With deep reverence, the devotee began to offer salutations to the Supreme Lord, whose form blazed with an effulgence so radiant and divine that it illuminated all the worlds—a sight so dazzling that even the greatest among the gods found it difficult to behold. The devotee honored that transcendent form, attended by hosts of gods and siddhas, and praised by sages such as Bhrigu, Atri, and Pulaha. This form, supreme and unmanifest, was saluted again and again. He offered worship to that form which is ever known to the knowers of the Veda, endowed with all knowledge, and belonging to the God who is above all gods. He bowed to the Creator of the universe, the very essence of all beings, worshipped by Vaiśvānara and the gods, pervading the cosmos, and remaining inconceivable. With each salutation, the devotee acknowledged the form that is beyond sacrifice, beyond the Veda, beyond all the worlds and even beyond heaven itself, known as the Supreme Self. He honored the form that cannot be known or perceived, imperishable and without beginning or end, attainable only through meditation. The devotee repeatedly offered salutations to the cause of all causes, to the liberator from sin, to the destroyer of the offspring of Diti, and to the remover of disease. He saluted the bestower of all boons, the giver of happiness, wealth, and wisdom, again and again. Pleased by these praises, the Blessed Lord assumed a radiant form and, with auspicious words, spoke: “What boon shall I grant you? Let it be given.” With humility, the devotee replied, “O Lord, no one is able to endure Your supremely radiant form. For the welfare of the world, let it become endurable.” “So be it,” declared the Lord, the Primal Creator. To fulfill the purposes of the worlds, He became the giver of heat, rain, and cold, balancing the forces that sustain life. Thereafter, those who follow the paths of Sāṅkhya and Yoga, and all seekers of liberation, meditated upon the god, the Sun, abiding within the heart. Even those devoid of all auspicious marks or afflicted by every sin could cross over all sin by taking refuge in Arka, the Sun. No rite—neither Agnihotra, nor the Vedas, nor sacrifices replete with abundant gifts—could equal even a sixteenth part of the merit gained by devotion and salutation to Bhānu, the Sun. Among all sacred fords, He is the supreme ford; among all auspicious things, the most auspicious; among all that is pure, the purest. Thus, men take refuge in the Sun. Those who worship Bhāskara, praised by Indra and others, are freed from all sins and attain the world of the Sun. Then, a request was made: “O Brahman, for a long time I have wished to hear the eight hundred names which you once spoke of the Sun.” The reply came: “Hear from me, as I recite, the one hundred and eight names of Bhāskara, most secret and bestowing heaven and liberation, O twice-born ones. Om. He is the Sun, Aryaman, Bhaga, Tvashta, Pusha, Arka, Savita, Ravi, Gabhastiman, Aja, Kala, Mrityu, Dhata, and Prabhakara. He is earth, water, fire, space, wind, the supreme goal, Soma, Brihaspati, Shukra, Budha, and also Angaraka. He is Indra, Vivasvan, the radiant one, the pure one, Sauri, Shanaishchara, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Skanda, Vaishravana, and Yama. He is lightning, the digestive fire, the fire fed by fuel, the lord of energies, the banner of righteousness, the maker of the Vedas, the limbs of the Vedas, and the vehicle of the Vedas. He is Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali; the refuge of all the gods; the divisions of time such as kala, kashtha, muhurta, the nights, the watches, and the moments. He is the maker of the year, the Ashvattha tree, the wheel of time, fire, the eternal person, the yogi, the manifest and unmanifest, the ancient one. He is the overseer of time, the overseer of beings, the maker of the universe, the dispeller of darkness, Varuna, the ocean, the portion, the rain cloud, the giver of life, and the destroyer of enemies. He is the support of beings, the lord of beings, honored by all worlds, the creator, the destroyer, fire, the origin of all, and free from greed. He is Ananta, Kapila, Bhanu, the giver of desires, facing all directions, victorious, vast, the bestower of boons, and served by all beings. He is mind, Suparna, the origin of beings, swift-moving, the sustainer of breath, Dhanvantari, Dhūmaketu, the primeval god, and the son of Aditi. He is of twelve forms, Ravi, Daksha, father, mother, grandfather, the gate to heaven, the gate to progeny, the gate to liberation, and the highest heaven. He is the maker of bodies, tranquil in soul, the soul of the universe, facing all directions, the soul of the moving and unmoving, the subtle soul, Maitreya, and full of compassion. Thus, these eight hundred beautiful names of the Sun, of boundless brilliance, have been spoken, O best of the twice-born. I bow to Bhāskara, for the welfare of all, who is served by hosts of gods, ancestors, and yakshas, worshipped by asuras, night-wanderers, and siddhas, whose radiance is like gold and fire. Whoever, with focused mind, recites this at sunrise obtains sons, wife, wealth, and treasures; such a person attains remembrance of past births, and gains supreme memory and intelligence. Whoever, with pure mind and concentration, recites this hymn to the best of gods is freed from the ocean of the fire of sorrow, and obtains the desires of his mind as he wishes. Now, let us turn to the all-pervading god, the enemy of Tripura, the three-eyed one, beloved of Uma, Rudra, crowned with the crescent moon. When all the gods, siddhas, vidyadharas, rishis, gandharvas, yakshas, nagas, and others had assembled, He drove them away. He was the one who first struck down Daksha’s sacrifice upon the earth—a prosperous rite, rich in jewels and furnished with every requisite. By His radiance, even the dwellers of heaven—Indra and the others—were terrified, and the Brahmins found no peace, seeking refuge upon Kailasa. There, on Kailasa, abides the boon-giver, bearing the trident, bull-bannered, wielder of Pinaka, the blessed one, destroyer of Daksha’s sacrifice. Mahadeva, clad in skins, bull-bannered, dwells in that timeless place beneath the single mango tree, O best of sages, where Hara grants all desires.