In the house of a sage, a visitor observed aquatic creatures and questioned their presence, saying, “If you have food here that is pure and devoid of life, why do I see these living beings?” The sage replied, “Each year, I raise thousands of these creatures. Every day, I hunt a single animal in the forest for my family. After properly offering it to the ancestors, I partake of it with my household.” But the visitor was not convinced. He said, “You and your family, along with your followers, kill many living beings and continually eat that which, in my view, is unfit for consumption.” He continued, “Long ago, Brahma created all plants and herbs, and the Veda declares that these are intended for beings to eat, especially in sacrifice.” He explained further, “Brahma established the five great sacrifices—divine, elemental, ancestral, human, and Brahmanical—for the benefit of Brahmins, and through them, for the welfare of all other classes. The auspicious rites for the other varnas are performed by Brahmins. If this order is maintained, then the food is pure. Otherwise, even grains are to be considered like the flesh of animals and birds, both for the one who gives and the one who eats—they become, in effect, great meat.” He added, “I gave you my daughter, divine in form, for the sake of a son. She, who is now your wife, is the daughter of one who slays living beings. Therefore, I have come to your house to observe your conduct, your worship of the gods, and your offerings to guests. But I see that none of these are being performed, so I wish to leave this house, desiring to perform the śrāddha for the ancestors elsewhere.” He went on, “I do not eat in my own house, for I say it is for the sake of the ancestors. Though I am a hunter and a slayer of living beings, you are not one who harms the world. My daughter, who is the wife of a slayer of living beings, has been married to your son. Thus, a great atonement has arisen, O ascetic.” Having spoken thus, the hunter rose and cursed the woman, declaring, “Let there never be trust between a mother-in-law and her daughters-in-law. And let there never be a daughter-in-law who wishes for her mother-in-law to live.” With these words, the hunter departed for his own house. Afterwards, the wise sage, filled with devotion, worshipped the gods and ancestors. He installed his son Arjunaka as the successor in his lineage. The righteous hunter, meanwhile, quickly journeyed to the renowned holy place called Puruṣottama. There, with a focused mind, he practiced austerities and recited a hymn to the earth. He prayed: “I bow to Viṣṇu, destroyer of the enemies of the gods, whose broad chest is the abode of fortune, the supreme goal of the righteous, the three-stepping one, the upholder of Mandara. I bow to Viṣṇu, Dāmodara, who has adorned the earth, whose glory is radiant like the moon’s rays, whose limbs shine like the bee, the supporter of the earth, the enemy of hell, praised by the noble, the refuge of all, Janārdana. I approach that god, the man-lion, Hari, the Lord, master of the three abodes, of endless glory, the supreme refuge of men, the imperishable one, always. Established in three forms, holding the blazing discus, steadfast in righteousness, content with unsurpassed virtues, known as the highest good, the destroyer of others, the great teacher—I bow to Viṣṇu, the supreme person.” He continued, “Long ago, the ancient demons Madhu and Kaiṭabha were slain; Viṣṇu always bears the earth upon his head. As the eternal one has been praised by me with force, may Viṣṇu grant me happiness and strength. May the great Boar, who enjoys the sacrificial offering, Janārdana, the benefactor, the one with a lotus-like face, the great upholder of the earth, who diminished the ocean, protect me, the one seeking refuge.” “May that Viṣṇu, Lord of the universe, by whom the three worlds are woven through illusion, just as all that moves and does not move is pervaded by a single fire, and who himself is present everywhere—may he be my refuge. He who, in every cycle of existence, creates beings, from whom this world of moving and unmoving things is born, and into whom, when it is possessed by the spirit of Rudra, it is dissolved—he is called Hari, Viṣṇu, and Hara. He from whom space, the moon, earth, wind, fire, sun, and water arise as forms—may that eternal, blessed Viṣṇu, bearer of inconceivable form, always grant me well-being.” Then, the Earth herself spoke, asking, “O Lord, what did Nārāyaṇa, the universal form, do at the beginning, in the Kṛta Yuga? I wish to hear all this in truth.” Śrī Varāha replied, “In the beginning, there was only Nārāyaṇa; nothing existed apart from Hari. He alone found delight, but did not act according to his own will. Desiring a second, a thought arose in him, consisting of intellect and self; it was called ‘Asu,’ and for a moment shone like the sun. That thought then became twofold, becoming the reasoning of Brahman; what is known as ‘Umā’ is always established among mortals.” “Having become the single syllable ‘Om,’ she then created this earth; Bhūḥ created Bhuvaḥ, and he created Svaḥ, and then Mahaḥ. Then Jana and Tapa, and the self is dissolved; all this is woven and threaded together like a string of gems on a thread.” “When the universe, uttered by the sacred syllable, existed as emptiness, that form of the Blessed One—Śaṅkara—was himself Hari. Seeing these worlds as void, wishing to create the highest form, he stirred the realm of mind and formed a shape from his own measure. As he stood in that stirred state, the cosmic egg came into being; when it was divided, the Bhūloka was established. Another world appeared in the middle, shining like the sun; the Ancient Person, pervading it, was established within the lotus sheath.” “That god Nārāyaṇa, with the brilliance of the progenitor, produced the first vowel ‘a’ from his navel, and also the consonant ‘ha.’ At the creation of the formless, he sang forth the scriptures to the directions; having created them, the immeasurable self again contemplated support. As he contemplated, from his eyes arose a great radiance: from the right, like fire; from the left, like the coolness of the moon. Seeing that, the supreme lord fashioned the moon and the sun; then breath arose, and from the supreme lord, the wind.” “That very wind, the blessed one, even now moves within the heart, pervading all; from him arose fire, and from fire, the great water. That very fire is indeed the divine radiance, the supreme cause of the Brāhmaṇas; and from his arms, he also created the radiance of the Kṣatriyas. From his thighs, the mighty one created the Vaiśyas, and from his feet, likewise, the Śūdras; then he created the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas as well.” Thus, the sage’s visitor, the hunter, the Earth, and the Lord himself revealed the sacred order, the origin of beings, the proper way of living, and the glory of the Supreme.