Her supreme nature, unattainable even by the gods, is both distinct from all and yet arises from the very body of her Lord. She is the sovereign of the universe, the supreme goddess, the great ruler of all worlds—omniscient, all-pervading, subtle, and transcending the dualities of existence and non-existence. When Virāṭ beheld this resplendent goddess, who illumined the entire cosmos with her radiance, he bowed low before her and prayed with deep devotion. “O goddess,” he implored, “I was created by the Lord at the beginning; you, the very essence of all worlds, have appointed me to the work of creation. Thus, I create all beings. Yet, though I have brought forth all the gods and others through my mind, they do not truly thrive or increase. According to the supreme creative principle, I have made them arise only in pairs, desiring to nurture all my offspring. But no lineage of women has ever emerged from you before, and so I lack the power to create a race of women. “All powers emanate from you alone, O giver of all strength, and everywhere you are the source of all abilities. Therefore, I beseech you, O goddess Māyā, ruler of the gods and bestower of boons, increase the numbers of moving and unmoving beings by manifesting a portion of yourself. Become the daughter of Dakṣa, my son, O destroyer of existence.” Thus, Brahmā, the origin of Brahman, requested the goddess. She then created from between her brows a single, radiant power, equal to herself. When the supreme god of gods, Hara, beheld her, he smiled and spoke: “Worship Brahmā with austerity; fulfill his purpose.” Receiving this command from the supreme lord, the goddess bowed her head in acceptance. By Brahmā’s word, the goddess became the daughter of Dakṣa, bestowing that incomparable power—embodying the very form of Brahmā—upon him. She entered the body of the god, and the god vanished from sight. From that time onward, enjoyment with women was established in this world. Thus, O best of Brahmins, from then on, the creation of beings proceeded through union, and even Brahmā himself experienced joy and satisfaction, O foremost sages. Thus has the origin of the goddess’s power been recounted—a tale that brings merit and is worthy of being heard, following the account of the creation of beings. Whoever recites daily this origin of the goddess’s power attains all merit and is blessed with auspicious sons. Having thus obtained the supreme and eternal power from the Lord, Prajāpati, eager to create progeny through union, prepared himself for creation. He himself became a wondrous being: half woman, half man. From his feminine aspect, Shatarūpā was born. Brahmā then created Virāj, who became half man; he is known as the original Svāyambhuva Manu, the very first man. That goddess Shatarūpā, after performing great austerities, became the wife of Manu, radiant with glory. From Shatarūpā, two sons were born—Priyavrata and Uttānapāda, both noble and illustrious. She also bore two daughters: one known as Ākūti, the other as Prasūti. Svāyambhuva Manu gave Prasūti in marriage to Dakṣa, and Prajāpati gave Ākūti to Ruchi. From Ākūti, a virtuous pair—Yajña and Dakṣiṇā—was born to Ruchi by mind, and by them the world is sustained. Dakṣa, the lord, begot twenty-four daughters. Among them were Shraddhā, Lakṣmī, Dhṛti, Puṣṭi, Tuṣṭi, Medhā, Kriyā, Buddhi, Lajjā, Vapu, Shānti, Siddhi, and Kīrti—thirteen in all. For the sake of wives, Dharma accepted these daughters of Dakṣa, while the remaining eleven, younger and beautiful, were left. These eleven were: Khyāti, Satyā, Sambhūti, Smṛti, Prīti, Kṣamā, Sannati, Anasūyā, Ūrjā, Svāhā, and Svadha. The illustrious sages—Bhrigu, Sharva, Marīchi, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu, Pulastya, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Pavaka, and the Pitrs—took these daughters as their wives. From Dharma’s union with his wives were born sons beginning with Kāma and ending with Yasha, most auspicious. From Adharma, in the line of Hiṁsā, were born those ending in suffering. From Nikṛti and others were born sons marked by unrighteousness; these families, their wives and sons, are said to have no fixed order. Thus arose this tamasic creation, governed by righteousness. Among Dakṣa’s daughters, Sati, beloved of Rudra, stands foremost. Because of her husband’s reproach, she abandoned her body born of Dakṣa, censuring her father, his wife, and her relatives. She was then reborn as the daughter of Menā and the mountain Himavat. Rudra, seeing Sati, who was his equal in splendor, took her as his own. As has been said, countless others were created. From Bhrigu and Khyāti was born Lakṣmī, beloved of Nārāyaṇa. The two gods, Dhātā and Vidhātā, sustain the cycles of the Manus; from them, sons, grandsons, and others arose by the hundreds and thousands. All those descendants of Bhrigu are considered to have existed during the interval of Svāyambhuva Manu. From Marīchi was born Sambhūti, who gave birth to Paurnamāsa. And there were four daughters of great renown, from whose lineage was born Kashyapa, the one with many sons. Thus, the sacred tale of the goddess’s power and the origins of creation unfolds—a narrative of divine will, auspicious unions, and the ever-flowing lineage of gods, sages, and all living beings.