O wise sage, listen as the ancient tale unfolds. When the great principle had manifested, it too was dissolved, and the unmanifest, along with its inherent qualities, merged back into existence. From this dissolution, creation once again arose, just as it had before, emerging from Purusha Shiva. The beings born at this time sprang forth from his mind—they were the mind-born. Yet, those whom the Lotus-born, Brahma, had created did not multiply in the world. To foster their growth, the blessed Brahma, accompanied by his mind-born sons, undertook arduous austerities, directing their efforts toward the Lord himself. Pleased by their devotion, Bhava understood their desire. Piercing the center of Brahma’s forehead, the Lord, speaking of paternal affection, appeared in a form both female and male. His son, Mahadeva, became known as the Lord of Half-Woman, Ardhanarishvara. The blessed one, in his supreme power, burned everything—even Brahma, the teacher of the world. Then Shiva, through the path of yoga, united with the auspicious half-measure of his own supreme self for the growth of the worlds. Within her, the Supreme Lord created Hari (Vishnu) and Brahma, and also brought forth the mighty Pashupata weapon. Thus, from the Great Goddess came Brahma, and from her portion, Hari—the one born from the cosmic egg, the one born from the lotus, and the one arisen from the body of Bhava. This ancient history has now been told: the prosperity of Brahma lasted as long as a parārdha, an immense span of time. Now hear briefly of Brahma’s detachment, which arose from darkness. Even the blessed Narayana divided his own form in two, and from his own limb, he created all moving and unmoving beings. Then Brahma created the Brahmanas, and Brahma, the Grandfather, created Rudra. At the end of a kalpa, Rudra created Hari, Brahmana, and Ishvara; and at another kalpa’s end, Hari created Brahmana. Again, Brahma created Narayana, and Bhava created Brahmana. Then Brahma, reflecting deeply, realized that worldly existence is suffering. Withdrawing from creation, Brahma established himself within, restraining his breath and becoming motionless, like a stone. The Lord remained in samadhi for ten thousand years. Within his heart, the downward-facing lotus, beautiful and radiant, was filled by inhalation and awakened; its upward face was restrained by retention of breath. In the center of that lotus’s pericarp, he established the Lord—the syllable ‘Om’, Shiva, the supreme god, beyond the half-measure. Situated in a hundredth part of a lotus fiber, controlling the Lord in the heart in this way, the self-controlled, pure-minded one worshipped with yam-flower and other offerings, worthy of sacrifice, unaging and undecaying. By the command of him who dwells in the heart-lotus, the mighty one was born from a portion. Breaking forth from his forehead, he appeared from the Grandfather—red in color and self-existent, blue, born from the heart of Shiva. By union with fire, the Lord, the person, arose from nature, blue and red, from whom the form of Time, the man, came forth. He was called Nilalohita, the blue-red one, by the god, the Lord. The blessed Kala, Time, was thus created by Brahma, who was content in spirit. The Grandfather, delighted in mind, praised the god with eight names, addressing the soul of the universe: “Salutations to you, blessed Rudra, radiant as the sun; salutations to Bhava, the god, composed of essence and water. Salutations to Sharva, who is of the form of earth, always fragrant; salutations to Isha, to you as wind, to the sense of touch, repeated salutations. Homage to you, Lord of creatures, whose brilliance surpasses fire, who is terrible, whose form is space, who is of the nature of sound alone. Salutations to you, O great god, O Soma, O immortal one; salutations to you, O fierce one, O sacrificer, O practitioner of ritual action.” Whoever recites or hears this ancestral hymn, spoken for Rudra, or causes attentive Brahmins to listen to it, attains union with the Eight-formed One within eleven years. Thus, having praised the great god, the Grandfather beheld him. Then the great god assumed eight forms all around. At that time, the sun shone forth, the moon with its dark path appeared, and earth, wind, man, water, ether, and the all-pervading arose. From that moment, he has been called the Lord with eight forms. By the grace of the Eight-formed One, Virinchi (Brahma) again created. Having created all this, Brahma, the lord, repeated the act at the end of the age. When, for a thousand ages, all beings—moving and unmoving—were asleep, Brahma, desiring to create creatures, performed severe and mighty austerity. Yet, as he engaged in austerity, nothing came to be. After a long time, from suffering, anger arose. From his eyes, filled with anger, drops of tears fell, and from those drops, beings called bhūtas and pretas were born. Seeing these elder beings—bhūtas, pretas, and night-wanderers—Brahma, the unborn and all-pervading, blamed himself. Overcome by anger, the blessed lord of creatures abandoned his vital breaths, and from his mouth arose Rudra, composed of vital energy. Rudra became the Lord who is half male and half female, shining like the rising sun. He then divided himself into eleven forms and remained thus. With half of his portion, the soul of all, he created Shivā, Uma; and she then created Lakshmi, Durga the excellent, and Sarasvati. Thus, O sage, the cycle of creation, praise, and divine manifestation unfolded, guided by the supreme will and the union of the great gods and goddesses.