By my command, the very sustenance of all beings is maintained—each living body endures because I will it so. Soma, too, moves and operates, impelled by my decree. The Sun, radiant and life-giving, causes the rains to fall, ever obedient to the ordinance of the Self-born. That divine being, by my direction, bestows the fruits of sacrifice upon those who perform holy rites. Yama, the son of Vivasvat, dispenses justice and governs the fate of souls, acting by the command of the God of gods. Kubera, the lord of wealth, exists and presides over treasures only through my will. Nirṛti, too, the god associated with dissolution, acts always according to my command. Īśāna, the compassionate protector of devotees, abides by my order, shielding those who seek refuge. He who is the constant guardian of yogis acts by my command as well. The remover of obstacles, the leader of dharma, follows my word in all things. Skanda, self-born and ever-vigilant, acts always, impelled by my ordinance. All these deities create and govern the various worlds solely through the command of the Supreme. She who is the consort of Nārāyaṇa exists by my favor, and prompted by my command, she too proceeds to act. The goddess Sāvitrī, who is remembered and revered, follows the will of the god. She who is especially meditated upon heeds my word. The one who upholds the world upon his head does so only by my command, and he who drinks the entire ocean accomplishes this by the Lord’s will. All these divine beings protect every creature by my command. Indeed, all other deities are established only through my ordinance. The Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and Piśācas—all these beings are set in their place according to the ordinance of the self-born. The seasons, fortnights, and months are established by the will of the progenitor, and the supreme divisions of time exist as ordained by the Supreme. Everything—cosmic eggs, worlds, and the elements that pervade them—arises and exists only by the command of the Supreme Soul. These multitudes of elements, surrounding all the cosmic eggs, have come into being and always carry out the command of the Supreme Self. The primal nature, the very origin of all beings, operates under my direction, as does Māyā, which constantly transforms and acts by my command. This Self, the very essence of existence, abides always by the direction of the Lord. Knowledge itself is under the control of Maheśa’s command. It is by me alone that all this is set in motion, and into me alone does it ultimately dissolve. The Supreme Self, the Supreme Brahman—other than me, nothing is known. Knowing this, a being is freed from the bondage of birth and worldly existence. To know this truth is to be liberated, never to fall again into the cycle of worldly existence. That is my supreme abode: eternal, blissful, and without distinction. I am that ancient, imperishable Lord—Hari, the wielder of māyā. Among the Ādityas, I am Viṣṇu; among the Vasus, I am Pāvaka. Among lordly elephants, I am Airāvata; among wielders of weapons, I am Rāma. Among artisans, I am Viśvakarman; among the foes of the immortals, I am Prahlāda. Thus, my presence pervades all beings, all worlds, and all that is known and unknown.