The sages once approached me and spoke, “In the Kali age, O Lord, all the best among the twice-born will appear in your form. They will wear matted locks and crowns, assume the guise of the dead at will, and falsely bear ascetic emblems.” Concerned for their descendants, they requested, “Let some scripture be given for our benefit, so that all our descendants, afflicted by Kali, may follow the proper path.” Responding to their plea long ago, O best of the twice-born, I composed a collection endowed with Vedic rites. This collection, called the Nishvasa, absorbed the Babhrava and Shandila lineages. The Baidala lineage departed merely by hearing, due to a slight offense. Indeed, I deluded them, O twice-born, knowing what was to come; for in the Kali age, men desiring gain will compose their own scriptures. The Nishvasa Samhita itself is vast, measuring one hundred thousand verses. That alone constitutes the Pashupata initiation, and here, the yoga is Pashupata. Whatever arises apart from this Vedic path should be known as a petty act—fierce and devoid of purity. Those men in the Kali age who subsist on Rudra, the Baidala, and those desiring gain will compose their own scriptures; know them as Ucchushma Rudras—I am not established among them. Long ago, in the form of Bhairava, I danced for the sake of the gods; that is the connection with those of cruel deeds. Desiring the destruction of demons, I once made a loud laugh; from my tears, countless fierce ones fell and will be born on earth. Devoted to Ucchushma, fierce, always fond of liquor and meat, lustful for women, and engaged in sinful acts—such will be born on earth. By Gautama’s curse, twice-born will be born in their lineage; among them, those who are of good conduct and devoted to my teaching. Because of their doubt regarding heaven and liberation, those who corrupt my lineage will descend to the realm of cats. Previously, they were burned by Gautama’s fire; now, by my command, these twice-born will go to hell—there is no need for deliberation. Thus, I spoke to the sons of Brahma, and they departed as they had come; Gautama, the destroyer of foes, also quickly returned to his own home. O Brahmins, I have described to you the marks of dharma; whoever acts contrary to this becomes devoted to heresy. Then, Śrī Varāha narrated: Agastya, with reverence, approached and questioned the supreme Lord Rudra, who is all-knowing, all-acting, and ancient. Agastya said, “You, Brahmā, and Viṣṇu are the three, remembered as the triple Veda; like a lamp joined with fire, you are present everywhere in all scriptures. In which time, O Lord with three eyes, is the blessed one foremost? In which time is the transcendent? Or is it Brahmā? Please tell me this, O Deva.” Rudra replied, “Viṣṇu alone is the supreme Brahman, though here it is spoken of in threefold form; those deluded do not know this on the path of Vedic conclusions. In the entry of the root ‘viś’, with the suffix ‘ṣṇu’, Viṣṇu is the eternal supreme self among all the gods. This Viṣṇu is praised in ten ways and also in one way, O twice-born; he is the glorious Āditya, endowed with yogic power and lordship. That supreme Lord always performs divine tasks, assuming human form; in every age, he praises me for the sake of establishing the path of the world and fulfilling divine purposes. And I am the giver of boons to him in every Dvāpara, O twice-born; I always praise him in Śvetadvīpa during the Kṛta age. At the time of creation, I praise the four-faced one and become Time; Brahmā, the gods, and the demons always praise me in the Kṛta age; the gods, desiring enjoyment, worship me in the form of the liṅga. Those seeking liberation worship the thousand-headed Lord with their minds; he is the soul of all, the god Nārāyaṇa himself. Those excellent twice-born who always worship with the Brahma-yajña please Brahmā; the Veda is declared as Brahmā. Nārāyaṇa, Śiva, Viṣṇu, Śaṃkara, and Puruṣottama—by these names, the supreme, eternal Brahman is proclaimed; the wise speak of it as the yoga of thought. Whatever is the pacification of animals in sacrifice, and the act of offering oblations, is known as ‘Om’; in that, I am established. O Brahmin, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara are joined with the karma-Veda; we three are also mantras and so forth—there is no need for deliberation. I am Vishnu, and likewise the Vedas, Brahma, and actions as well, O steadfast one; these three are truly one, and the wise should not regard them as separate. Whoever, O virtuous one, considers these otherwise, with partiality, that sinful person goes to the dreadful hell called Raurava. I am Brahma, and Vishnu, and also the Rig, Yajur, and Sama Vedas; there is no division in this, O best of twice-born, for all. Rudra then continued, “Hear further, O foremost of twice-born, filled with curiosity, of something unprecedented that occurred while I was immersed in the waters, O eminent sage. Formerly, I was created by Brahma and told, ‘Create beings’; but lacking proper understanding, I was submerged in the waters. There, for a single moment, I remained, with concentrated mind, meditating upon the Supreme Lord as a person the size of a thumb. Then, from the water arose ten men and one, radiant like the fire of dissolution, heating the water with their rays. I asked them, ‘Who are you, emerging from the water with brilliance, heating this water? Where will you go, tell me?’ Thus addressed by me, those excellent men said nothing; in this way, those men departed in silence, O eminent twice-born. After them, a great person appeared, exceedingly splendid, resembling a cloud, with eyes like lotuses.