With deep reverence, a prayer rose: “Lift me up from here today, for I previously arose from you. Salutations to you, Supreme Self, salutations to you, Soul of all beings.” The devotee continued, offering homage to the One who is both unmanifest and manifest, the very essence of primordial substance and time itself—the creator, protector, and destroyer of all beings. At the dawn of creation, the Supreme Brahman, assuming the forms of Vishnu, Rudra, and Atman, consumed all when the world became a single ocean. In that vast dissolution, only Govinda remained at the end—contemplated by the wise, yet his supreme form is unknown to any. Whenever the Lord descends, the gods worship the forms he assumes. Those who seek liberation, worshipping him as the Supreme Brahman, attain release. Without worshipping Vasudeva, none can find liberation. The Lord’s form, whether grasped by the mind, apprehended by the senses, or comprehended by the intellect—all are his manifestations. The devotee acknowledged: “I am pervaded by you, supported by you, created by you, and I take refuge in you.” Thus, the world calls the devotee Madhavi. Praised by the earth, the bearer of the earth—he, glorious, roared with a sound like the Sama Veda and the rumble of thunderclouds. Then the great boar, with eyes like blossoming lotuses, lifted the earth with his own tusk, rising from the netherworld. He resembled a blue mountain and a lotus petal. As he ascended, the wind from his mouth struck the waters, purifying the sinless sages like Sanandana who had taken refuge in Janaloka. The waters, disturbed by his sharp hooves, descended to the netherworld, producing a continuous sound, while the breath-winds of the praised clouds moved all around. The great boar, his belly soaked with water, rose up, tearing the earth. The sages dwelling within the hair pores of his Veda-formed body rejoiced as he shook himself. “O supreme Lord, O Keśava, master of men, wielder of mace, conch, and discus, you are the cause of creation, destruction, and preservation. You alone are the highest; there is no other supreme abode.” In his feet are the Vedas; his tusks are the sacrificial posts; sacrifices and scriptures reside in his teeth and mouth; fire blazes upon his tongue. The blades of grass are his body hair. He alone is the embodiment of sacrifice. The space between heaven and earth, of incomparable power, is filled by his form alone. Indeed, the entire world is pervaded by him for the welfare of all. He alone is the supreme soul; there is no other, O Lord of the world. His greatness pervades all that moves and does not move. The entire world is of the nature of knowledge, though the ignorant do not perceive it. Those who see only material nature wander adrift on the raft of darkness; but those who know knowledge, with pure minds, perceive the whole world. Those who perceive his form as knowledge, O supreme Lord, seek his grace for the welfare of the world. “Lift up this earth, O lotus-eyed one, who is immeasurable. O blessed Govinda, full of goodness—raise this earth. Lift it up, O Lord, for the welfare of all; do good to the entire world.” Thus praised, the supreme soul, the bearer of the earth, quickly lifted the earth and placed it upon the great ocean. Upon it, a vast mass of water stood like a great ship. Then, making the earth level, the primeval, supreme person arranged the mountains upon the earth according to their divisions. After dividing the earth, he established the seven continents as before, and created the four worlds beginning with the elements, just as previously. This was previously shown to Brahma by Viṣṇu, the satisfied lord of gods; he is the supreme deity. By you and by me, this world must be supported and protected with care; now I have granted a boon to the chief among the asuras. For the welfare of the gods, you must slay them, O Lord; I will create the world, and you must protect it, O Lord. Thus addressed, Viṣṇu departed, and the Lord created the gods. But from him, without awareness, a being of darkness appeared. Darkness, confusion, great delusion, tamisra, and that called andhasamjñaka—thus, the creation established in fivefold form arose from the meditation of the great soul. Without light both outwardly and inwardly, with a veiled self, of the nature of trees—this is declared as the primary creation of the principal beings, and thus this is the main creation. Seeing that creation as ineffective, the Lord contemplated another, different creation; from his meditation arose the creation called tiryaksrotas. Because their activity is sideways, they are known as tiryaksrotas; these, such as cattle and others, are renowned, mostly enveloped in darkness and ignorance. They are led astray from the right path, and though ignorant, they consider themselves knowledgeable. Filled with ego and pride, they are of twenty-eight kinds, all with inner light, yet mutually obscured. Considering that creation too as ineffective, he meditated again, and from that arose the third creation, the sāttvika, which proceeded upward. They are abundant in happiness and delight, unobscured both outwardly and inwardly, radiant within and without; therefore, they are called ūrdhvasrotas. The third creation, of contented nature, is remembered as the creation of the gods. When that creation was accomplished, joy arose in Brahmā. Then he contemplated yet another, the highest effective creation, having recognized the ineffective ones arising from the primary creation and others. Thus, as he meditated with true intent, from the unmanifest appeared the effective creation called avāksrotas. Because their activity proceeds downward, they are called avāksrotas; they are abundant in radiance, yet dominated by darkness and with rajas prevailing. Therefore, they are filled with much suffering and are repeatedly active; radiant within and without, these are the humans, and they are effective. Thus unfolded the wondrous acts of the Supreme, whose wisdom and power pervade all worlds, whose compassion lifts and restores, and whose creative energy brings forth all beings and realms for the welfare of all.