bhrigu said:

The material form of pure consciousness is endowed with its divine essence, whereas the earth is called a lotus because it provides a seat for Brahma. The pericarp of that lotus towers up into the sky as Mount Meru. Abiding at its center, the Lord of the world creates all the worlds.

bharad·vaja said:

183.1

How did the lord Brahma bring about the numerous emanations of different creatures while abiding at the center of Mount Meru? Tell me that, exalted brahmin.

bhrigu said:

Pure consciousness created all the different creatures through mind. First of all, in order to protect living beings it created water, because water is the breath of all beings and that through which creatures flourish. Water envelops the entire world—without it everything would be destroyed. The earth, mountains, clouds and anything of a corporeal nature should be understood as forms of water, for it was the waters themselves that became solid.

bharad·vaja said:

183.5

How did water come into being? And what about fire and wind? How was the earth created? I am very confused about this.

bhrigu said:

Long ago, brahmin, in the Brahma aeon, a doubt about the origin of the world arose during a council of holy Brahminic seers. These brahmins remained in meditation for a hundred celestial years, during which they practiced silence ________