Brahma, the Creator, addressed the assembled gods with words of wisdom born from experience. He said, “Whatever comes by the force of time must be endured, whether it brings joy or sorrow. No one can escape the workings of fate. All those who possess a body are destined to experience pleasure and pain, just as I myself once suffered when Shiva, by the power of time, severed my head. Similarly, the fall of the linga occurred through Mahadeva’s curse, and now, Hari’s head has plunged into the salt ocean.” He continued, “A thousandfold division, the suffering of Shachi’s lord, the fall from heaven, and the dwelling in the lotus-filled Manasa lake—all these events have unfolded. Who among us does not experience pain? Therefore, O blessed ones, let us abandon sorrow in this world. Instead, let us contemplate the Great Māyā, the eternal Goddess of Knowledge. She is the supreme, attributeless Nature, who will fulfill our purpose.” Brahma praised her further, saying, “She is the knowledge of Brahman, the supporter of the universe, the mother of all beings. By her, this entire world—the three realms, everything that moves and does not move—is pervaded.” With these words, Sūta recounted, Brahma instructed the Vedas, who stood before him in embodied form, to praise the Goddess for the fulfillment of the gods’ purpose. Brahma declared, “Let them praise the supreme Goddess, the eternal knowledge of Brahman, the one with hidden limbs, the Great Māyā, who accomplishes all aims.” Hearing his command, the Vedas, radiant in every part, sang the praises of the Great Māyā, who is realized through knowledge and upholds the world. The Vedas proclaimed, “Salutations to you, O Great Māyā, O auspicious one, creator of the universe; attributeless, ruler of all beings, mother, fulfiller of Śaṅkara’s wish. You are the earth of all beings, the life of the living; you are intelligence, prosperity, beauty, forbearance, peace, faith, wisdom, fortitude, and memory. You are the half-syllable of the Udgītha, the Gāyatrī, and sacred utterances; you are victory, success, the supporter, modesty, fame, aspiration, and compassion.” They continued, “We praise you, O Mother, skilled in the ordering of the three worlds, full of the essence of compassion, mother of all beings, knowledge, auspicious, beneficent to all worlds, most excellent, expert in the seed of speech, destroyer of fear. Brahmā, Hara, Śauri, the thousand-eyed one, the lord of speech, fire, the sun, and the rulers of the worlds—all exist because of you. Therefore, they are not primary, for you are the mother of all that is moving and unmoving.” “When you wish to create the worlds, you bring forth the gods, with Viṣṇu and Rudra at their head. Through them, you carry out creation, preservation, and destruction, though you remain one and untouched by worldly bondage. Who in all the worlds is skilled enough to know your form? Who can recount your names? If a man cannot grasp even a small portion, how could he, though clever, measure the ocean with his mind?” “Among the gods, O Blessed One, not even one knows your infinite powers. You alone are the mother of the world. How do you, being one, create this entire illusory universe? The Vedas declare your authority. Though you are without desire, you are the cause of all worlds. Your conduct is wondrous, and our minds are undisturbed. How can your qualities and powers, which are beyond the reach of all the Vedas, be described? For you do not even know your own supreme nature.” “O Mother, do you not know the fall of Madhu’s slayer from his crown? Or, knowing it, do you wish to test the power of the slayer of Madhu? Or is this force of misfortune that has befallen Hari very strong? Is this your indifference toward the assembly of gods, which is exceedingly harsh? The destruction of Hari’s head is, to us, a cause of great wonder. O Mother, you are skilled in cutting the thread of birth, yet this is a great sorrow.” “O Goddess, perhaps knowing the fault that has arisen in all the gods, or some sin committed by Viṣṇu in a previous birth, has caused this fall. Or maybe there was some overwhelming pride born of battle in Viṣṇu. We do not know, O Mother, the intention behind your play in this matter.” “What use are demons conquered in battle, or sacred places in beautiful lands, when those who have undergone fierce austerities and received boons from Bhavani have vanished? Now, Vishnu’s head is gone—has he disappeared, or is there some delight in seeing Vasudeva bereft of his head?” “Why are you angry, O Daughter of the Ocean? Why do you look upon her, the First One, who is now without a protector? Forgive your own portion’s offense; revive him and make me joyful. These gods, renowned for their power, always bow to you and are foremost in action. O Goddess, lift up the Lord of all, and rescue the gods from the ocean of sorrow.” “Mother, we do not know where Hari’s head has gone. Truly, today there is no other way for his life. Just as nectar gives life and the power to act, so too, O Goddess, you grant life to the world.” Suta then said, “Thus praised at that time, the Goddess—beyond all qualities, the great Lady, the supreme Māyā—became pleased, she who is known through the Vedas and their branches and the Sāmagas. Then, a voice came forth from the sky, bodiless, addressing the gods with words that brought happiness and joy to all people.” The celestial voice declared, “Do not be anxious, O gods; let the immortals remain at ease. I have been praised with the Vedas as desired—I am satisfied, without doubt. Any man in the world of humans who always praises me with this hymn, with devotion, will obtain all his desires. Whoever listens to this hymn with devotion, three times a day, will be freed from suffering and become happy. This is declared in the Vedas and is indeed equal to the Vedas.” “Now listen to the reason why Hari’s head was lost. How could anything in this world happen without a cause? Vishnu, seeing the lovely face of his beloved, the daughter of the ocean, who was seated near him, smiled. Mahalakshmi perceived, ‘Why does the Lord laugh at me? For what reason did Hari see my face as deformed?’” “She wondered, ‘How could laughter arise today without a cause? I think he has taken another, more beautiful wife, treating me as a co-wife.’ Then, Mahalakshmi, filled with anger and dominated by the quality of darkness, was entered by a tamasic power at that moment. By some conjunction of time, for the accomplishment of the gods’ purpose, that fierce tamasic power entered her body.” “Possessed by that tamasic force, she became extremely angry and slowly spoke these words: ‘Let your head fall!’ Because of her feminine nature and influenced by the moment, she cursed him without reflection, which brought about her own loss of happiness. Thinking in her mind that the pain of having a co-wife is greater than widowhood, she spoke thus, under the influence of tamasic power.” Thus, the cause of Hari’s suffering was revealed: a moment of misunderstanding, the influence of time, and the play of the Goddess’s own power, all woven together in the tapestry of fate.