The Lord of yogis, master of creation, brings forth and transforms bodies at will. His workings in the world manifest in three distinct ways, and so he is said to possess threefold qualities. When he rests in slumber, he abides in one aspect; when he delights in the objects of the senses, the Lord expresses another. It is here, O sage, that the all-pervading one enters the body, manifesting as the Lord within. Because of his supreme state, he is revered as Nāga, and also because he takes shelter in Nāga. He is all-knowing, for all knowledge arises from him; indeed, he is the source from which everything emanates. Dividing himself into three, the all-complete one proceeds forth, manifesting the creation. At the beginning of all, he revealed himself as Hiraṇyagarbha, the golden cosmic embryo, the Lord. Thus, Hiraṇyagarbha is described in the Purāṇas as the primal source. His measure is beyond reckoning—even hundreds of Manu’s lifespans cannot encompass him. Only when that immense span ends does another period awaken for him. Of the countless kalpas that have passed, only those yet to come remain beyond our knowing. Of these, the present kalpa is the first and is now unfolding. When a thousand yugas are fulfilled, the world is entrusted to the care of the lords of men. In the beginning, when all had been dissolved by gentle winds, nothing at all could be perceived—only emptiness prevailed. Then, from that stillness, the all-pervading Brahmā emerged, radiant with a thousand eyes and a thousand feet. This Brahmā, also known as Nārāyaṇa, reclined upon the cosmic waters in deep repose. Upon this, a sacred verse is recited in honor of Nārāyaṇa, for the paths of creation are his, and thus he is remembered by that name. From a golden vessel, as a sign of his attainment of Brahmanhood, he creates anew. At the time of dissolution, like a firefly flickering in the night, subtle forms appear here and there. With clear understanding and without confusion, he supports the earth. Then, with his great soul, he contemplates and conceives a divine form in his mind: “In what form, having created it, shall I lift the earth from the waters?” He resolves to manifest a form visible to all beings, composed of the essence of speech, known as Brahman. This form is wondrous to behold—dark as a rain-laden cloud, with a voice resounding like thunder. He shines with the brilliance of lightning and fire, radiant as the sun. His hips are broad and strong, marked with the signs of the bull. For the purpose of uplifting the earth, he descends into the netherworld. His tongue blazes like fire, his hair is like darbha grass, his head is Brahma, and he is endowed with great austerity. His body is formed of the eastern line, resplendent and adorned with the marks of sacred initiation. He glows with the radiance of ritual commencement, adorned with the ring of Pravargya. Accompanied by his illusory consort, he stands tall, like a mountain peak. He is fragrant with clarified butter, his mouth shaped like a ladle, and his voice echoes with the melodies of the Sāman hymns. His nails are expiations, fierce in aspect; his knees are sacrificial animals, and he himself is the great sacrifice. He is the inner sound of the sacrificial music, without flesh or blood. Desiring to recover the earth, which was hidden beneath fire, he approaches Prajāpati. Distinctly separating the elements, he arranges the mountains upon the earth. Those mountains, once melted by fire, are scattered across the land. Wherever he places them, there a mountain rises. Thus, the Lord brings forth creation, embodying all the sacred mysteries and acts, sustaining and shaping the world with his boundless power and wisdom.