Once more, in every direction—south, north, and all between—Vayu, holding the assembly close within his heart, addressed them anew. He spoke of the ways by which one might behold Virinchi, the great Brahma, at all times. “There are three means,” he said, “by which Brahma may be seen: through faith, through knowledge, through austerity, and through the practice of yoga.” He explained that yogis perceive the deity in both manifest and unmanifest forms. Ascetics, through their practices, see only the manifest, while those endowed with true wisdom behold the supreme, unmanifest reality. Yet, when knowledge arises in one whose faith is weak, even then the vision is not granted. But yogis, through the highest devotion, swiftly gain sight of Brahma. “He is to be seen as changeless,” Vayu continued, “the lord of both Pradhana and Purusha. Those who are ever devoted—by their actions, their minds, and their words—draw near to the great ancestor, Brahma.” He blessed them, urging, “Practice austerity; be steadfast in worship of Brahma. This is the path for those who have undertaken Brahminical initiation and are devoted among the twice-born.” Vayu, knowing all things, resolved to grant them a vision. Hearing his words and perceiving their great benefit, the assembly’s minds became filled with longing for Brahma. They approached the lord of speech and said, “Grant us Brahminical initiation, for we are wise and learned.” Desiring to initiate them, the guru swiftly bestowed upon the gods the sacred Brahma initiation, precisely according to the Vedic procedure. With humility and reverence, clothed in simple attire and with heads bowed, they became disciples. Blessed by Brahma’s grace, they attained the sacred knowledge known as Paushkara. The excellent priest, Dhiṣaṇa, then performed the sacrifice in the prescribed way, preparing a lotus altar made rich with lotus stalks, as required for the lotus initiation. The sage, moved by the gods’ desire, accepted them and imparted to those discerning ones the knowledge as instructed by the Vedas. Brhaspati, noble of mind, set aside his astonishment at the initiation. He prepared a single sacred fire for the dwellers of heaven. Angiras, pleased, recited for them the Vedic hymns: Trisuparna, Trimadhu, and the purifying Pavamani. With noble intellect, he taught them all the recitations and their related practices, including the sacred bath accompanied by the chant “āpo hiṣṭha,” known as the Brahma bath. This Brahma bath, they learned, destroys sin, pacifies the wicked, brings nourishment, prosperity, and strength. It grants success and fame and removes the impurities of the Kali age. Therefore, Vayu instructed, one should perform the Brahma bath diligently, as do the silent, self-restrained, initiated, and those who have mastered their senses. All carried water pots, wore loose garments and rosaries, bore staffs, were clad in bark cloth, and adorned with matted hair. They devoted themselves to bathing, seated in proper posture, intent on meditation, fixing their minds upon Brahman, and desiring regulated food. Observing silence, they avoided seeing, speaking, touching, or meditating on anything else. Thus, all who held this vow performed the sacred bath three times a day. Endowed with supreme devotion and following the highest discipline, in due time, through meditation, their minds attained divine knowledge. When their minds became purified and single-pointed, ablaze with the fire of meditation on Brahman, the Blessed Lord himself appeared before them, visible to all. Overwhelmed by his radiance, their minds at first reeled, but relying on that vision, they steadied themselves and worshipped the Lord as prescribed. Using the six-limbed Veda as their means, their hearts rejoiced and were intent. With hands joined above their heads and foreheads touching the ground, they offered praise to the Lord, creator and sustainer of the universe. The assembled gods said: “To Brahma, who is of the very form of Brahman, devoted to Brahman and unconquered, we bow with perfect discipline. O Lord, giver of sacrificial knowledge, who moves with compassion for the worlds and is the very form of creation, we bow to you. To you, compassionate to devotees, praised by Vedic recitation and hymns, who has many forms and the true form, who bears a hundred shapes, we bow. To the Lord of Sāvitrī, to the Lord of Gāyatrī, to you seated on a lotus, to Padmā, to you with a lotus face, we bow. To the giver of boons, the worthy of boons, to the Tortoise and the Deer; to you adorned with matted locks and crown, bearer of the ladle and sacrificial spoon. To you who have the deer-mark and the nature of a deer, who have righteousness as your eye, to you named Viśva, to Viśva, to the Lord of the universe, repeated salutations. Grant us the protection of righteousness beyond compare; with our words, minds, and bodies, we have taken refuge in you, O Grandfather.” Thus praised by the gods, Brahma, the foremost knower of Brahman, replied, “Indeed, I will grant you the vision you desire, unfailing as it is. Speak, O sons, whatever you wish; I shall grant you boon after boon.” Thus addressed, the gods answered, “O Blessed One, this very boon is now most sufficient and great for us. This lotus you have cast has been named by us with an auspicious sound. But for what reason has the earth trembled and the worlds been disturbed? Surely this cannot be without cause, O Lord; let the reason be revealed.” Brahma replied, “For your welfare, and for the protection of the gods, I have placed this lotus. Hear now the reason: A demon named Vajranabha, who steals the lives of children, has taken up his position, seizing the lowest region of the underworld. Knowing of your coming, that wicked one, armed and engaged in austerities, seeks to slay even the gods along with Indra. His destruction was accomplished by me through the dropping of the lotus; proud of his kingdom and power, he was thus slain by me. May the devoted Brahmins, learned in the Vedas, in this time and in this world, never fall into misfortune but attain good fortune again.” So spoke Brahma, and thus the gods were blessed and enlightened by his words and presence.