Brahma, the great creator, stood before the Goddess and spoke with deep humility and awe. He confessed, “Even Vishnu himself does not know the suffering I endure, for his body has been rendered powerless by your will. Whether you choose to release the Supreme Lord or slay these two mighty lords of the demons, act as you wish, O supremely powerful One.” He continued, “Those who do not recognize your supreme might, O Goddess, and who contemplate only upon Hari or Hara, are indeed of dull understanding. Today, O Mother, I have realized this truth beyond doubt, for even Vishnu lies here helpless at your feet.” Brahma’s gaze turned toward Lakshmi, and he reflected, “Even Lakshmi, born from the churning of the ocean, cannot awaken her beloved Hari, for she too is under your sway, O Goddess. It seems you have cast even Rama into deep slumber, so that she, deprived of power, cannot rouse him.” He then praised those devoted to the Goddess: “Blessed are they on earth who worship only at your feet, abandoning all other deities, absorbed in you alone. Knowing you as the universal Mother, the wish-fulfilling cow, they worship you with all their heart.” Brahma lamented the state of Vishnu: “Where now are those virtues, that auspicious conduct and glory which once belonged to Vishnu? All have vanished, for even Hari, the mighty, has been subdued by your power, O glorious Goddess, and bound in sleep.” Turning to the mystery of her power, Brahma declared, “You alone are the energy of the universe, the source of all strength. All that exists is but your manifestation. You weave the net of illusion and play within it, just as an actor delights in the drama he has created.” He remembered the beginning of time: “At the dawn of the age, you revealed Vishnu and bestowed upon him pure power for the task of preservation. Now, having rendered him powerless, you have protected all creation. O Mother, you act as you desire.” Brahma appealed to her compassion, “O Blessed One, since you have created me, surely you do not wish to destroy me. Show mercy and break your silence. Why have these two, forms of Time, appeared? Or, O Bhavani, do you wish to make sport of me?” He reflected on her wondrous deeds: “I understand your marvelous actions—having created the world, you delight in your own freedom. In the same way, you can dissolve everything or even destroy me, O Bhavani; what is strange in that?” With resignation, he offered himself: “Do as you wish, slay me today if you must, O Mother of the world. I do not grieve for death. It was you who first created the creator, and now he is slain by the demon—thus, the greatest disgrace is his.” He pleaded, “Arise, O Goddess, take on a wondrous form before me. Either kill me or these two as you please, in your divine play. Or, if you will not, awaken Hari so that he may slay these two, for all deeds are accomplished only through you.” Hearing Brahma’s heartfelt praise, Suta narrated, the Tamasic Goddess, Yoga-Nidra, emerged from Hari’s body and stood beside him. Having departed from all the limbs of Vishnu, whose energy is beyond compare, that power left, intent on the destruction of the two demons. As Janardana’s body began to stir, Brahma was filled with supreme joy at the sight of Hari awakening. At this point, the sages, listening to Suta’s narration, voiced a profound doubt. They said, “O most fortunate one, there is a wonderful mystery in this tale, for it has always been taught in the Vedas, Shastras, and Puranas by the wise.” They continued, “Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra—these three gods are eternal. There is nothing greater than them in this universe. Brahma creates the worlds, Vishnu sustains all, and Rudra destroys at the proper time; these three are the causes here.” The sages explained further, “There is one form, yet three gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara. United with rajas, sattva, and tamas, they are the agents and instruments of all action. Among them, Hari is foremost—Madhava, the Supreme Person, the primordial deity, Lord of the universe, capable in all deeds.” They wondered, “No one else matches Vishnu’s power. How then was the Lord made to sleep, rendered powerless by yogic illusion? Where did his knowledge go, and how did his actions cease while he yet lived? This is our doubt, O illustrious one. Tell us the truth of it.” They asked, “What is that power, spoken of before, by which Lord Vishnu was overcome? From where did it arise, how is it potent, what is its nature? Tell us, O virtuous one.” They reflected on Vishnu’s glory: “He is the Lord of all, Vishnu, Vasudeva, teacher of the world, the supreme self, supreme bliss, whose form is existence, consciousness, and joy—who does all, sustains all, is creator, unstained, all-pervading, pure. How was he led into sleep, made dependent, though supreme among the supreme?” The sages admitted, “This is indeed a wondrous doubt for us, O scorcher of foes. Dispel it with the sword of knowledge, Suta, disciple of Vyasa, wise one.” Suta replied with humility, “Who in the three worlds, among moving and unmoving beings, can truly resolve this doubt? Even the ancient sons of Brahma, the great sages, are bewildered by it. Narada and Kapila are present in this inquiry; what can I say, O illustrious ones, in such a difficult discussion?” He continued, “Among the gods, Vishnu is described as all-pervading, protector of all, from whom the entire universe, moving and unmoving, has arisen. All worship and bow to the Supreme Lord—Narayana, Hrishikesha, Vasudeva, Janardana.” “But,” Suta added, “some also worship Mahadeva, Shankara, crowned with the moon, three-eyed, five-faced, holding the trident, with the bull as his banner. In all the Vedas he is sung as Triyambaka, with matted hair, five-faced, bearing half the body of Gauri, dwelling in Kailasa, deep in meditation, endowed with all powers, accompanied by hosts of spirits, the god who destroyed Daksha’s sacrifice.” He explained further, “The knowers of the Vedas praise the Sun, morning and evening, day by day, and at midday, with various hymns. In all the Vedas, worship of the Sun is considered supreme—he is renowned as the Supreme Self, that great soul. Agni is also praised everywhere in the Vedas by the learned, as are Indra, lord of the three worlds, and Varuna.” Suta likened it to a river: “Just as the Ganga flows and turns in many streams, so too, among all the gods, Vishnu is declared by the great sages.” He then spoke on knowledge: “The truly learned teach three means of knowledge: direct perception, inference, and verbal testimony. Others add a fourth—comparison; yet others, endowed with great intellect, speak of five, adding postulation. Seven means are spoken of by the wise in the Puranas, and by these means, the supreme Brahman is difficult to know.” He concluded, “Reasoning must be applied here, both by intellect and by scripture, and by decisive logic, examined again and again.” Thus, the sages’ doubt was laid before Suta, who prepared to reveal the deeper mystery behind the Goddess’s power and the slumber of Vishnu, as the story continued to unfold.