Thus, when Brahmā was addressed in this way, the primordial fire blazed forth in a thousand streams, illuminating all directions. In the midst of this radiance, Brahmā perceived the sacred letters 'a', 'i', and 'u'—the seeds of sound and creation. The fire of existence pervaded everything: above, below, and across, nothing was untouched by its presence. Witnessing this overwhelming display, Brahmā became deeply fearful and pondered the mystery before him. Longing to know the Supreme Lord, the very treasury of radiance, Prajāpati approached with reverence. He offered homage to the repository of brilliance, to the One who hears all wondrous things. He praised Him as the seed of all beings, the enchanter and dispeller of delusion, the One whose face is ever upward, who is the very essence of existence and the earth itself. With devotion, Prajāpati addressed Him as the lotus-eyed, the cloud-god and fire-god, whose eyes shine like blossoming lotus petals. Again and again, he offered salutations to the One whose very form is sacrifice, who both performs and receives the sacrificial offering. He praised the remover of darkness, the great bearer, beloved by his own, the dispeller of all ignorance. He bowed to the blazing Vaiśvānara fire, upward-flaming, all-pervading, illustrious, and of great fortune, whose path is mysterious and profound. "Homage, homage!" he cried. Then, the divine voice spoke: "I am pleased with you, O Brahmā. Your creative act will succeed." Thus reassured, Brahmā bowed deeply and spoke once more. The Lord said to him, "You are the Person, the Lord of creatures." With his divine sight, Brahmā beheld the eternal Lord—the god who eternally creates and delights in fire, sky, earth, all that is seen and unseen, and the supreme state, for He is the master of all. Thereupon, Prajāpati, with a hymn of great and auspicious origin, praised the Lord. Seeing the god radiant with a deep red hue, Prajāpati bowed his head to the Originator of both the manifest and the unmanifest. He recognized that earth, air, space, and everything in the three worlds—the creation of principles, the elements, and all beings—every collection of things, both moving and unmoving—were all encompassed by this divine presence. Then the Lord spoke to Brahmā: "You have seen everything just as it is. I am the creator; you are the imitator, for the purpose of maintaining the worlds." Thus addressed by the God of gods, Brahmā replied, "By your grace, O great Lord, I am able to create beings." Maheśvara said, "Because you, desiring sons and wishing to create, were meditating—having attained sonship, O Lord, I shall cut off your fifth head. Proclaim him as a blessed friend; he will become worthy of our worship." At that moment, Brahmā beheld Hari, the infallible one, radiant with incomparable splendor. He saw Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Lord, existing above even the radiance of Maheśvara. Nārāyaṇa touched Brahmā with his finger and said, "For the protection of the worlds, the best among archers will be born." Having spoken thus, the blessed god took the fire into his own hand. In this way, Maheśvara always honored that exalted man as well. Then, at the end of the age, Brahmā spoke to that fire: "Bhṛgu and Aṅgirās will indeed be your sons, without doubt." By dividing that fire into two, the sacrifice of creation was set in motion. The two fires, united by Brahmā, began their work, set in motion by his command, thus ensuring the unfolding of the worlds.