From that Supreme Source arises the self, the individual soul, and the living being—the origin from whom all activities proceed. The senses, the gods, and the entire world are his offspring, all emerging from his boundless creative power. It is by him that each being is born, acts, and perceives the elements and their subtle origins. The senses themselves are described as being of a fiery nature, while the ten presiding deities of the senses are of a pure essence. Thus, the creation of the subtle elements takes place, and from these elements, all living beings come into existence. From that Supreme arose space, vast and hollow, marked by the quality of sound. From space, wind was produced, whose special quality is touch. Out of wind came fire, which possesses the quality of form or visible shape. From fire arose waters, the reservoirs of taste. And from waters, earth came into being, aggregation marked by the quality of scent. Each element possesses its own set of qualities: air has two—sound and touch; fire has three—sound, touch, and form; water has four—sound, touch, form, and taste; and earth, the grossest of the elements, possesses all five—sound, touch, form, taste, and scent. These elements, through mutual interpenetration, support and sustain one another. Yet, by themselves, they cannot bring forth living beings in their entirety unless they come together in union. Thus, from the great principle down to the particulars, they combine to produce the cosmic egg. From these particulars, the great cosmic egg arose—vast, resting upon the waters. Within this primordial egg, the “knower of the field,” who is called Brahma, manifested. He, the prime creator of beings, first appeared as Brahma himself. He is known as Hiraṇyagarbha, Kapila, the embodiment of the Vedas, the eternal one. To that Supreme Self belonged the embryonic waters and the oceans. Along with him were the moon and sun, the stars, the planets, and the wind. The waters themselves are surrounded externally by fire, tenfold in strength. Air is enveloped by space, space by the primordial elements, and so on—each world belonging to the Great Self, who identifies with all principles. Those who are lords, those endowed with yogic qualities, and others who contemplate the ultimate reality, all recognize that the cosmic egg is enveloped by seven natural layers or coverings. This, say the Vedas, is the supreme form of the Creator. The divine Lord, the Supreme Being, is said to have a second body, and those who truly understand the Vedas speak of a third blessed form. That blessed one, four-faced, is engaged in the creation of the world. Viṣṇu, the Lord of all, assumes the quality of sattva, sustaining the universe. Rudra, relying on the quality of tamas, brings about dissolution. Though he is one, he is also twofold, threefold, and again manifold. By his own divine play, he assumes countless forms, performs various actions, and takes on many appearances and names. He creates, consumes, and especially observes all things. Because he is composed of qualities and exists through the three times—past, present, and future—he is called “one.” Because he is the first, he is known as the primal god; because he is unborn, he is remembered as the unborn. And among the gods, this great being is remembered as Māhadeva, the great god.