"And endowed with distinct energies, they without combining, and being all of them interfused, could not create objects. And then, coming together, and each supporting the others, they attained firmness and harmony and a uniform appearance. And in consequence of their being presided over by the Purasha, and favored by Pradhana, (who was ripe for it), those, commencing from Mahat and ending in Vishesha, brought forth an egg. And that egg resembling a watery bubble, fostered by the elements, attained dimensions. O thou of exceeding intelligence; and that egg formed by Prakriti, resting on water, became the body of Vishnu wearing the form of Brahmā,—And there Vishnu—lord of the universe—who is incapable of being perceived,—becoming manifest, remained in the form of Brahmā. [29] And Meru became the bellows-like inner covering of that exceedingly high-souled one, and the other mountains became his outer covering; and the seas served for his water in the womb. And, O Vipra, in that egg sprang mountains and islands, and seas, light, and numbers of worlds, and deities, Asuras and human beings. And that egg was environed ten times successively with water, fire, air, ether, and bhutādi and the bhutādi was surrounded in the same way by mahat. [30] And mahat along with all those was also covered by avyakta. [31] As the internal cocoanut fruit is covered by the external rind, etc., even so was the egg surrounded by the natural coverings. Then the lord of the universe, inspiring the principle of passion, [32] and becoming Brahmā, became engaged on creation. And until the expiry of Kalpa, [33] the worshipful Vishnu of immeasurable power, instinct with the principle of goodness, sustaineth creation. And at the end of a Kalpa, O Maitreya, Janārddana, [34] surcharged with the principle of foulness, wearing a fierce form and becoming terrific swalloweth up all. And having swallowed up all beings, anon the cosmos becoming one ocean, the supreme Lord lieth down on the couch [35] (formed by) the serpent. And walking, he, wearing the form of Brahmā, again addresseth himself to creation. And in consequence of his creating, sustaining and dissolving verily one Janārddana acquireth the appellations of Brahmā, Vishnu and Siva. As creator, Vishnu createth himself, and, as sustainer, he sustaineth himself, and, finally, becoming the destroyer, the Lord himself destroyeth everything. And as earth, water, light, air and ether, all the organs of sense and the heart go by the name Purusha, (Vishnu as being the Primal male, is the author of all these.) And, as he is the lord of all beings, and, as, knowing no decay, he hath the universe for his form, even he is the creator of all, and his also are the ends attained by beings". [36]

[29]As Hiranyagarbha.—T.
[30]Lit. the Great one—so consciousness or egoism is styled.—T.
[31]Vide ante.—T.
[32]The three gunas—generally translated qualities,—but more properly modes or principles—have a physical as well as a moral significance in the sacred literature of the Hindus. "They are not mere accidents of nature, but are of its essence and enter into its composition". Davis' Hindu Philosophy.—T.
[33]Vide ante.—T.
[34]This is an appellation of Vishnu, meaning, he who is worshipped. This Purana as the locus classicus of the Vaishnavas, recognises Vishnu as in one the Greater and the Destroyer, without assigning the function of destruction to Siva.—T.
[35]The hundred-hooded serpent, Sesha or Ananta, also conceived as a form of Vishnu himself.—T.
[36]The acts of human beings, etc., are also his property.

SECTION III.