In this world, beings appear distinct, marked by both unity and diversity. People hold varying views, each declaring, “This is supreme, this is not,” and thus they differ in their understanding. Some proclaim Brahma as the ultimate cause; others speak of Prajapati. There are those who regard Shiva as supreme, while others hold Vishnu in that place. But, bound by ignorance and attachment to pleasure and other qualities, their minds remain entangled. When one considers the true principles—time, place, and effects—the cause is recalled, and the deities are thus established in various meanings. If someone reviles one among the gods, they revile all; if someone praises one, they praise all. But the one who truly knows the single Person is called a knower of Brahman. A wise person who understands the deities avoids all hatred, for it is not possible to grasp the Lord who is established in supreme sovereignty. This one Self, having become threefold, deludes all beings, and people move among the differences of these three, caught in their distinctions. Seeking knowledge, examining, and yet attached and confused by forms, people continue to debate, saying, “This is supreme, this is not.” Such people may fall among the Yatudhanas and Pisachas, yet the Self-born abides in unity and diversity alike. Deluding beings whose bodies are made only of qualities, whoever worships one of these gods in truth worships all three at that time. Thus, these three gods are established in an unbroken continuity. The enumeration of unity and diversity comes and goes, and who among them can truly know unity or multiplicity? Because he creates, sustains, and consumes all beings, due to the unity of his qualities, he is therefore called one. Rudra, Brahma, Indra, the guardians of the worlds, the sages, and the Danavas—all the twice-born declare that Narayana is that one god, spoken of in many forms. The Prajapatya and Vaishnava forms revolve again and again in each Manvantara and Kalpa. By brilliance, fame, intellect, learning, and strength, these forms are born equal to the Supreme; listen to their stories. From the quality of rajas, Marichi and Kashyapa arose from Brahma’s portion. From tamas came Kala, called Rudra, from his portion. From sattva, Vishnu arose in sacrifice from the Purusha portion. In the three times, these forms of Brahma are born from his portions; then, becoming Kala again, Rudra destroys the beings. When the end of the Kalpa arrives, the sun with seven rays becomes the destructive Aditya and burns the three worlds. Vishnu sustains the beings even as names and forms are reversed; in that final state, each is the cause of its own origin. The form of Brahma called Pauruṣī, abundant in sattva, from a portion of her, he was born here in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara; in Ākūti, Manu’s first offspring, the great god was born. When the Svārociṣa Manvantara arrived, that god was born in Tuṣitā, along with the past Tuṣitas. In the Uttama Manvantara, he was again Tuṣita, born among the Vaśavartins, and Hari was born as Vaśavartin. In Satyā, he became Satya, together with the best of the Satyas; and when the Tāmasa Manvantara arrived, again, in his wife, along with the Haris, Hari himself was born. In the Cāriṣṇava Manvantara, Hari was born as Deva; in Vaikuṇṭhā, he was born with the Ābhūtarajasas; and when the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara came, that god became Vaikuṇṭha again. Dharma, Nārāyaṇa, and Sādhya, together with the Sādhyas and gods, appeared; and that Nārāyaṇa Sādhya came when the Vaivasvata Manvantara arrived. From Marīca and Kaśyapa, Viṣṇu was born in Aditi; Viṣṇu, the great-striding one, conquered the three worlds in three steps. He returned them to Indra and the other gods. Thus, in the seven past Manvantaras, these seven forms of his have passed, by which all beings were protected. Therefore, all this world is pervaded by Vāmana at birth; thus he is called Viṣṇu, from the root “viś,” meaning “to enter.” In this way, the unity, distinction, and excellence of Brahma and the great-souled Vāmana have been described. The deities who are born here as portions of the gods, those who are equal in brilliance, intelligence, learning, and strength, are born by their favor. Whatever being is endowed with power, beauty, or might, know that it is born from a portion of Viṣṇu’s energy. Thus, he is born in part; some people wish it so, while others say he is born from another’s portion. Disputing in this way, they are seen thus: since there is no difference between mind and consciousness, by their favor, they become knowers of the field. The one Lord, by his own power, becomes many; and having become many, he again becomes one. Therefore, from the division of mind and energy, in all the Manvantaras, all beings—both stationary and moving—are born at the beginning of creation, and remain here, praised. When each Kalpa ends, Rudra withdraws the beings; others are born, deluding those without mastery, by the power of yoga-māyā. These move with lordly power, deluding those who are not lords; therefore, in the spread of faults, there is neither proper nor improper. Those who deny the existence of beings are corrupt; those who are neutral are indifferent to beings; those who affirm beings are capable. The three Vedas are the teachers of those who proclaim the truth. Because of firm prior learning and worldly teachings, due to these four causes, one does not attain the truth as it is. Previously, meanings were placed in other contexts, even though they belong to another time; thus, even when another meaning exists, one does not accept it due to aversion. Among views, that which is substantial is the substance; among them, that which is a quality is the quality. The doer of actions and thoughts, and the one who is great by birth, is described by those learned in scripture through these four causes.