Therefore, O foremost of Brahmins, abandon your hope for a son who is not born from a womb and is free from death; instead, accept a son who is your equal. Hearing these words, my father Śilāda—renowned throughout the world for his virtue—again addressed the lord of Śacī with humility and devotion. He said, “O Lord, I have heard tales of beings born without a womb—of birth from the lotus, from the body of Maheśvara, and also from Brahmā himself. O mighty one, I have learned from the lineage of Mahendra and in earlier births from Nārada how such wondrous births occur. Please, tell me quickly how these things are so in this context. Dakṣāyaṇī is known as the daughter of Dakṣa, and the god born from the lotus is said to be her son. How, then, is she called the daughter of the golden womb, and how is that mighty one her son?” The lord replied, “O Brahmin, your doubt is appropriate. Listen, and I shall tell you the reason. In the Purusha Kalpa, a marvelous event concerning the supreme Brahmā took place. The supreme Lord Janārdana, after deep contemplation, created all beings—including Brahmā—during the Meghavāhana Kalpa. For a divine thousand years, Nārāyaṇa himself became a cloud and, with great reverence, bore the great god. Observing Hari’s disposition within himself, Śaṅkara, the great god, granted him the power to create everything, together with Brahmā. Thus, that era became known as Meghavāhana, and from Janārdana’s body, Hiraṇyagarbha was born. The son of Janārdana, having attained Śaṅkara through intense austerity, declared: ‘Viṣṇu is born from your left side, and I am born from your right side.’ Together with me, Acyuta created the entire world; being the very essence of the universe, he, taking the form of a cloud, bore us both day and night. Viṣṇu brought you, O god of gods, teacher of the world; and O mighty one, I am your devotee, Śaṅkara, even more than of Nārāyaṇa. Be gracious, grant me everything, for you are the soul of all, O Lord.” Thus, having received this blessing, the fortunate one instantly attained the state of being the soul of all from Śaṅkara. Then, hurrying onward, he approached and beheld the Supreme Person, dwelling in the pure abode of the single ocean, surrounded by a darkness most terrible. In that divine place—adorned with gold and jewels, created by the mind, unattainable by the wicked, accessible only to the virtuous, and unseen even by the great sages Sanaka and others—the unborn one beheld the Person whose heart is the abode of the world, reclining upon the endless serpent-bed, his eyes like lotuses. He saw the Lord bearing conch, discus, mace, and lotus, with four arms, adorned with all ornaments, radiant as the orb of the moon. This was the god marked with Śrīvatsa, with a gracious face—Janārdana—whose lotus feet were reddened by the gentle touch of Lakṣmī’s hands. He beheld the Supreme Self, the Lord, who is darkness in the form of time, and by rajas sets in motion the play of creation for all worlds. By sattva, he establishes all beings; he is the supreme Lord, the soul of all, the great soul, the Supreme Self. There, lying in the nectar-ocean of milk, immersed in yogic sleep, was the blessed Janārdana. Seeing him, Brahmā addressed the Lord: “By your grace, I will absorb you, as before, for I am you.” But the blessed one, smiling gently, awakened the Grandfather. The mighty-armed one looked upon him, smiled slightly, and entered into the egg-born one, who was then absorbed by that great soul. Then Brahmā created Acyuta from between his brows; thus created, Hari stood before him. Meanwhile, Rudra—the source of all gods—appeared in a fierce form, as previously granted by boon to the two. There arrived Viṣṇu, the soul of the universe, the supreme Lord, to bestow incomparable grace upon Brahmā and Hari. The two gods, having come together, saw Bhava, from whom all gods are born, blazing like the fire of time. They praised Śarva, the fierce, matted-haired one, and bowed from afar to the bestower of boons, filled with great reverence. Bhava, the blessed Lord, having shown favor to Brahmā and Janārdana, then disappeared on the spot. When Maheśvara, the great god, had departed, Janārdana, bowing reverently, addressed the lotus-born Brahmā: “The supreme Lord, master of the universe, Śaṅkara, is all-pervading; he is the lord of all, the refuge for both of us—Maheśvara. O Brahman, I am born from the left side of the great-souled Śaṅkara, and you are born from the right side of the god Bhava. The sages, seeing me, call me the chief principle, the primal nature, the unmanifest, the unborn; and they call you the Puruṣa. Thus, they proclaim Mahādeva as the cause of both of us—the lord of all the worlds, the imperishable master.” Then, at the command of that immortal lord, the lotus-born Brahmā praised and bowed to Rudra, who grants boons and is worthy of worship. Afterward, Janārdana, assuming the form of a boar, lifted the earth, which had been submerged in the waters, just as he had done before. The lord then created the rivers, streams, and oceans anew, and carefully made the earth level, free from depressions and elevations. Taking the form of a mountain, he established all the mountains upon the earth, and created the four worlds, beginning with Bhū, just as before. The blessed one, best among the wise, resolved to create, and thus produced the principal beings: those born from eggs, the divine beings, and humans as well.