May the divine garland, mother of all beings, forever rest upon your neck; let the sacred Śrīvatsa mark and the radiant Kaustubha gem shine upon your chest, gleaming like the moon and the sun. May the wind be your movement, O mighty one, and Garuḍa your swift vehicle, as is known throughout the worlds. May Lakṣmī, the goddess who roams the three realms, always be your refuge, and let the twelfth lunar day belong to you, when she may assume whatever form is desired. Whoever partakes of clarified butter on this twelfth day, even with but a little devotion—be it man or woman—especially attains residence in the celestial realms. This Viṣṇu, as has been described, assumes many forms: to destroy and protect the bodies of gods and demons, and to create others from his own being. In every age, this all-pervading Person is declared by the Vedānta; let none with limited understanding ever mistake him for a mere mortal. Whoever hears this account of Viṣṇu’s creative acts, which destroys all sin, shall attain fame in this world and be honored in the heavenly realms. In the beginning, Brahmā—the imperishable, the pure, the Supreme and the Beyond—desired to create beings. Yet, even as he pondered their creation, he also considered how they would be protected. As these thoughts arose, from his right side there appeared a man, adorned with white earrings, garlands, and fragrant ointments. Upon seeing this being, the Blessed Lord addressed him: “O noble one, take the form of a bull with four legs and protect these beings; be the eldest in the world.” Thus addressed, the being stood firmly on four legs in the Kṛta age; in the Tretā age, he stood on three, in the Dvāpara on two, and in the Kali age, the Lord protects beings with but one leg. Among Brāhmaṇas, he is established in six forms; among Kṣatriyas, in three; among Vaiśyas, in two; and among Śūdras, in one. Yet the Lord is present everywhere: in all the netherworlds, across every continent and region. He is called four-footed, consisting of substance, quality, action, and species; and, as the wise remember in the sequence of the Saṃhitā, he is three-horned. Thus, the primordial and endless Om—two-headed, seven-handed, bound by threefold bonds—is chief among the Brāhmaṇas and protector of the world. Once, this Dharma—who had been oppressed by Soma of wondrous deeds when Soma sought to seize Tārā, the wife of his brother Aṅgirasa—fled in fear of that powerful, cruel one and entered a dense, terrible forest. With Dharma gone, the wives of the Asuras, deprived of righteousness, wandered, desiring to seize the dwellings of the gods; and the Asuras themselves roamed in the abodes of the gods. Disorder reigned, and Dharma was lost. When order had thus vanished and Dharma was destroyed, the gods and Asuras, angered by Soma’s offense and for the sake of the women, took up weapons and fought fiercely. Witnessing this battle, Nārada, delighted, approached his father Brahmā and spoke to him. The Grandfather of all worlds, mounting his swan vehicle, restrained the combatants and inquired for whom this battle was being waged. All declared it was because of Soma; and Brahmā, realizing that his own son Dharma had fled and taken refuge in the forest, hastened there with the gods and Asuras. There, in that dense forest, they beheld Dharma in the form of a bull, shining like the moon, wandering amidst the trees. Seeing him, Brahmā spoke to the gods: “This is my firstborn son, Dharma, greatly oppressed by Soma, who sought to seize his brother’s wife.” He then addressed both gods and Asuras: “Now, all of you, appease him, so that your state may be preserved equally.” Hearing this, all present, delighted, praised that god, recognizing from Brahmā’s words that he was radiant like the full moon. The gods offered their salutations: “Salutations to you, moon-like one! Salutations to you, Lord of the world! Salutations to you, divine in form, who shows the path to heaven, who is the very form of action, who is all-pervading—salutations, again and again! By you, this earth is protected, and by you alone the three worlds endure. The worlds of men, ascetics, and truth are all safeguarded by you. Nothing in the world, moving or unmoving, exists without you; bereft of you, the world would instantly perish. You are the soul of all beings, the very essence of goodness. You are rajas among the passionate, tamas among the inert. You are four-footed, O god; four-horned, three-eyed, seven-handed, three-bonded, in the form of a bull—salutations to you! Without you, O god, we all stray from the right path; lead these deluded ones to the true path, for you are our supreme goal.” Thus praised by the gods, Prajāpati, in the form of a bull, was pleased. With a tranquil mind and peaceful gaze, he beheld them. As soon as they saw him, the gods were instantly freed from confusion and became firmly established in true righteousness. The Asuras, too, were restored. Then Brahmā spoke to Dharma: “From this day forth, let the thirteenth lunar day be sacred to you, O Dharma. Whoever observes this day and approaches you, having gathered up his sins, from him those sins shall be released.” “And because this forest has long been pervaded by you, O Lord, it shall henceforth be known as Dharmāranya.” Brahmā continued, “O Lord, you are recognized by the worlds as having four, three, two, or one foot, according to the ages beginning with Krita; thus, in the field of action and in the heavens, being properly engaged, protect your own abode and the universe.” When these words had been spoken, the Grandsire, before the assembled gods and Asuras, became invisible. The gods, together with the bull, departed to their abodes, free from sorrow. Whoever recites this account of the origin of Dharma at a śrāddha ceremony, and satisfies the ancestors on the thirteenth day with milk-rice according to his ability, shall attain heaven and join the company of the gods. Then, O King, listen to the account of the earliest birth of Rudra. He was born as the lord of creatures, great in austerity, pleased, righteous, patient, and a sage of fierce energy. Having realized supreme knowledge and the true nature of reality, he desired to create. Yet, at the time of the world’s expansion, he became greatly agitated with anger.