The two great souls, Brahma and Vishnu, beheld each other and spoke with reverence, “O Lord, what is it today that you do not know, O mighty one?” They addressed Rudra, acknowledging that everything had unfolded by his will. Hearing these words, Rudra—joyful and proud—welcomed them warmly. The blessed god spoke to them with gentle sweetness: “O Hiraṇyagarbha, and to you, Kṛṣṇa, I speak. Your devotion, joined with the eternal syllables, pleases me greatly. Both of you are dearest to my heart. Tell me, what boon shall I grant you today—the one you most desire?” Then Vishnu, the blessed one, answered Bhava, “O god, all has already been done for me. If you are pleased with me, let my devotion to you, O Śaṅkara, be firmly established.” Pleased by these words, Mahādeva recognized and honored Keśava and granted him unwavering devotion to his own lotus feet. He said, “You are the creator of all worlds, you are the supreme deity. Blessings to you, child; I shall depart, O lotus-eyed one.” Having spoken thus, the blessed Śaṅkara blessed Brahma, the supreme lord, and touched him. With his own beautiful hands, filled with great joy, he said, “You are like me, child—there is no doubt. You are my devotee. Blessings to you; I shall depart. Let understanding arise within you, O virtuous one.” With these words, the blessed lord vanished from their sight. The leader of the hosts, worshipped by all gods, departed. Brahma, the lotus-born grandsire, having received understanding from Govinda, resolved to create beings. He undertook severe austerities, but despite his efforts, nothing came forth. After a long time, sorrow overcame Brahma, and anger arose within him. Possessed by this anger, tears fell from his eyes. From those drops, imbued with the qualities of wind, bile, and phlegm, beings of great fortune and strength emerged, adorned with auspicious marks. These were serpents, their hair disheveled and filled with deadly poison. Seeing these elder serpents, Brahma reproached himself, lamenting, “Alas! Fie upon my austerity if this is its result, for my very first creation has become the cause of the world’s destruction.” Overwhelmed by intense faintness from anger and indignation, the lord of creatures, afflicted by this swoon, gave up his life. From the body of that one of incomparable might, out of compassion, eleven Rudras emerged, weeping as they came forth. Because of their weeping, they were called Rudras. These Rudras are indeed the vital breaths, and those vital breaths are their essence—the life force present in all living beings, fierce and virtuous. Then, the trident-bearing, blue-red god restored the vital breaths to Brahma. Regaining life, the blessed Brahma beheld the god of gods, the spouse of Uma. Bowing before him, Brahma stood with Gayatri and saw the Lord of the Universe, the very essence of all worlds. Filled with wonder, he praised the god and spoke to Sharva, “How, O mighty one, did you arise at the very beginning?” Hearing Brahma’s words, the blessed Bhava, for the sake of instruction, assumed the form of Brahma and smiled as he replied. “When the White Age existed, I alone was then—white-crested, adorned with white garlands, clad in white garments, shining white. My bones, hair, blood, and radiance were all white. By this, that age was known as the White Age. The goddess born from me was also white-limbed and white-red, and Gayatri, known as Brahma, existed then. “By your secret austerity, O lord of gods, you have recognized me again, and I immediately attained the state of Sadyōjāta. ‘Sadyōjāta’ is the name of that Brahman, and this is a secret. Those twice-born who know this secret will come near to me, where return is difficult. “When you existed as Lohita by name, because of the color produced by me, that age was remembered as Lohita. Then beings arose with red flesh, bones, and blood. Gayatri, called the cow, was red-eyed and full-breasted; thus, due to her redness and the reversal of color, she was so named. Because of the deity’s left-sidedness, the name Vamadeva arose. There too, O great-souled one, you have known me, steadfast in self-control. By your own yoga, you have understood me, established in that other color, and thus I became known as Vamadeva on earth. Those twice-born who recognize you here as Vamadeva will go to Rudra’s realm, where return is difficult. “Whenever I appear again with a yellow hue, according to the cycle of ages, then my yellow form is established. The goddess born from me, yellow-bodied and yellow-red, was then called Gayatri, known as Brahma. There too, O great-souled one, with minds joined to yoga, I was recognized by those devoted to yoga. There you again understood me as Tatpurusha; therefore, this Tatpurusha state is mine, O Kanakanda.” Thus, the blessed Lord revealed the mysteries of his forms and ages to Brahma, imparting understanding and blessing the path of all creation.