After imparting his teachings, Rudra departed, vanishing from sight in an instant. The assembled gods and sages, who had gathered to hear him, also took their leave and returned as they had come. Then Dharanī, the Earth goddess, spoke, her heart filled with curiosity. “Some know Śiva, the Supreme Self, as pure and holy,” she said. “Others see Bhava as Hari, Īśāna, or the Four-faced Brahmā. Among these, O Lord, which god is supreme, and who is subordinate? Please tell me, for I am eager to understand.” Śrī Varāha replied, “Nārāyaṇa is the supreme god. From him was born the Four-faced Brahmā, and from him arose Rudra, who attained omniscience. O beautiful-faced one, listen as I recount the many wondrous deeds of Nārāyaṇa.” He continued, “On the delightful peak of Kailāsa, adorned with minerals of every kind, dwells the god with the trident and three eyes—Śiva—day after day. One day, the great god, bearer of the bow Pināka and revered by all beings, was surrounded by his attendants and by Gaurī, his beloved. Among his attendants, some had faces like lions and roared fiercely; others bore elephant faces, while some had the faces of horses. Still others had the faces of porpoises and boars, and some, fierce and terrible, had donkey and goat faces, or the faces of sheep and fish. Cruel and countless, they bore weapons in their hands. Some of these attendants sang, some danced, some ran about, some shouted, and some laughed; others made shrill noises, and some, mighty in strength, roared. The leaders among them seized clods of earth and fought, while others, proud of their strength, wrestled in hand-to-hand combat. Thus, the great lord Maheśvara was surrounded by a thousand attendants. While Śiva played with the goddess Gaurī, Brahmā himself arrived swiftly, accompanied by the gods. Seeing Brahmā’s arrival, Rudra worshipped him according to proper rites and spoke, ‘Brahmā, tell me quickly the reason for your coming. Why have the gods, filled with urgency, come into my presence?’ Brahmā explained, ‘There is a great demon named Andhaka, by whom all the gods have been tormented. Knowing this, they have come to me for refuge. Therefore, I told them, “Let us go to you, O Lord of gods,” and so we have all come here.’ Having spoken, Brahmā gazed at Pinākin and, in his mind, remembered Nārāyaṇa, the supreme lord. At that moment, Nārāyaṇa himself appeared, standing between Brahmā and Rudra. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara—now united—looked at each other with subtle vision, joy filling their hearts. From their combined gaze, a single vision was born, and from that vision emerged a maiden of divine form. She was dark as the petal of a blue lotus, with blue, curly hair; her nose was fine, her forehead beautiful, her face lovely, and her form well proportioned. All the auspicious marks described by Tvaṣṭṛ as belonging to the tongue of Agni were seen united in her. Seeing this maiden, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara asked, ‘Who are you, O auspicious one? Tell us, what is your purpose, O wise one?’ She was three-colored—black, white, and yellow—and replied, ‘O best of beings, I have arisen from your combined gaze. Do you not recognize me, the beautiful-hipped, your own supreme power?’ Pleased with her, Brahmā and the others granted her a boon: ‘By name, you shall be the Goddess of the Three Times; always protect the universe. You will also have other names arising from your qualities, O highly fortunate one, and all will grant success. Another reason you are three-colored: with your three forms and three colors, quickly manifest your own triple form.’ Thus addressed, the goddess assumed a threefold body—white, red, and black—and became the triple-formed. Her white form, Brāhmī, gentle and beautiful-hipped, creates beings according to Brahmā’s ordinance. Her red form, slender-waisted and holding conch and discus, is known as Vaiṣṇavī, the aspect of Viṣṇumāyā, who protects the universe. Her black form, fierce and bearing a trident with protruding fangs, is Raudrī, the goddess who destroys the world. The radiant, white-colored goddess, Brāhmī, creation of Brahmā, with large lotus-like eyes, addressed Brahmā and then vanished. She, the granter of boons, disappeared and went to the White Mountain to perform intense austerity, desiring to become all-pervading. The Vaiṣṇavī maiden, after receiving Keśava’s permission, went to Mandara Mountain to undertake severe austerity. The black, fierce goddess Raudrī, wide-eyed and with protruding fangs, went to the Blue Mountain to perform auspicious austerity. After a long time, the Lord of Creatures, Brahmā, began to create beings, and as he did so, his power increased. Yet when his mind-born creation did not grow as expected, he wondered, ‘Why does my creation not flourish as it should?’ Contemplating through yogic practice, Brahmā discerned the maiden on the White Mountain, performing austerities, her sins burned away by her great penance. Brahmā went to her and, seeing the lotus-eyed maiden, spoke: ‘What is this austerity you perform, O gentle one? It is fitting to act with purpose. I am pleased with you, O wide-eyed maiden; what boon shall I grant you?’ Srishti replied, ‘O Lord, remaining in one place, I am unable to stay easily; therefore, I ask you for the boon of omnipresence, desiring to be everywhere.