Avtaar Rahasya

The Pradhanika-rahasya(supplement to Durga-sapta-sati) explains that Mahalakshmi was the first to appear before everything(sarvasyadya) and was of the nature of the three gunas. She was both manifest and unmanifest. When she looked at the void (sunyam), she assumed the form which was purely tamasa. Mahalakshmi  called her Maha-kali (Mahamaya,duratyaya). Then Mahalakshmi assumed a second form, which was purely sattvika; and Mahalakshmi called her Mahasaravati (Mahavidya,Mahavani,Bharati ,Vak, Saraswati, Arya, Brahmi,Kamadhenu,Veda-garbha,Dhisavari(4-16).

Mahalakshmi then directed Maha-kali and Maha-sarasvati to create pairs according to their own gunas(tamas and sattva respectively). And she herself created the pair,one male and the other female; and she called them Brahma (Vidhi,Virinchi,Dhata) and Lakshmi (Sri Padma,Kamala,Mata). Maha-kali created Siva (Nilkantha,Rakta-bahu, Svetanga, samkara,Sthanu, Kapardi,Triochana) and Sarasvati)Trayi-vidya,Kamadhenu, Stri,Bhasaha, Akshara,Svara). Maha-sarasvati created Krishna(Vishnu, Hrishikesha,Vasudeva,Janardana) and Gauri (Uma,Sati,Chandi,Sundari,Subhaga,Siva)(17-23)

Mahalakshmi thereupon gave Sarasvati as consort to Brahma,Gauri to Rudra(Viz.Siva) and Lakshmi to Vasudeva(viz. Krishna).Brahma with the help of Sarasvati created the primordial egg(anda); and Siva with the help of Gauri broke it open. Then the entire universe came out of it. Vishnu with the help of Lakshmi nourished it and protected it. Siva with the help of Gauri undertook to dissolve it at the end(26-29).

Mahalakshmi herself is all the things(sarva-sattva-mayi) and governs all things(isvari). She is both devoid of form (nirakara) and filled with forms (sakara), and is known by various names(nanabhidana-bhrt).