Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.2172

c9.2172

In the known beginning, on the surface of the wide waters, covering the universe made of the five elements, Mahāviṣṇu lay on a banyan tree, as a child. "Who am I? How was I made, and what for? What have I to do?", and so on were the thoughts of the child. Instantly a voice from the ether fell into his ears saying, "I am everything. There is nothing eternal except me." Mahāviṣṇu lay contemplating on the voice he heard, when Mahādevī appeared before Mahāviṣṇu and said thus :—"Lo! Mahāviṣṇu! Whenever the universe required creation, preservation and destruction, by the potentiality of the Omnipotence or the Brahman with no attributes, you too had taken origin. Understand that the Omnipotence is beyond attributes. We all are within the purview of attributes. Your attribute mainly is Sattva. From your navel, will be born Brahmā with Rajas as his main attribute and from the forehead of that Brahmā, Śiva with Tamas as his main attribute will be born. By the power of penance, Brahmā will acquire the power of creation and with the help of the attribute of rajas, he will create a world of the colour of blood. You will be the protector and preserver of that world, and at the end of the Kalpa (world-age) Śiva will destroy that world. I am that power of purity, which stands as help and assistance to you in creation." Accordingly, Brahmā was born from the navel of Viṣṇu and Śiva was born from the forehead of Brahmā. (Devī Bhāgavata, Skandha 1).