O wise one, listen as I recount the mystery of creation as revealed in the sacred scripture. All that is—the world and what lies beyond it—finds its place within this cosmic egg. Everything I have described at the dawn of creation is contained therein. Understand this: the span of this creation is the day of the Supreme Lord, and his night is of equal length. When creation rests and the night prevails, this is called dissolution. Yet for the One who is beyond hands and form, there is neither night nor dissolution—this truth must be grasped. To aid the understanding of beings, figurative explanations are given about the senses, their objects, and the five great elements. Thus, all creatures, along with intellect and the deities, exist without hands or limbs, established in the Supreme, the wise Lord. At the end of the cosmic night, when the universe is withdrawn into its own nature and all manifestations cease, all beings are absorbed into the Supreme. Pradhāna (the primordial substance) and Puruṣa (the cosmic spirit) remain together, naturally endowed with darkness, goodness, and passion, held in perfect balance. These two—Pradhāna and Puruṣa—are interwoven and pervade each other. When their qualities are in perfect equality, they merge; when inequality arises, creation begins. Just as oil is latent in sesame seeds and ghee in milk, so too does the world emerge from the interplay of goodness, darkness, and passion. After a night of worship, the supreme Māheśvarī, the great divine energy, arises from the worthy, born of Prakṛti. The Supreme Lord, through supreme yoga, stirs both Pradhāna and Puruṣa, enters them, and becomes Maheśvara. From Maheśvara, Lord of the universe, are born three eternal, supreme, and mysterious gods, embodying all beings. These three are the same as the three qualities (guṇas), the three worlds, and the three sacred fires. They are mutually dependent, devoted, and sustaining, ever interacting and never separated from each other. The Supreme Lord is the highest god; Viṣṇu is beyond the great; and Brahmā, endowed with passion, acts at the beginning of creation. The Supreme is known as Puruṣa, while Prakṛti is remembered as supreme nature. Prakṛti acts under the governance of Maheśvara, and when he enters her, she becomes the very domain of prosperity. When the qualities of Pradhāna fall out of balance, creation begins; before the Lord’s governance, its nature is both existent and non-existent. Rudra, master of cause and effect, appears first—unmatched in brilliance and wisdom, unmanifest yet illuminating all. He who first possesses a body is called the Person (Puruṣa). From him arises the blessed Brahmā, the four-faced Lord of creatures. Perfect in cause and effect, the great god manifests, established in threefold form. These three—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra—are endowed with incomparable knowledge, sovereignty, righteousness, and detachment, qualities that are without equal. From the unmanifest, whatever is desired arises through their mind, due to their mastery over the three qualities and their mutual dependence. Brahmā, the four-faced, is known as the creator; as Time, he is the ender; as the thousand-headed Person, the self-born, he exists in three states. As Brahmā, he creates worlds; as Time, he withdraws them; as the Person, he remains indifferent—these are the three states of the Lord of creatures. Brahmā resembles the lotus-born, Rudra is the fire of time, and the Person, with lotus-like eyes, is the form of the supreme self. Maheśvara, being one, then twofold, then threefold, and again manifold, creates and transforms bodies. With various forms, actions, appearances, and names, by his own divine play, Maheśvara creates and transforms all beings. Because he exists in threefold manner in the world, he is called threefold in quality; when divided into four, he is known as the fourfold emanation. Whatever he attains, takes, enjoys, or his constant state—therefore he is called the self. He is called the seer because he is all-pervading; embodied, he is the lord of the body; as master of all, he is Viṣṇu, for he enters all things. He is Bhagavān because he possesses all divine qualities; pure, he is Śiva; supreme, because he is the highest; as protector, he is remembered as Om. He is all-knowing, for he knows all; he is all, for he pervades all; dividing himself threefold, he sets the three worlds in motion. He himself creates, devours, and protects with the three; being the first, he is called the original god; being unborn, he is remembered as the Unborn. Because he protects all beings, he is called the Lord of creatures; among the gods, the great god is known as Mahādeva. Because he pervades all and is lord of the gods, he is called Īśvara; because he is vast, he is Brahmā; as being, he is called Bhūta. He is the knower of the field, for he knows the field; being one, he is remembered as the sole one; because he dwells in the city of the body, he is called Puruṣa. He is without beginning and existed before all; thus, he is the Self-born. Because he is worshipped, he is called the Sacrifice; he is the Seer, famed for his mighty vision. He is called the Stepper because of his movement, the Protector because he preserves. He is known as Āditya, Kapila, the Eldest, and is remembered as Agni. Thus, in his infinite forms and names, the Supreme Lord abides, creating, sustaining, and withdrawing the universe, ever beyond yet ever within all that exists.