Victory resounded through the cosmos as the Earth herself extolled the Lord, the soul of all beings, both transcendent and immanent, the master of the universe. She praised Him as the Lord of sacrifice, the sinless One, declaring that He is not only the sacrifice itself, but also the sacred vaṣaṭ-call, the syllable Oṃ, and the holy fires. All the Vedas and their limbs, the sacrificial person, the sun, planets, stars, constellations, and indeed the entire world—she recognized as none other than Hari. Addressing the Supreme Person, she acknowledged His manifold nature: with form and formless, visible and invisible. Everything spoken and unspoken, she offered in reverence, bowing again and again before the Supreme Lord. Śrī Parāśara then described how, as the Earth praised Him, the Lord who upholds her—resplendent and mighty—produced a deep, resonant sound, echoing like the chanting of Sāma hymns. The great Boar, with eyes like fully blossomed lotuses, lifted the Earth upon His own tusk and rose from the netherworld, shining like a vast blue mountain adorned with lotus leaves. As He ascended, the wind from His mouth scattered the gathered waters, washing over the radiant sages—Sanandana and others—who had taken refuge in Janaloka, cleansing them of all impurity. The waters, churned by the tips of His hooves, resounded with continuous noise, while His breaths dispersed them in every direction. The perfected beings and yogis who dwelled there moved about, witnessing this divine act. With His belly still wet from the waters, the great Boar held the Earth aloft and shook His body, which was composed of the Vedas. The sages dwelling between the hairs of His form praised Him. Those yogis who lived among people, their hearts filled with joy and reverence, along with Sanandana and others, bowed low and extolled the steadfast bearer of the Earth, whose gaze was firmly uplifted. They addressed Him: “O Supreme Lord, Keshava, master of victory, bearer of mace, conch, sword, and discus! You alone are the cause of creation, destruction, and sustenance; the supreme ruler—there is no higher state than your feet. In your feet reside the Vedas; your tusks are the sacrificial posts; your teeth, the rites; your mouth, the altar. You are the fire-tongue, your hairs the sacred darbha grass—you alone are the embodiment of sacrifice. Your eyes are day and night, O great soul; your head is the supreme Brahman, refuge of all; your mane is the collection of hymns, and your nose is all offerings. Your snout is the sacrificial ladle, your voice the deep tone of Sāma chants, your body the eastern altar, the connection of all sacrifices; you are the hearing of righteous and charitable acts. O eternal soul, O blessed Lord, be gracious. You, who stride over the earth with measured steps, are the primal, imperishable form of the universe; we know you as the supreme Lord. Be gracious, for you are the master of all that is high and low. The earth, placed on the tip of your tusk, appears as if a lotus leaf, freshly lifted from the mud, clings to a great blue lotus in the pond. The space between heaven and earth, of incomparable extent, is pervaded by your very form; the universe is filled by your all-pervading radiance—may you exist for the welfare of all. You alone are the highest reality, O Lord of the universe; there is no other. By your greatness, this entire world, moving and unmoving, is pervaded. Whatever is seen here as form is, in truth, your own self of knowledge; but those whose knowledge is deluded perceive the world as separate, O Yogis. Those without understanding see this entire world as material, and perceiving it as mere objects, wander lost in the flood of delusion. But those who know knowledge, whose minds are pure, see the entire world as composed of knowledge, perceiving your form, O Supreme Lord. Be gracious, O all-pervading Soul of all, for the sake of these worlds; uplift the earth, O lotus-eyed one, concealed in this form. O blessed Govinda, filled with Sattva, O Lord of beings, uplift this earth for our sake; grant us your favor, O lotus-eyed one. May this activity of creation, which benefits the worlds, proceed from you; salutations to you—grant us your favor, O lotus-eyed one.” Śrī Parāśara continued: Thus praised, the Supreme Soul, the bearer of the earth, swiftly lifted the earth and placed it upon the great waters. Amidst the flood of waters, the earth stood upon Him like a great ship; because of the expanse of His body, the earth did not sink. Then, having made the earth level, the primeval Lord, the beginningless Supreme, arranged the mountains upon the earth according to their divisions. By His unfailing power, He recreated all the mountains that had been destroyed in the previous creation, desiring nothing in vain. Having divided the earth, He formed the seven continents as before, and established the four worlds, beginning with Bhū, just as previously. Then the god, assuming the form of Brahmā and enveloped in rajas, the blessed Hari with four faces, performed the act of creation. He is only the instrumental cause in the work of creation; for the powers of creation themselves become the primary causes. Apart from being the mere instrument, He requires nothing else; by His own power, each thing attains its own reality. Śrī Maitreya then asked: “You have described the human creation, which flows downward. O Brāhmaṇa, tell in detail how Brahmā created it. And how did the Lord of creatures create the castes and their qualities? Tell also what duties are prescribed for Brāhmaṇas and the others.” Śrī Parāśara replied: “At first, from Brahmā’s desire to create the world, beings devoted to truth were born from his mouth, endowed with predominance of Sattva. Those born from his chest were endowed with Rajas; those from his thighs were filled with both Rajas and Tamas. From his feet, Brahmā created other beings, all dominated by Tamas; thus arose the fourfold caste system. Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras emerged from his mouth, chest, thighs, and feet, respectively. For the accomplishment of sacrifice, Brahmā created this entire fourfold caste system as the supreme means for sacrifice. The gods, nourished by sacrifices, cause rain to fall, and thus people are sustained; sacrifices, which are the cause of welfare, bring prosperity. Those sacrifices are always performed by men devoted to their own duties, by the virtuous who are pure in conduct and who walk the noble path.” Thus, the Lord’s divine acts—lifting the earth, recreating its mountains and continents, and establishing the order of creation—were accomplished through His unfailing power and wisdom, for the welfare and prosperity of all beings.