In the sacred dialogue between Umā and Maheśvara, the mysteries of creation and the greatness of the divine were revealed. At the dawn of existence, from the cosmic form of the Supreme Person, the four castes arose: his mouth became the source of the priests, his arms gave rise to the warriors, his thighs to the merchants, and his feet to the servants. From his feet, the earth was born, and from his head, the heavens emerged. From his mind sprang forth the moon, and from his eyes, the radiant sun. Fire and Indra issued from his mouth, while the ever-moving wind arose from his breath. From his navel emerged Brahmā, the creator, and the vast expanse of the sky. All that moves and does not move in the world was born from the eternal Viṣṇu. Thus, Viṣṇu, who encompasses all, is called Nārāyaṇa. Having created the entire universe, Hari gathers it back into himself, just as a spider withdraws its web, spun from its own play. He draws back Brahmā, Indra, Rudra, Yama, and even Varuṇa. Because he restrains and absorbs all, he is known as Hari. When the universe dissolves into the great ocean and Māyā spreads across its surface, the Supreme Person alone remains. The Eternal One, having placed the world within his own womb, lies there in repose. At that time, only Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, the infallible, exists. There is no Brahmā, Rudra, gods, or great sages; neither heaven nor earth, nor Soma, nor the sun. No stars, no worlds, not even the cosmic egg, for the entire universe is enveloped by Hari. Once again, at the time of creation, all arises from him; thus, he is remembered as Nārāyaṇa. Service to him is spoken of in the fourth case of the mantra, as taught to Pārvatī. The entire world, beginning with Brahmā, is his servant. Understanding this meaning, one should apply the mantra. Without grasping its meaning, one attains neither success, nor enjoyment, nor devotion, nor liberation. Thus concluded the chapter called 'Instruction on the Meaning of the Mantra,' in the dialogue between Umā and Maheśvara, within the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the Padma Mahāpurāṇa. Pārvatī, eager to learn more, asked Maheśvara to explain in detail the greatness of the mantra's words, the true nature of the Lord, his powers, qualities, supreme abode, and the divisions of Hari's forms. Īśvara replied, "Listen, O goddess, as I declare the true nature of the Supreme Self, the collection of his powers and qualities, and the states of Hari. The Supreme Person, called Viṣṇu and Nārāyaṇa, is the Lord of the worlds, the eternal Supreme Self. He has hands and feet everywhere, and eyes everywhere; he pervades all worlds, and within him are all the highest abodes. Even as he sustains all, he surpasses the minds of the wise. The Lord of Śrī, the Supreme Person, appears in many forms, possessing a divine and auspicious form for the sake of enjoyment with the goddess. Hari, with a vast body and a form like fire, assumed youthful boyhood and delighted with Śrī, the mother of the worlds, shining with his own radiance like the moon with its nectar-beams. This son of the Lady of the Universe is eternally youthful, possessing the beauty of ten million Cupids, and he stands in the supreme abode. For the sake of enjoyment, the supreme sky and the entire world exist for his play; through enjoyment and sport, the twofold manifestation of Viṣṇu is established. He always abides in enjoyment; when he withdraws his play, both enjoyment and play are sustained by him through his power. His three-quarters pervade the supreme abode, while one quarter appears here; the three-quarters are eternal manifestations, but the quarter is the impermanent domain of the Lord. His eternal, auspicious form abides in the supreme abode—unchanging, everlasting, divine, always endowed with youth. He is always enveloped in enjoyment with the Lady of the Universe, with Śrī and Bhū; this Śrī, the mother of the worlds, is eternally inseparable from Viṣṇu. Just as Viṣṇu is all-pervading, so too is Lakṣmī, O auspicious-faced one; the wife of Viṣṇu, ever auspicious, is the sovereign of all the worlds. With hands and feet extending everywhere, with eyes, heads, and faces on all sides, Nārāyaṇī, the mother of the worlds, is the support of the entire universe. All that is, both moving and unmoving in the world, depends on her glance; the creation and dissolution of the world occur by her opening and closing her eyes. She, Mahālakṣmī, is the origin of all, threefold in nature, the Supreme Lady; manifest and unmanifest, she pervades and abides throughout all. Seeing the entire universe as void, the Supreme Lady filled that void with her own radiance. She is known as Lakṣmī, as Earth, and as Nīlādevī; being the foundation of the world, she assumes the form of the earth. Assuming the form of water and other essences, she becomes Nīlā in appearance; she attains the form of Lakṣmī and is indeed the embodiment of wealth. Thus, the goddess in her own form is Śrī of the world, O beautiful-faced one, and all forms of knowledge are aspects of Lakṣmī. All beauty is said to be her form; loveliness, character, conduct, and good fortune among women—all these, O daughter of the mountain, are her form, placed at the head of all women. By her sidelong glance and by her fierce gaze, Brahmā, Śiva, Indra, the moon, the sun, Kubera, and Agni attain abundant sovereignty. She is Lakṣmī, Śrī, Kamala, Vidya, Mother, beloved of Viṣṇu, Sati; dwelling in the lotus, holding a lotus, lotus-eyed, and the beauty of the worlds. Ruler of beings, eternal, patient, all-pervading, auspicious; wife of Viṣṇu, great goddess, daughter of the milk ocean, Rāma. Endless, mother of the worlds, earth, dark-hued, giver of all happiness; also Rukmiṇī and Sītā, embodiment of all the Vedas, auspicious. Sati, Sarasvatī, Gaurī, peace, Svāhā, Svadha, Rati; Nārāyaṇī, of noble stature, inseparable from Viṣṇu. Thus, the greatness of Viṣṇu and the inseparable glory of the goddess were revealed, showing the eternal play of the divine, from creation to dissolution, and the unity of all forms and powers within the Supreme.