eternal; who is both a non-existing and an existing-non-existing being;
who is the universe and also distinct from the existing and non-existing
universe; who is the creator of high and low; the ancient, exalted,
inexhaustible one; who is Vishnu, beneficent and the beneficence itself,
worthy of all preference, pure and immaculate; who is Hari, the ruler of
the faculties, the guide of all things moveable and immoveable; I will
declare the sacred thoughts of the illustrious sage Vyasa, of marvellous
deeds and worshipped here by all. Some bards have already published this
history, some are now teaching it, and others, in like manner, will
hereafter promulgate it upon the earth. It is a great source of
knowledge, established throughout the three regions of the world. It is
possessed by the twice-born both in detailed and compendious forms. It is
the delight of the learned for being embellished with elegant
expressions, conversations human and divine, and a variety of poetical
measures.

In this world, when it was destitute of brightness and light, and
enveloped all around in total darkness, there came into being, as the
primal cause of creation, a mighty egg, the one inexhaustible seed of all
created beings. It is called Mahadivya, and was formed at the beginning
of the Yuga, in which we are told, was the true light Brahma, the eternal
one, the wonderful and inconceivable being present alike in all places;
the invisible and subtile cause, whose nature partaketh of entity and
non-entity. From this egg came out the lord Pitamaha Brahma, the one only
Prajapati; with Suraguru and Sthanu. Then appeared the twenty-one
Prajapatis, viz., Manu, Vasishtha and Parameshthi; ten Prachetas, Daksha,
and the seven sons of Daksha. Then appeared the man of inconceivable
nature whom all the Rishis know and so the Viswe-devas, the Adityas, the
Vasus, and the twin Aswins; the Yakshas, the Sadhyas, the Pisachas, the
Guhyakas, and the Pitris. After these were produced the wise and most