While Vishnu sleeps on the cosmic ocean two demons threaten Brahma on the lotus. Brahma praises Vishnu's Sleep as the great Goddess, creator, protector and consumer of the world, and among her names calls her the Night of destruction, the Great Night and the Night of delusion. She withdraws from Vishnu's eyes, mouth and heart, and he rises and fights the demons.
The Markandeya Purana, tr. F. E. Pargiter (Bibliotheca Indica, 1904) § 81.50-73
Sources: The Markandeya Purana, tr. F. E. Pargiter (Bibliotheca Indica, 1904)
The Maitri Upanishad names Brahma, Rudra and Vishnu together as portions of one being, matched to the three gunas.
The sage Atri and his wife Anasuya earn great merit through their conduct and austerity.
A seven-metre three-faced bust fills the south wall of Elephanta's Cave 1.
Three Pallava shrines on one platform: Shiva in the centre, Vishnu on the right, and a disputed left shrine read as Brahma by Vogel but as Subrahmanya or Brahmasasta by later scholars; a Durga panel stands beside.
Before the gods there are only the primordial waters.
A golden egg forms in the waters and glows like the sun.
During the dissolution Vishnu lies on the serpent Ananta in the cosmic waters.
Shiva alone exists before the world.