At the dawn of creation, the blessed Virinchi—Brahma himself—declared that the husband is the lord of life for women, and that his word must be obeyed. For women, there are no separate sacrifices, vows, or fasts; whatever the husband commands, she should fulfill without disdain. A woman who reviles her husband, or her sister, or who gives herself over to slander or idle gossip, is destined for hell. If a woman undertakes vows or fasting while her husband is alive, she diminishes his lifespan; if she does so after his death, she herself courts hell. Understanding these truths, it was instructed that nothing displeasing should ever be done to one’s husband, and, O virtuous one, a wife must never serve at his right side. In all matters, I myself—Savitri—have taken the right side of Brahma; you, O noble one, should approach his left, together with Narada and Pushkara. While other seats of Brahma and sacred places may be established, here you will possess beauty for as long as creation endures. Both you and I must remain, without doubt, at Brahma’s side in Pushkara; you should always take the left side. With these words, the instruction was given: remain happily with me. Hearing this, Gayatri replied with humility and devotion: “I will do exactly as you direct. Your command must be followed by me; you are my friend, equal to my very life. I am your younger, O goddess; you should always protect me.” Then, at Pushkara, Brahma—the god of gods—along with Vishnu, completed their sacred bath and bestowed boons upon all the gods. Brahma made Indra the lord of the gods, the Sun the lord of luminaries, Soma the lord of the stars, and Varuna the lord of the waters. He appointed Daksha as lord of the progenitors, the Ocean as lord of rivers, Kubera as lord of wealth, and Cakra as lord of the Rakshasas. He made Pinakin the lord of all beings and hosts, Manu the lord of men, and Garuda the lord of birds. Vasistha was established as the foremost among sages, and the Sun as chief among planets. Having thus assigned these positions, the Grandfather of all, Brahma, continued his work. Brahma then turned respectfully to Vishnu and Shankara, saying, “Among all the holy places on earth, you two are the most worthy of worship. Without you both, no sacred place ever attains holiness; wherever a linga or image is seen, that place becomes holy. Such places grant sanctity and all rewards to those who worship with offerings. If men honor you both before me, why should they fear disease or danger? In those lands where your festivals and worship are performed, all sacred rites will be established. Listen now to the fruits in those places: there will be no sorrow, no disease, no calamity, nor fear of hunger. There will be no separation from loved ones, nor union with the unwanted; no eye disease, no headache, no pain from bile or from below. There will be no fear of sorcery, no epilepsy, nor cholera; prosperity will come as desired, and the mind will be supremely clear. There will be health in every way, long life, offspring, and wealth; death will not come untimely, and cows will yield abundant milk. Trees will not bear fruit out of season, nor will there be the slightest fear of calamity.” Having heard these words, Vishnu prepared himself to praise Brahma. He spoke: “Salutations to the Infinite, of pure mind, whose form is his own true nature, with a thousand arms; to the Creator, source of a thousand rays, vast in body, pure in action. Salutations to Shambhu, remover of all the world’s suffering, whose radiance surpasses all suns and fires; to the wielder of the discus, who is spread forth as knowledge, the foundation of all intelligence. O beginningless god, imperishable, highest lord, lord of the future, present, and past, great lord of all, lord of the world, lord of the earth, lord of beings—I bow to you always. “Lord of sacrifice, Narayana, victorious, Shankara, lord of the earth and universe, all-seeing, whose form is the origin of the moon, sun, Acyuta, and the heroic, whose forms are both manifest and unmanifest, imperishable. O Narayana, whose blazing, purified fire encircles all directions, whose face is turned everywhere, immortal and imperishable, remover of all the gods’ suffering—protect me, O Lord, for I have come to you for refuge. “O Lord, I behold your many faces and the ancient course of sacrifice; you are Brahma, the Lord, the source of the worlds. O Great Grandsire, I bow to you. Through countless revolutions of existence, you sometimes appear, O God of gods, Lord of lords. Therefore, those whose understanding is purified by all knowledge worship you; why should I not bow to you? He who knows you in this way, as you stand before nature, is the foremost among the wise; though you are to be known among those with qualities, your vast form here is subtle indeed. “Though you are without speech, hands, or feet, and devoid of senses, how is it, O blessed one, that you act so well and prosper? Though bound in the cycle of existence and lacking senses, how again, O Lord of gods, are you to be known? The embodied and the unembodied cannot attain that supreme form; O Four-faced one, you are worshipped by those whose minds are purified by devotion, who sever the bonds of existence. “Because your supreme form is not known, even by the gods and others who assume wondrous forms, O Lord, the ancient one seated on the lotus is to be worshipped as the highest manifestation. Even the creator of the universe, though pure in mind, does not know your true essence or unique source; but I, through austerity, know you as the supreme, ancient, and original being. The lotus-seated one is well known as the progenitor; this fame is repeatedly declared in the ancient texts. By contemplating you, O Lord, one comes to know you; but not so for one lacking in austerity. “Even the best among men, like myself, seek to awaken you, O God, by dividing their own understanding; but those without the Veda, though famed, lack the wisdom to awaken you. Whether through discernment born of the Veda in many lives, or by some other illumination, one who is greedy for that attainment does not become human, nor a lord of gods or gandharvas, nor Shiva. The blessed Lord is not only of the subtle form of Vishnu; you are also gross, O God, for the sake of accomplishment. Though gross, you are easily subtle, O God; those who act outwardly fall into hell.” Thus, the gods honored and praised the Supreme, acknowledging the mysteries of creation and the greatness of the Lord, who is both manifest and unmanifest, the source and sustainer of all that is.