The Supreme Lord, in his boundless will, divided himself in manifold ways, taking on forms both dark and radiant. Through his power, the sovereign goddess, beginning with Lakshmi, pervaded the entire universe, her presence woven into the very fabric of creation. By the command of Mahadeva, the great and auspicious Lord, this goddess approached Brahma, the Grandfather of all beings. And at Brahma’s behest, she appeared before Daksha, the Lord of Creatures. At that time, Rudra—the trident-bearing god—too, received his rightful share from Daksha. In due course, Satī was born to Menā, the illustrious daughter of Himavat, the king of mountains. Her birth was for the well-being of all the gods, for the three worlds, and even for her own sake. Satī, also known as Śivā, the daughter of Himavat, was revered by gods and demons alike. The sages, in their wisdom, realize her true nature—or that of Śaṅkara himself, or Hari. They contemplate the mysterious birth of Brahmā from the lotus, and the immeasurable energy that is Śaṅkara. Once again, bowing to Viṣṇu, he offered his reverence to Hari. O Satī, daughter of Himavat, Śivā, it is you who are to share this knowledge with those who seek it. Thus, the great yogi, having meditated upon his own supreme state, replied. He declared that this is secret knowledge, to be kept especially concealed, for it alone is the deliverance for creatures who are submerged in the ocean of worldly existence. The highest state, known as 'space,' is called Himavatī. Abiding in both unity and multiplicity, she is deeply attached to the form of knowledge, innate and ever-rooted in it. Her radiance is pure, shining like the light of the sun. She takes on both the higher and the lower forms, delighting in play before the Lord. The wise proclaim that the Lord has neither action nor instrument. Yet, because she is the substratum of all, O foremost of sages, listen to what follows: the Supreme Lord is said to have four emanations, and in all four Vedas, the Great Lord is described as having four forms. Because of his connection with the infinite, Rudra is recognized as the Supreme Self. Thus, the Blessed Lord is called Time, Hari, the Life-breath, and the Great Lord. That Time is praised by Vedic scholars as Agni, Hara, and Rudra. All things are subject to Time; Time itself is subject to none. It is through Time that the yogin enters into the other principles. By her—the goddess—the Lord, the supreme magician, causes this world to revolve. He continually reveals the universal form of the Great Lord. There are three principal powers: the power of knowledge, the power of action, and the power of life-breath. Indeed, O best of Brahmins, all this arises through Māyā, who is without beginning and without end. The Lord is the great magician, the master of all powers, Time, the maker of Time. Time establishes the universe, and this world depends wholly upon Time. Of Ananta, the Lord of all; of Śambhu, the Master who is Time itself—there exists one all-pervading, infinite, unique, partless, and auspicious power, known as Śiva. All other powers, endowed with their own potency, arise from that supreme power. Yogis who contemplate the ultimate reality perceive no distinction among these powers. Yet, for the sake of understanding, those learned in Brahman explain such distinctions in the Purāṇas. The Lord, the enjoyer of all, is called Kapardin, the blue-red one, resplendent and supreme.