Blessings were bestowed, and the divine presence prepared to depart. “Let understanding arise within you, O virtuous one,” said the blessed Lord. Having spoken these words, the Lord vanished from sight. The leader of the celestial hosts—he who is worshipped by all the gods—departed. The lotus-born grandsire, Pitāmaha, having received understanding from Govinda, was left alone. With newfound wisdom, Pitāmaha resolved to create beings and began to undertake severe austerities. Yet, despite his intense penance, nothing emerged from his efforts. As time passed and creation remained absent, sorrow welled up in Pitāmaha’s heart. From this sorrow, anger arose, and in the grip of that anger, tears fell from his eyes. From those very drops—infused with the qualities of wind, bile, and phlegm—there arose beings of great fortune and strength, adorned with auspicious marks. These beings were serpents: their hair disheveled, their bodies filled with deadly poison. Beholding these elder serpents, Brahma was filled with regret and reproached himself, lamenting, “Alas! Fie upon my austerity if this is its result. My very first creation has become the cause of the world’s destruction.” Overwhelmed by anger and indignation, the lord of creatures fell into a swoon so intense that he gave up his life. From his incomparable body, moved by compassion, eleven Rudras emerged, weeping as they came forth. Because of their weeping, they were called Rudras. These Rudras are the vital breaths, and the vital breaths are their essence—present in all living beings, fierce, great, and virtuous. Then, the trident-bearing, blue-red Lord restored the vital breaths to Brahma. Revived, the blessed Brahma opened his eyes and beheld the God of gods, the spouse of Uma. With reverence, he bowed and stood before the Lord, accompanied by Gayatri. Seeing the Lord of the universe, the very essence of all worlds, the grandsire offered his praises. Filled with wonder, Brahma bowed again and again, and addressed Sharva: “O mighty one, how did you arise at the very beginning?” Hearing Brahma’s words, the blessed Bhava, assuming the very form of Brahma for the sake of instruction, smiled and spoke: “When the White Age existed, I alone was present—white-crested, adorned with white garlands, clad in shining white garments. My bones, hair, blood, and very hue were white and tinged with red. This is why that age was known as the White Age. The goddess born from me was white-limbed and white-red, and Gayatri was known as Brahma. Thus, O lord of gods, through your secret austerity, you have recognized me anew, and I immediately attained the state of Sadyōjāta. ‘Sadyōjāta’ is the name of that Brahman—this is a great secret, and those twice-born who know it will approach me, to a realm from which return is difficult. When you existed as Lohita, by my power, the age was remembered as Lohita, the Red Age. Beings then arose with red flesh, bones, and blood. Gayatri, the cow, became 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, I became known as Vamadeva. There, too, O great-souled one, you recognized me, steadfast in self-control. By your own yoga, you understood me in that form, and thus I am known as Vamadeva on earth. Those twice-born who know me as Vamadeva will reach Rudra’s realm, where return is difficult. Whenever I appear with a yellow hue in the cycle of ages, my yellow form is established. The goddess born from me then is yellow-bodied and yellow-red, called Gayatri and known as Brahma. There, too, O great-souled one, with your mind joined to yoga, you recognized me. There, you understood me as Tatpurusha; thus, Tatpurusha is my state, O Kanakanda. Those pure ones, united with Brahma through austerity, who know me—Rudra, Rudrani, Gayatri, the mother of the Vedas—they too will reach Rudra’s realm, where return is difficult. Whenever I become black and terrifying, by my color, the resolve is called black. There, I am like Time itself, the Time that brings about the world’s end. You understood me, O Brahman, as fierce and powerful; Gayatri, born from me, was black-bodied and black-red. She was black in form and then known as Brahma. Thus, I attained fierceness. Yet for those who know me on earth, I will be non-fierce, peaceful, and imperishable. Again, when I became universal in form, O Brahman, you understood me through supreme meditation. Gayatri too became universal, sustaining the worlds. Those who know me on earth in this universal aspect will always find me as Shiva, gentle and auspicious. Because this form is called universal, so too is Savitri called universal in form. In this way, all these forms have arisen, O my sons. These four whom I have named are my sons, honored in all the worlds.