Pulastya spoke: O King, while that supreme god was performing a great sacrifice at the sacred site of Pushkara, listen as I recount the wondrous events that took place in ancient times. In the earliest days, during the Krita Yuga, when the Grandfather—Brahmā himself—was the chief sacrificer, the venerable sages Marichi, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu gathered there. Alongside them stood Daksha, the lord of all creatures, resplendent and adorned with every ornament, offering their heartfelt salutations, shining with divine brilliance. As the sacrifice commenced, the celestial Apsaras performed enchanting dances before Vishnu, the lord of the gods. The skies resounded with the music of the Gandharvas, who delighted all with their heavenly melodies. Among these Gandharvas, Tumburu sang in unison with Mahashruti, Citrarathasena, Urnayu, and Anagha. Gomayu, Suryavarchas, Somavarchas, Trinayu, Nandi, and Citraratha joined them, their voices weaving a tapestry of celestial sound. Shalishira, Parjanya, Kali, and Taraka brought the number to sixteen, and then Hāhā and Hūhū, along with the radiant Hamsa, added their divine music to the celebration. Once more, the Apsaras danced gracefully before the Lord. The gods Dhata, Aryaman, Savita, Varuna, Ansha, and Bhaga stood in reverence. The twelve Adityas—Indra, Vivasvan, Pushan, Tvashtri, Parjanya, and others—shone with dazzling energy, their presence illuminating the sacrifice. The lords of the gods offered salutations to Brahmā, the Grandfather. Among them were Mrigavyadha, Sharva, and the illustrious Nirriti; Ajaikapada, Ahirbudhnya, the unconquered Pinaki, Bhava, Vishveshvara, and Kapardi. The blessed Sthāṇu, Bhaga, and the Rudras stood alongside the twin Ashvins, the eight Vasus, and the mighty Maruts. The Vishvadevas and Sadhyas approached with joined palms, as did the great serpents—beginning with Shesha and led by Vasuki. Kāśyapa, Kambala, and the powerful Takṣaka, noble serpents all, stood in respectful greeting. Tārkṣya, Ariṣṭanemi, and the mighty Garuḍa were present, together with Vāruṇi, Āruṇi, and the sons of Vinatā. Amidst this assembly arrived the blessed Nārāyaṇa himself, lord of all worlds. He addressed the glorious preceptor of the worlds, Brahmā, in the presence of the gathered sages: “O Lotus-born Lord, by you this entire universe is pervaded and created. You are the lord of all beings. Obeisance to you! Whatever task is to be accomplished by me, instruct me, so that I may act accordingly.” Thus spoke the blessed Lord, joined by the divine sages. After bowing to Brahmā, the lord of the gods—he who is of unmanifest birth—Nārāyaṇa stood respectfully, and Brahmā illumined the four directions with his radiant presence. He shone with the Śrīvatsa mark upon his chest, his form covered with fine hair, adorned with a golden thread and silver, resembling a sage among the gods, self-born and glorious, the very source of all beings. His hair was pure, his chest broad, and he radiated all brilliance. He is the refuge of the virtuous and the end of those who perform evil deeds. The great souls perfected in yoga recognize him as the supreme world, the lord whose qualities are eightfold, whom they call the best among the gods. Those steadfast in seeking liberation, having attained him, are freed from the cycles of birth and death, their minds absorbed in the union of yoga. This, indeed, is called penance by all who dwell in the various stages of life—those who observe difficult vows, regulate their diet, and serve again and again. Among serpents, yogis call him Ananta, the one with a thousand heads and red eyes, together with the foremost like Shesha. The foremost Brahmins who desire heaven know him as the sacrifice itself—unique, supreme, glorious, and ever on the move. He is the god who knows and is known, the giver of sacrificial shares, with the bull, fire, sun, and moon as his eyes, and whose very form is space. To that god, the origin of all gods and beings, we take refuge and seek shelter. He is the creator of sages and worlds, the lord of the gods, upholding the welfare of the gods and the maintenance of the entire universe. The proper offerings of cooked food are for the ancestors, and the finest oblations are for the gods—these rites were established by him, the supreme god to whom we bow. In the Tretā age, the supreme creator performed worship with the fire of sacrifice, just as he had done at the beginning of creation; so too did he bring about the creation of sacrifice once more. Thus, Brahmā, the endless one who sustains the worlds, was revered and followed by all. Though ancient, he was ever wise. The Grandfather, whose nature is beyond comprehension, entered the sacrificial enclosure, which was filled with wealthy priests and protected by devoted participants. There, with bow in hand, mighty Vishnu stood guard, and the kings of the Daityas, Dānavas, and hosts of Rākṣasas were stationed in attendance. Brahmā, contemplating deeply upon himself, reflected truly, and the eternal sacrifice itself became manifest as sacrifice. There, the blessed one arranged for the selection of priests; the Bhṛgus and other skilled sages were chosen as officiants. With the chief reciters of the Bahvṛca tradition, they chanted the auspicious syllables as prescribed, while the foremost sages listened attentively as the rite unfolded. The knowledge of sacrifice, the wisdom of the Vedas, and the expertise in recitation resounded through the voices of the supreme sages. Those who knew the proper laying of the sacrificial ground, those versed in phonetics, those skilled in the meaning of words, and those accomplished in all branches of knowledge—all gathered to perform the sacred rites, upholding the eternal order.