sexes. Thou art the first of all in respect of
virtues and knowledge. Thou art superior to even
him who is the first of all in virtues and knowledge.
Thou transcendest all the virtue and knowledge.
Thou art eternal and immutable as also dependent on
thyself. Thou art the master and protector of
the deities and Asuras. Thou art the master and
protector of all creatures. Thou art he who wears
a coat of mail. Thou art he whose arms are competent
to grind all foes. Thou art an object of adoration
with even him who is called Suparvan in heaven.[163]
Thou art he who grants the power of bearing or upholding
all things.[164] Thou art thyself capable of bearing
all things. Thou art fixed and steady (without
being at all unstable). Thou art white or pure
(being, as thou art, without any stain or blot).
Thou bearest the trident that is competent to destroy
(all things).[165] Thou art the grantor of bodies or
physical forms unto those that constantly revolve
in the universe of birth and death. Thou art
more valuable than wealth. Thou art the conduct
or way of the righteous (in the form of goodness and
courtesy). Thou art he who had torn the head
of Brahma after due deliberation (and not impelled
by mere wrath). Thou art he who is marked with
all those auspicious marks that are spoken of in the
sciences of palmistry and phrenology and other branches
of knowledge treating of the physical frame as the
indicator of mental peculiarities. Thou art that
wooden bar which is called the Aksha of a car and,
therefore, art thou he who is attached to the car
represented by the body. Thou art attached to
all things (in consequence of thy pervading all things
as their soul). Thou art endued with very great
might, being as thou art a hero of heroes. Thou
art the Veda. Thou art the Smritis, the Itihasas,
the Puranas, and other scriptures. Thou art the
illustrious deity of every sacred shrine. Thou
art he who has the Earth for his car. Thou art
the inert elements that enter into the composition
of every creature. Thou art he who imparts life
into every combination of those inert element.
Thou art the Pranava and other sacred Mantras that
instil life into dead matter. Thou art he that
casts tranquil glances. Thou art exceedingly
harsh (in consequence of thy being the destroyer of
all things). Thou art he in whom are innumerable
precious attributes and possessions. Thou hast
a body that is red. Thou art he who has all the
vast oceans as so many ponds filled for thy drinking.[166]
Thou art the root of the tree of the world. Thou
art exceedingly beautiful and shinest with surpassing
grandeur. Thou art of the form of ambrosia or
nectar. Thou art both cause and effect. Thou
art an ocean of penances (being as thou art a great
Yogin). Thou art he that desirous of ascending
to the highest state of existence. Thou art he
that has already attained to that state. Thou
art he who is distinguished for the purity of his
conduct and acts and observances. Thou art he