With great eagerness and effort, I sought to discover the end of that wondrous column of light. Driven by the desire to know its limit, I pressed on relentlessly, but soon exhaustion overtook me. Despite all my striving, I could not find its boundary. Weary and prideful, I finally descended, still ignorant of its secret. In the same manner, the blessed Vishnu, too, grew fatigued. His eyes trembled with weariness as he rose swiftly upwards, his majestic form visible to all the assembled gods. He soon joined me, bowing with a noble heart, but his mind was unsettled, for both of us were bewildered by the maya—the divine illusion—of Shambhu, the Supreme Lord. Together, Vishnu and I bowed in reverence, standing behind, beside, and before that great Lord. Our hearts filled with wonder and confusion, we asked ourselves, “What is this mystery before us?” Just then, a profound sound arose in that place. It was the sacred syllable “Om, Om,” resounding clearly and with a prolonged, powerful tone, O best of gods. Startled and curious, I stood listening to that great sound, and looking to the right side of the linga, I beheld the eternal one. There, on the right, I saw the first letter, “A,” radiant like the orb of the sun. To the left, the letter “U,” blazing like fire. In the middle, the letter “M,” and at the end, the unifying sound “Om.” The first letter shone with solar brilliance, while the left letter “U” burned with the intensity of fire. Vishnu saw the central syllable “ma,” glowing like the full moon, and above it, the Lord himself, pure and transparent as crystal. This vision was beyond the fourth state of consciousness—immortal, indivisible, undisturbed, free from duality, absolute and void, without inner or outer distinctions. Yet, paradoxically, that Supreme Lord possessed both inner and outer aspects, abiding within them all. He was without beginning, middle, or end—the very cause of bliss itself. There were three measures and a half-measure, called “nāda,” known as Brahman. Madhava, the Lord, was present in the form of the measures of the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas. From the words of the Vedas, the Lord contemplated the soul of the universe. Then, the sage became the Veda itself, and from the sage arose the pure essence. By means of that sage, Vishnu came to understand the Supreme Lord, while Rudra, free from thought, contemplated Him with both speech and mind. Those who do not attain Him turn back, for He is to be expressed by the single syllable. Through this single syllable, the truth and the supreme cause are revealed. He is truth, bliss, immortality—the highest Brahman, beyond all else. From the syllable “a,” the Lord, born from the golden egg, comes forth. From the syllable “u” arises Hari, the supreme cause; from the syllable “ma,” the Lord Nīlalohita. The creator is called “a,” “u” is the deluder, and “ma” is the bestower of grace among them. “Ma” is the seed-holder, “a” is the seed, and “u” is Hari, the womb—the lord of Pradhāna and Puruṣa. The seed-holder, the seed, the womb, and the one called “nāda” is Maheśvara. The seed-holder, by his own will, divides himself and is established. From this linga arose the seed “a” of the seed-holder Lord, which, placed in the womb of “u,” grew and expanded in all directions. From this union, a golden egg came into being, enveloping the first syllable. For many years, this divine sphere rested upon the waters. After a thousand years, the egg, which had no origin, split into two, floating upon the waters, by the will of the Lord known as the First. The auspicious golden shell of the egg became the heavens above; what was below became the earth, with its five distinguishing qualities. From that egg was born “a,” the four-faced one, the creator of all worlds, and the Lord manifest in three forms. Thus, the sacred sound “Om, Om” is proclaimed, as taught by the great sages of the Yajur Veda, and is honored by the Ṛg and Sāma Vedas as well. In this way, O Hari, O Brahman, the Vedas spoke at that time. Having understood the Lord of the gods as described in the Vedas, we praised the Supreme Deity with mantras born from the Vedas. Pleased by our hymns, the stainless Lord abided in that linga. He then assumed a divine form composed of sound, standing there with a gentle smile. The letter “a” was his head, and his forehead was broad and long. The vowel “i” was his right eye, “ī” his left; “u” was his right ear, “ū” his left. “Ṛ” was his right cheek, “ṝ” his left; “ḷ” and “ḹ” formed his nostrils. “E” was his upper lip, “ai” his lower lip; “o” and “au” were the two rows of his teeth. “Am” was the palate of that wise Lord of gods. The five letters beginning with “ka” were his five right hands, and the five letters beginning with “ca” his five left hands. The five letters beginning with “ṭa” and those with “ta” were his feet. “Pa” was his abdomen, “pha” his side, “ba” his left side, and “bha” his shoulder. “Ma” was the heart of Śambhu, the great god and yogi. From “ya” to “sa” were the seven vital substances of the Lord. “Ha” was truly his self-form, and “kṣa” was his wrath. Seeing that great Lord Maheśvara together with Umā, we bowed in reverence. Blessed Vishnu then beheld, above the mantra arising from Om, another mantra endowed with five kalās. It shone like pure crystal, composed of thirty-two beautiful syllables—the very source of intelligence and the bringer of all righteous purposes. He also saw the mantra arising from Gāyatrī, green in color, which brings all under control and is endowed with twenty-four syllables and four kalās, unsurpassed in splendor.