for three steps of land —

land covered by three steps —

if one were to analyse as to which these three are —

the three types of agni (the element, fire) —

aren’t they three? —

in matters relating to the (popular) three-fold qualities [sathva, rajas, thamas] of the worlds —

burning down the three towns —

twenty shoulders —

the unique 3 towns —

 three —

 three capital cities —

 with three fires —

 three types of fire —

the three cities —

three —

having differences due to the three qualities (sathva, rajas, thamas) —

at all times (past, present and future) —

the three entities (brahmā, vishṇu andn rudhra) who have beautiful forms —

as antharyāmi for the three mūrthys —

having the variations based on sathvam (goodness), rajas (passion) and thamas (ignorance) qualities, as attributes —