At the dawn of creation, Brahma, the lord of beings, was urged, “Create other beings—may all be well with you. But know, these creatures are bound by death itself; mortality is woven into their nature, and they will not be able to fulfill their duties.” Hearing this, the great being addressed replied, “I will not create beings who are afflicted by death and old age. May you be blessed; I shall remain as I am—let it be you who creates the living beings.” He then spoke of those he had already brought forth: “These I have created—strange in form, blue-red in hue—thousands upon thousands, issuing forth from myself.” These mighty ones, he declared, would be known as the Rudras, gods of immense power, who would spread throughout earth, sky, and all directions. Those who perform sacrifices, united with the essence of the hundred Rudras, would share in the sacrificial offerings with all the hosts of gods. The gods who would arise in the eras of the Manus, worshipped together with the Rudras, would remain until the end of each age. Thus addressed by the wise Mahadeva, Brahma, the lord of all creatures, bowed in reverence and joyfully replied, “So be it! May there be good fortune, just as you have declared, O mighty one.” With Brahma’s approval, all things came to be as spoken. From that moment, the Lord of the gods ceased creating beings. He became established as one whose creative seed is held upward, steadfast until the dissolution of all beings. Because he said, “I remain established,” he is remembered as Sthāṇu—the Unmoving One, the great god, radiant as the sun. In his wondrous form, half-woman and half-man, blazing with energy like fire, he willed himself to become twofold: one half a woman, the other a man. The Supreme Lord remained thus, with one half as the eleven Rudras, while she—the most illustrious, the very half of Shankara’s body—became known as the great goddess. This same woman, previously mentioned, became Sati, and for the welfare of the worlds, she was worshipped long ago by Daksha. For a certain purpose, Shambhu said to her, “Divide yourself—let your right side be white, your left side black.” Thus addressed, she became twofold—one white, one black. The names of her forms are many and wondrous: Svāhā, Svadhā, Mahāvidyā, Medhā, Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Satī, Dākṣāyaṇī, Vidyā, Icchāśakti, and Kriyātmikā. She is Aparṇā, Ekaparṇā, Ekapāṭalā, Umā, Haimavatī, Kalyāṇī, and Ekamātṛkā. She is Khyāti, Prajñā, Gaurī, Gaṇāmbikā, Mahādevī, Nandinī, Jātavedasī. By virtue of her divided forms, she is also Sāvitrī, bestower of boons, pure, renowned as the purifier. She is Ājñā, Āveśanī, Kṛṣṇā, Tāmasī, Sāttvikī, Śivā, Prakṛti, Vikṛtā, Raudrī, Durgā, Bhadrā, and Pramāthinī. She is Kālarātrī, Mahāmāyā, Revatī, Bhūtanāyikā—these are her names at the end of Dvāpara. She is Gautamī, Kauśikī, Āryā, Caṇḍī, Kātyāyanī, Satī, Kumārī, Yādavī, Devī, Varadā, and Kṛṣṇapiṅgalā. This goddess is adorned with sacrificial grass, bears the trident, supremely devoted to celibacy, sister of Mahendra and Upendra, and on the Dṛṣadvatī river, she holds a single trident. Unconquered, possessed of many arms, bold, riding a lion, she is the slayer of Śumbha and other demons, the great subduer of the buffalo demon. Infallible, dwelling on the Vindhya mountains, mighty, and leader of the hosts—these are her various names, each in due order. The names of Bhadrakālī, as spoken here, bestow complete fruit. For those who recite them, there is no sin—whether in forest, on mountain, in city, or at home, in water or on land, these names are a protection. Especially in places of fear—of tigers, crocodiles, thieves, or any kind of danger—one should recite the goddess’s names. When children are afflicted by spirits, planets, ghosts, or mothers of disease, her protection should be invoked. Of the great goddess, two portions are proclaimed: wisdom and prosperity. By these, thousands of goddesses pervade the entire world. By her, the god of gods, the true Rudra, the great lord, established himself for the welfare of all worlds. Rudra, who is also Paśupati, once burned the triple city; by his energy, all the gods and living beings became as his cattle. Whoever recites or listens to this auspicious account of the original creation, or causes it to be heard by the best of the twice-born, attains the world of Brahmā. At this point, the sages addressed Sūta, “You have described the auspicious creation, both in summary and in detail. But how did Paśupati, the great lord, burn the city? And how did the gods, along with Brahmā, become cattle? By Maya’s austerity, a most difficult city was built before—a golden, a silver, and a divine iron city, unsurpassed and most formidable. We have heard that by the god of gods, it was burned. How did the blessed one, destroyer of Bhaga’s eye, burn it all at once with a single divine arrow? That triple city was not burned by beings produced by Viṣṇu; we know the origin of the city and the granting of boons, but now, O virtuous one, tell us of the burning of those cities in full.” Hearing their words, Sūta, foremost among bards, spoke as he had heard from Vyāsa, the revealer of the meaning of the universe. For, due to a curse upon this threefold world, the triple city had arisen—from mind, speech, and body.