Brahmā said: On hearing these words of Brahmā uttered in rage Viṣṇu spoke: “O auspicious one, bestower of welfare, do not speak ill of the great soul. Here is he who has the lustre of the splendid yoga, who is the invincible bestower of boons, who is the unchanging ancient Puruṣa, the cause of this universe. He is the sower of seeds and the refulgence of seeds, shining by himself. He, the lord, plays with toys as do the children. Pradhāna, the eternal womb, the unmanifest Prakṛti and the quality tamas—darkness—these are my names, since I perpetually give birth to creation. The person of your query is lord Siva who is the goal of the ascetics who, being afraid of the pangs of birth and death resort to him. He is the sower of the seed; you are the seed itself and I am the eternal womb.”[5] On being addressed thus, Brahmā, the soul of the universe asked again: