Chapter 4 – The Supreme (Happy Lantern Festival)
Within the boundless void of Brahman, the five primordial elements that form the world began to emerge.
Space—the first element to be born in the endless desolation of Brahman, representing the property of sound.
Wind—the second element, representing touch and sound.
Under the Brahmaic sound emitted by the unconscious Creator God Brahma, the third element was born:
Fire, which is also light, carrying the attributes of touch, color, and sound.
At this moment, the infinite, desolate void stirred to life. The first sounds appeared in the world.
With the birth of the fourth element, Water, the boundless void underwent a cataclysmic transformation.
The pure energies rose to form the heavens, while the impure energies descended to form the earth.
Thus, the fifth element, Earth, was born, adding color and substance to the desolate Brahman.
(The five elements and their attributes: Space—Sound, Wind—Touch, Fire—Color, Water—Taste, Earth—Fragrance.)
The void descended beneath all things.
The emergence of sky and earth completed the world. With the evolution of laws and order, the newly-formed primordial elemental deities began to gestate.
"Newly born heavens and earth must have mountains and rivers, stars, the sun and moon. Supreme Spiritual Karma, grant me your power!"
In his infinite unconscious state, Brahma prayed to the primordial source, Brahman. Suddenly, mountains and rivers, plants and trees appeared upon the earth.
Above, the stars and galaxies hung, the sun and moon shone upon the land.
All things began to experience rebirth.
At that instant, Brahma slowly opened his eyes. Colors gradually appeared in his previously murky gaze.
His consciousness was born.
"I am Brahma, the first living being of the Primordial Brahman Era, the Creator God of the Three Thousand Realms. From this day, the Three Thousand Realms shall recognize me as their master."
Brahma's voice resonated throughout Brahman, his arrogance radiating, dominating all.
Hearing this, Fanan dove into the still-descending void.
Brahma claimed to be the first living being of the Primordial Brahman Era. If he noticed Fanan, with Brahma's proud demeanor, he could easily have devoured him.
"ईश्वर~" (God)
A voice pierced the void directly into Brahma's ears. Sitting upon his lotus, he trembled, nearly falling into the endless void.
"Who dares to desecrate the great Creator God, Brahma?"
Brahma roared in anger and looked down toward the voice's source. He saw the lotus he sat upon supported by a stem.
Curious, Brahma descended along the lotus stem to its root.
He saw a massive thousand-headed serpent, coiled over the void, and a man reclining upon it, smiling at him.
"You are born of me. How can you claim the title of first living being of the Primordial Brahman Era?"
Vishnu chuckled lightly.
"You scoundrel! I am Brahma, the Creator God. I clearly created you, and yet you dare insult your father god?"
Brahma's red skin darkened to a crimson hue, anger flaring as he berated Vishnu.
Yet in his heart, doubts arose. Seeing the situation, it seemed he really was birthed by Vishnu. But as the Creator God, Brahma could not admit it.
Even kind Vishnu felt anger, and if a third being were present, it would be clear that Vishnu had indeed created Brahma.
For a time, Brahma and Vishnu quarreled in the newborn world, exchanging shouts and insults.
In terms of rhetoric, Vishnu lagged behind, his blue skin flushed red with anger.
Fanan, hiding deep within the void, watched nervously. If they fought, the newborn world could not withstand their power.
"They, like Goddess Shakti, are infinite-consciousness gods. The laws they wield have not degraded into mere authority."
Infinite-consciousness gods possess self-awareness, and their divine power is immense. They can manipulate laws for themselves—supreme, unparalleled power beyond ordinary divinity.
The newborn world continued to expand, sky and earth vying with the infinite void for territory.
If Brahma and Vishnu were to fight, the world would be destroyed.
Suddenly!
A colossal, terrifying aura pierced the void, sweeping across heaven and earth.
The heated intensity caused Brahma and Vishnu to freeze in shock, their eyes wide with fear.
"This is the judgment of the Supreme Spiritual Karma upon you and me."
Brahma's thoughts shifted, and he looked at Vishnu arrogantly.
"I agree," Vishnu said, reclining back on the Primordial Dragon King Shesha.
Brahma rose, descended from the lotus, and pointed at a cluster of sacred law and order. In an instant, it transformed into a pure white peacock (or swan).
Brahma then sat upon the peacock's back.
"This is mine?"
Fanan felt dazed. He had not expected something of his primordial essence to appear at this moment.
"Looks like the final Trimurti god is about to awaken."
The Vedas say: Shiva, the god of destruction, procreation, ruin, and creation, born without father or mother, emerges from the Supreme Spiritual Karma.
Shiva, the most powerful of the Trimurti, embodies four forms of law and order.
Three thousand years passed in an instant.
Vishnu descended for three thousand years but did not reach the end. Regret filled his heart.
He should not have competed with the great Creator Brahma for the title of first living being. Brahma surely had already reached the end.
Meanwhile, Brahma ascended for three thousand years, also not reaching the end.
Yet Brahma, with his five heads, was clever and spoke the first lie of the universe.
Brahma returned to the origin with a Rudraksha flower.
"Brahma, I believe you have reached it. Forgive my audacity and ignorance," Vishnu said apologetically.
Brahma's cherubic red face smiled, "Yes, this Rudraksha flower is the proof."
"Scoundrel! Lying!"
The newborn world trembled. Mountains collapsed, rivers flowed backward, stars wobbled.
Brahma's face paled, and he stepped back. Vishnu was equally shocked—consciousness had been born.
Was this the voice of the Supreme Spiritual Karma?
"Brahma, your actions have angered the Infinite Supreme. Do you wish the universe to perish with you?"
Vishnu, as the Preserver God, chastised Brahma, then began soothing the fury that radiated endlessly.
"You are infinite, supreme, and unsurpassable. Please forgive Brahma's childish ignorance."
Snapping back to his senses, Brahma immediately knelt in devotion.
"Please forgive me," he confessed.
Yet even so, the world teetered on the brink of destruction. Brahma and Vishnu both showed fear and worry.
At that moment, Brahmaic sounds echoed. A lotus appeared from nowhere, and upon it stepped the most exquisite woman in the universe.
Bare-chested, adorned with nine skulls, her beauty radiated otherworldly charm.
She was the Cosmic Mother, Goddess Shakti, source of feminine energy and all cosmic power.
"Respected Supreme, please calm your anger," Shakti walked forward, extending her jade-like hand