From the eternal source, three great principles arise, each emerging from and nurturing the other, growing together and remaining devoted to one another. Sometimes Brahma, sometimes Vishnu, sometimes Rudra is praised, but such praise does not increase their supremacy or lordship. Sadly, those who are foolish and attached to disputes speak ill of these deities; such people, without doubt, become demons and ghosts. Above all stands Maheshvara, the great god, who transcends the three qualities and manifests in four emanations. He is the foundation of all existence and the origin of the power that sustains everything. This very Self, for the sake of divine play, has created the world and reigns as Lord over Prakriti, Purusha, and the entire universe. He is beyond all, eternal, without parts—the Supreme Lord, who alone is the support, essence, and ruler of all. Therefore, Maheshvara, as well as Prakriti and Purusha, Sadashiva, Vishnu, and Brahma—all emerge from the all-pervading Shiva. From Pradhana, the primordial matter, first arose growth, fame, intellect, and the great principle; and from the agitation of this great principle, ego was born in three forms. From ego came the elements, the subtle elements, and the senses; from the ego dominated by sattva, the pure sāttvika type was produced. This sāttvika creation, known as vaikārika, arose all at once: the five organs of knowledge and the five organs of action. The eleventh is the mind, which, possessing its own quality, is of a dual nature. From the ego associated with tamas, the subtle elements of matter came forth. The first among these elements is called the primary element; from it arises only sound, and from sound, space is produced. From space came touch, from touch arose air, from air came form, and from form, fire was produced. From fire, taste was born, and from taste, waters came forth. From waters, scent arose, and from scent, earth was born. From these elements, all moving and unmoving beings emerged. Because of the presence of Purusha and the favor of the unmanifest, from the Great Principle down to the particulars, the cosmic egg was produced. When, within that egg, the effect and instrument of Brahman were perfected, the knower of the field—called Brahma—grew greatly therein. Possessing a body, he is the first Purusha, the original creator of beings; at the beginning, Brahma came into being. The image of that Lord is marked by knowledge and detachment. The intellect, producing virtue and lordship, is Brahmi, for the one who is proud in sacrifice. From the unmanifest, whatever he desires with his mind is born; being the master, he transforms it, governed by the three qualities, dependence, and his own nature. Dividing himself threefold, he operates in the three worlds: he creates, devours, and observes, using these three aspects of himself. With four faces, he is Brahma; as Time, he is the Ender. The Purusha with a thousand heads is the Self-born in three states. Sattva and rajas are Brahma; as Time, tamas and rajas. In the form of Vishnu, only sattva prevails; the increase of the qualities is threefold in the Lord. As Brahma, he creates the worlds; as Time, he withdraws them. As Purusha, he remains utterly indifferent. Thus, the Lord’s action is threefold. Because of this threefold division, Brahma is called threefold in qualities; and because of his fourfold distinction, he is known as the Fourfold Manifestation. He is the primordial god, for he is the first; he is called the Unborn, for he is without origin. Because he protects all beings, he is remembered as the Lord of Creatures. The golden Meru is his shell; the waters of the womb are the oceans, and the mountains form his membrane. Within that cosmic egg lie these worlds, and within it is the entire universe: the moon, the sun, the stars, the planets, and the wind. The egg is surrounded externally by waters ten times greater; those waters are encircled by fire, ten times greater still. That fire is surrounded externally by air, ten times greater; air is enveloped by space, and space by the primary element. The primary element is enveloped by the Great Principle, and that by the unmanifest. Thus, the egg is surrounded externally by seven coverings. Eight fundamental principles exist, each performing acts of creation, preservation, and destruction. Arising from one another, they sustain each other; as substratum and supported, modifications reside in that which is modified. Just as a tortoise extends its limbs and then withdraws them, so too the unmanifest, after producing modifications, absorbs them again. Everything arises from the unmanifest according to its nature; but when the time of dissolution comes, all merges back in reverse order. The qualities, under the influence of time, become unequal or equal; when they are balanced, dissolution takes place, and when they are unbalanced, creation occurs. This dense cosmic egg is the womb of Brahman, the great field of Brahman; and Brahma is called the knower of the field. Of such cosmic eggs, countless millions exist everywhere, due to the pervasiveness of primordial matter, situated horizontally, above, and below. In each place, four-faced Brahmas, Vishnus, and Shivas are created by primordial matter, thus attaining the presence of Shambhu. The great Lord, transcending the unmanifest, creates the cosmic egg from the unmanifest; from the egg, the mighty Brahma is born, and by him these worlds are made. This creation of primordial matter, as described, is the first, initiated without intellect; and at the final dissolution, it is absorbed entirely, being only the play of the Lord.