With a radiant and cheerful countenance, gentle in every gesture, and eyes elongated like the petals of a lotus, he appeared, his form glowing with a divine brilliance and suffused with celestial fragrance. Clad in immaculate white garments, adorned with a heavenly garland, his lotus feet were revered by the lords of gods, demons, and yogis alike. His limbs bore all auspicious marks, and in one hand he held a fly-whisk, shining resplendently with the brilliance of Sarasvati, like the sun itself. Upon beholding him, all the assembled sages felt their faces light up with joy. In reverence, they placed their hands upon their heads and began to praise this foremost among the gods: “Salutations to you, O Three-formed One, the cause of creation, preservation, and dissolution, the primordial Person, ancient, the very Brahman, the supreme Self. Salutations to the One whose very body is Pradhana, who stirs Pradhana into activity, and who, though manifesting in twenty-three forms, remains ever unchanged. Salutations to the One whose body is the cosmic egg, who abides within it, who accomplishes all tasks and perfects all instruments therein. Salutations to the One who is all worlds, who arranges all worlds, and who is the cause of union and separation for all embodied souls. By you alone is the entire universe created, dissolved, and sustained; yet, O Lord, because of your maya, we do not truly know you, O Ancestor.” Thus, Brahma, praised by the great and fortunate sages, spoke with a deep, resonant voice that seemed to fill the hearts of the sages with delight: “O illustrious sages, endowed with great strength and energy, for what purpose have you all gathered here together?” With hands joined in reverence, the knowers of Brahman addressed Brahma, their words filled with humility: “O Lord, we are enveloped in great darkness. We are distressed, caught in disputes, unable to discern what is truly supreme here. You are the sustainer of all worlds, the cause behind all causes; nothing in existence is unknown to you, O Lord. Tell us, who is the supreme, ancient Person among all beings—pure, complete, eternal, and the highest Lord? By what wondrous act is the universe first created? Please, O great sage, reveal the truth to us and dispel our doubts.” Thus questioned, Brahma gazed upon them all—gods, demons, and sages—with wonder and a gentle smile. Rising up, after deep contemplation, he uttered the name “Rudra,” his entire being moist with joy, palms joined in reverence, and spoke: “He is the One from whom words, along with the mind, turn back, unable to reach; whose bliss, once known, leaves the wise unafraid of anything. From Him arises all this—beginning with Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, along with all beings and their senses. He alone is the source and the meditator of causes, the supreme cause, never born of another, at any time or from anywhere. Endowed with all lordship, known as the ‘Lord of All,’ He is to be meditated upon by all seekers of liberation—Shambhu, who dwells in the midst of space. It is He who once created me, his own son, and by his grace bestowed upon me knowledge and the position of Prajapati. The Lord, unmoving like a great tree, stands alone in the sky, and by Him, the great-souled Person, this entire universe is filled. Among all beings, He alone is active amidst the inactive; He alone, in many forms, becomes the seed—He is the great Lord. He alone is the blessed Rudra; there is truly no second. Though He dwells ever in the hearts of all, He is not perceived by others; yet, perceiving all, He abides throughout the universe. He alone, the Lord of infinite power, remains when all causes, released from the bonds of time, have ceased. For Him, there is neither day nor night, neither equal nor greater; His supreme power is inherent, eternal, and is both knowledge and action. That which is perishable and unmanifest, and that which is immortal and imperishable—both these, whose very essence is imperishable, are none other than the one god Hara. He who meditates upon that and becomes established in its reality—when his bondage ends, for him, the illusion of the universe ceases. In Him, neither lightning shines, nor the sun, nor the moon; by His light alone does all this shine—this is the eternal teaching. The one god, the great god, is to be known as the great Lord; no supreme state of His can be attained by any other. He is the beginning, without beginning or end, pure by His own nature, independent, utterly full, moving and unmoving at His will. His form is beyond the qualities of nature, glorious, free from all marks and characteristics—He is both liberated and the liberator, timeless, and the impeller of time. He dwells beyond all, yet is present in all, all-knowing; He is the lord of all worlds across the sixfold course of time. He is the highest among higher beings, and beyond even the highest; He is the endless meeting point of the infinite and the finite, the honeybee at the nectar of the unending lotus. He is the wise one who fuses the unbroken cosmic eggs into a single mass; He is the very abode of generosity, heroism, depth, sweetness, and awe. There is nothing equal to Him, nor anything greater; among all beings, He stands alone, the king of kings. By His wondrous act, the world is first created; and at the end of time, this same world will dissolve into Him.” Thus did Brahma, with joy and reverence, reveal the supreme truth to the assembled sages, gods, and beings.