In the serene embrace of dawn, Maitreya, having completed his morning rituals, approached the eminent sage Parāśara with deep reverence. Bowing humbly, he offered his respects and posed a question that had long been stirring within him. "O revered teacher," he began, "from you I have learned the profound wisdom contained in the Vedas, the intricate treatises on dharma, and all their branches in the proper order. Your grace, O foremost of sages, enables even those who are not your devoted students, and even those who may be hostile, to effortlessly expound upon the scriptures." With earnestness, Maitreya continued, "Therefore, I wish to hear from you about the origins of the universe: how it came into being, how it exists, and how it will manifest in the future. I seek to understand how this universe, imbued with Brahman, along with all that is moving and unmoving, was absorbed, where it was dissolved, and where it will merge again. Please enlighten me on the measures of beings, the origins of the gods, the forms of oceans and mountains, and the very structure of the earth. I long to know the forms and measures of the sun and other luminaries, the lineages of gods, the Manus, and the cycles of the Manus. I wish to learn about the kalpas, their divisions, the arrangement of the four yugas, the nature of the end of a kalpa, and the complete dharmas of the yugas. I also seek to understand the deeds of the gods, sages, and kings, and the proper compilation of the Vedic branches by Vyāsa, as well as the duties of the Brāhmaṇas and others who dwell in the various āśramas. O son of Vasishtha, please incline your mind toward me with favor, so that by your grace, I may come to know all this." Parāśara, the great sage, responded warmly, "Well asked, Maitreya, knower of dharma! Your inquiry reminds me of ancient matters. My grandfather, the venerable Vasishtha, once recounted a tale from long ago. My father had been devoured by a demon sent by Viśvāmitra, and upon hearing this, anger arose in my maternal uncle. In my desire for vengeance, I began a sacrifice aimed at the destruction of the demons, and in that sacred act, hundreds of night-wandering demons were reduced to ashes." As the flames consumed the demons, my revered grandfather Vasishtha approached me, his voice calm and wise. "Enough of this excessive anger, my child; restrain this wrath. The demons are not at fault; what happened to your father was destined. Anger arises only in the ignorant, not in those who possess wisdom. Who is slain by whom? Each person experiences the results of their own actions. Even for one engaged in a great sacrifice, my son, anger leads to the destruction of fame and ascetic merit, bringing only distress to people. The great sages, who are the cause of the removal of heaven and liberation, always avoid anger; dear one, do not be subject to it." Vasishtha continued, "Enough of this sacrifice, tormented by night-dwellers, miserable and undeserving; let it cease, for the virtuous are founded upon patience." Heeding my father's noble words, I immediately ended the sacrifice. At that moment, the blessed Vasishtha was pleased, and it was then that Pulastya, the son of Brahmā, arrived, having received the offering of water from my grandsire. Taking his seat, the illustrious Pulastya addressed me, "Because you have embraced patience today, even amidst great hostility, as taught by your teacher, you will come to know all the sacred texts. Since your lineage was not interrupted even by anger, I now grant you another great boon. You, my child, will become the composer of the Purāṇa-saṃhitā, and you will know the true nature of the gods as it truly is. In both action and cessation, your mind will remain pure; by my grace, it will be free from doubt." Then my grandsire Vasishtha affirmed, "All that Pulastya has spoken to you will surely come to pass." Thus, the wisdom imparted by the great sages returned to my memory in full because of your question, Maitreya. Therefore, as you inquire, I shall tell you everything; listen well to the Purāṇa-saṃhitā, exactly as it is. From Viṣṇu, the universe arises, and in him, it abides; he is the sustainer and controller of this world, and he himself is the world. "Salutations to Viṣṇu," Parāśara proclaimed, "pure, changeless, eternal, the supreme soul whose form is ever one and who conquers all. Salutations to Hiraṇyagarbha, to Hari, to Śaṃkara, to Vāsudeva, the savior, creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the world. Salutations to Viṣṇu, whose form is both one and many, who is both the gross and subtle self, whose nature is both manifest and unmanifest, and who is the cause of liberation." With reverence, he continued, "I bow to Acyuta, the supreme person, who is the foundation of the universe, subtler than the subtlest, and who dwells within all beings. The essential nature of knowledge is utterly pure in the highest sense; that alone, due to mistaken perception, appears as the nature of objects. Having bowed to Viṣṇu, the devourer and lord of the universe in its preservation and creation, the ruler of all worlds, unborn, imperishable, and unchanging, I shall relate, just as before, what the venerable lotus-born Lord, the grandsire, spoke when asked by the foremost sages beginning with Dakṣa." Thus, the teachings flowed forth, rich with wisdom and reverence, as the story of creation and the essence of the cosmos began to unfold.