Śiva, the great Lord, established his supreme and wondrous abode, Kailāsa. Surrounded by hosts of spirits and celestial beings, he dwelled there freely, enjoying the bliss of his own realm. At the same time, atop the glittering summit of Mount Meru, the heaven called Triviṣṭapa came into being—a resplendent domain, adorned with countless jewels, which became the residence of Indra, the king of the gods. From the legendary churning of the cosmic ocean, many marvels arose. The supreme Pārijāta tree, whose blossoms are coveted even by the gods, emerged first, followed by the majestic four-tusked elephant, the mighty serpent, and Kāmadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow. Uccaiḥśravā, the celestial horse of dazzling white, appeared as well, along with the graceful apsarases such as Rambhā. Indra claimed these treasures, and they became the ornaments and delights of heaven. Dhanvantari, the divine physician, and the radiant Moon also surfaced from the ocean’s depths, each accompanied by their own retinues, shining resplendently in the celestial realms. Thus, O best of kings, the threefold creation unfolded: gods, animals, humans, and various other beings took form in manifold ways. All creatures, endowed with karma, were born through four methods: from eggs, from sweat, from sprouts, and from wombs. With creation thus established, the three supreme deities—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara—each enjoyed themselves in their own abodes, in accordance with their divine wills. When all this was set in motion, the glorious, changeless Lord sported in his own world, accompanied by Mahālakṣmī. Once, in times long past, Viṣṇu, residing in his blissful realm of Vaikuṇṭha, remembered a radiant, jewel-adorned island set in the ocean of nectar. Drawn by this vision, he beheld Mahāmāyā there and, upon receiving a sacred mantra, invoked that supreme power and assumed a feminine form. Desiring to perform a great sacrifice to Ambikā, Lord Viṣṇu left his own world and summoned Maheśvara. He invited Brahmā, Varuṇa, Śakra (Indra), Kubera, Pāvaka (Agni), Yama, Vasiṣṭha, Kaśyapa, Dakṣa, Vāmadeva, and Bṛhaspati—gathering all the illustrious gods and sages. Viṣṇu arranged for the most splendid sacrificial materials, replete with sattvic qualities and captivating to the mind. He had a spacious pavilion constructed by skilled artisans and selected twenty-seven priests of excellent vows to conduct the rites. The altar and broad sacrificial platforms were built, and the Brāhmaṇas began reciting the mantras of the Goddess, each imbued with her potent seed syllables. With devotion and precision, oblations were offered into the well-prepared fire. When the sacrifice was complete and the sacred fire established, a bodiless, divine voice resounded through the air. In sweet and melodious tones, the voice addressed Viṣṇu, saying: “O Viṣṇu, always be foremost among the gods, O Hari. You shall be honored, worshipped, and revered even among the gods; Brahmā, Indra, and all others will bow before you. Through devotion to you, humans everywhere on earth will gain great power, and you will be the bestower of boons to all. “You will fulfill the desires of all the gods, being the supreme Lord. In every sacrifice, you will be chief and worshipped by all sacrificers. People will worship you, and you will be the giver of blessings. The gods, when afflicted by demons, will take refuge in you. You shall be the refuge of all, O supreme person, in all the Purāṇas and in the extended Vedas as well. “You will be the most worshipped, and your fame will spread far and wide, especially whenever righteousness declines on earth. Then, descending through your own portion, you must swiftly protect dharma. Your incarnations will be renowned on earth, each manifesting as a part of you. The great souls on earth will honor these forms, and in every incarnation, in many diverse forms, O Madhava, you will be celebrated in all worlds. In every incarnation, your power will accompany you. “She, the divine power, will act through my own portion, accomplishing all tasks—as Varahi, Narasimhi, and in many other auspicious forms, adorned with every ornament and wielding various weapons. United with these powers, O Viṣṇu, you will always fulfill divine tasks, O Madhava. “All this will be accomplished by the boons I grant; you must never disregard them, even slightly. These powers must be worshipped with effort and honored in every way. Especially in the land of Bharata, these divine energies will grant all desires. They will be worshipped by humans, even in their images. Your fame and theirs, O Lord of gods, will spread everywhere. They will be renowned across all seven islands and throughout the earth, and humans will worship you, O highly fortunate one. “Desiring the fulfillment of their wishes, people will always worship you, O Hari—in images, with offerings, and in many forms. They will worship you with Vedic mantras and by reciting your names. Your greatness, O Madhusudana, will be known in both earthly and heavenly realms. Through such worship, O Lord of gods, humans will attain increase and fulfillment.” Vyāsa said: Thus, after bestowing these boons, the goddess born of the sky fell silent. The Blessed Lord, his heart overflowing with joy, completed the sacrifice according to the prescribed rites—he, the Lord Hari. Dismissing the assembled gods, the sons of Brahma, and the sages, the Lord, whose banner bears Garuḍa, departed for Vaikuṇṭha with his attendants. Then, all the gods and sages returned to their own abodes, marveling and conversing among themselves about the wondrous events they had witnessed. Joyful and content, they each made their way to their own pure hermitages, carrying with them the blessings and memories of that divine occasion.