He is the origin of all things—he who is the very source from which space arises, and the supreme cause behind the solid earth itself. It is by his power that bodies are formed and eyes gain their sight; he is the wellspring of the tongue’s movement and the very breath that sustains life. Speech itself arises from him, as does nourishing milk. He stands as the cause behind Yama, the lord of death, and Īśāna, the divine ruler. Among kings, he is the foremost cause, and he is the very root of dharma, righteousness. The Manus, progenitors of mankind, owe their existence to him, as do all the birds that fill the skies. He is the cause of the Siddhas, perfected beings, and the highest cause of the Yakṣas, mysterious spirits. Rivers flow and streams arise by his will; the world of plants springs from him, and he is the cause of all the worlds themselves. Serpents, too, find their origin in him, as do all blessings that grace creation. He is the self that dwells within the body, the self of the senses, and the self of the intellect. He abides as the self in waking and in sleep, the great self, and the supreme self as well. He is the supreme self of the earth, the self of taste, of sound, of speech, and of touch; he is the indwelling person within all. The self of smell, of the hand, and of the foot—he is these, and the supreme reality as well. He is the self of Indra, king of the gods, the self of Brahma the creator, the self of Rudra (Śānta), and he is the mind itself. He is the self of Īśa, the supreme self, the self of Rudra, and the very knowledge that leads to liberation. His nature is both modesty and activity, and he delights in the welfare of ascetics. He is consciousness, intelligence, time itself; he is heat, rain, and the mind as well. He deludes the wicked, O Māṇḍavya, and dwells as the submarine fire. He is present as the great sages: Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Pulaha, Pulastya, Kutsa, Yājñavalkya, Devala, Vyāsa, and Parāśara; as well as Śarmmada, Gāṃgeya, Hṛṣīkeśa, and Bṛhacchravas. He is Nārāyaṇa, the greatly fortunate, and the lord of life-breath. He reigns as the supreme lord of udāna and of samāna, the vital airs within all beings. He is the first lord of forms, the wielder of the sword, and the bearer of the plough as a weapon. He is Prakṛti, nature itself, adorned with the radiant Kaustubha gem at his neck, and clothed in yellow garments. He is Ananta, the infinite one, of countless forms, with beautiful nails and divine beauty. He is the slayer of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the subduer of Hiraṇyākṣa, the destroyer of Keśin, and the vanquisher of Muṣṭika. He is the slayer of Ariṣṭa and the beloved of Akrūra. He removes misfortune, he is blessed, radiant, and himself a devotee of the Bhāgavata. He wields the discus, ever-moving yet beyond both movement and stillness. He is the wind, sight, hearing, the tongue, and indeed the sense of smell. He is Śaṃkara, the all-encompassing, the giver of forbearance, instilling patience among men. Ever praised by devotees and devoted to them in turn, he grants fame and increases it. He is charity itself, the giver, the doer of good, pure, and beloved by the lord of gods. Thousand-headed, he is the healer and the very gateway to liberation. He is present as Śukra, Sukirīti, Sugrīva, and as the Kaustubha gem. He is Matsya, the fish incarnation; Paraśurāma, the axe-wielding sage; Prahlāda, the devoted child; and Bali, the generous king. In all these forms and deeds, he pervades and sustains the universe, ever the supreme and compassionate Lord.