perishes, for if your lotus feet are not near, it does not last an age. Those pure sages devoted to austerity, forsaking the worship of your lotus feet, O Mother, are deceived by fate; disgrace is established even in prosperity. Liberation from the ocean of existence does not arise from austerity, self-restraint, meditation, or prescribed sacrifices as much as from devoted service to the dust of your lotus feet. Show mercy, O Goddess, if you are compassionate to me; tell me the wondrous, pure mantra. When I recited it, I became happy, and the clear, supreme nine-lettered mantra appeared. I attained it in my first birth, but now the nine-lettered mantra does not shine forth. Tell me the mantra today, O Mother, so I may cross the ocean of existence—save me, save me, O Savior. Thus addressed, the Goddess, radiant with wondrous brilliance, clearly uttered the nine-lettered mantra. Having received it, Mahadeva attained supreme joy; bowing to the Goddess's feet, Shiva remained there. Reciting the nine-lettered mantra, which grants desires and liberation, endowed with seed and auspicious pronunciation, Shankara stood there. Seeing Śaṅkara, the benefactor of the worlds, thus situated, Brahma spoke to that great Māyā, standing near her feet. The Vedas are not skilled enough to comprehend you in this way; therefore, they do not declare you, the flawless bearer of all beings. You are the essence of offerings, established in every sacrificial rite; thus, you became the all-knowing Mother in the three worlds. I am the creator; I perform everything, the entire wondrous universe. Who else, among moving and unmoving beings in the three worlds, is as capable as I? I am indeed blessed here, without doubt, for I am Brahmā, transcending the worlds, immersed in the ocean of existence, overcome by pride. Today, by the dust of your lotus feet, without pride, I am truly blessed, and have become skilled in speaking truthfully by your grace. I beg you, O Lady, destroyer of fear of existence, giver of liberation, abandon the great chains of delusion and suffering, and make me devoted to you. How can I be liberated, born from the lotus, revealed by you? I am surely your servant, obeying your command. O Śivā, protect me, immersed in delusion in the ocean of existence. Those humans who do not know you speak of me as the Lord, and of your pure, primordial conduct. Those priests who worship for heaven do not truly know your power, though they desire it. Thus, the gods themselves, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, offer their heartfelt praise and prayers to the Goddess, recognizing her as the source of all creation, preservation, and destruction, the eternal Mother, the essence behind all forms, and the ultimate refuge and liberator of all beings.