As the mighty Vṛtrahā raised his arm to summon the thunderbolt against the child, the child’s own arm rose and remained firm, undisturbed by the threat. Yet, by the divine power of Śaṃbhu, the child was immobilized, and Vṛtrahā found himself unable to hurl the thunderbolt or move at all. Then Bhaga, the powerful son of Kaśyapa, lifted his blazing weapon, intending to strike, but confusion overtook him. The Lord similarly immobilized Bhaga’s arm, restraining his strength, radiance, and power at that moment. Viṣṇu, shaking his head, gazed upon Śaṃkara, and while they stood thus, angered, so too were all the other gods. I myself, greatly disturbed by these events, entered into deep meditation with reverence and beheld the Lord of gods seated in the lap of Umā. Recognizing the Supreme Lord, I quickly rose, bowed to Śaṃbhu’s feet, and praised him, O twice-born. With ancient hymns from the Sāma Veda, filled with auspicious and secret names, I proclaimed: “You are unborn, ageless, O god, creator, all-pervading, transcending both the manifest and unmanifest. You are the primordial person, the imperishable Brahman to be contemplated; immortal, supreme soul, Lord, and the great cause. Creator of Brahma, originator of nature, maker of all, transcending nature; and this goddess Nature is ever the cause of creation for you. Assuming the form of a consort, she has come as the cause of the world; salutations to you, O Mahādeva, together with the goddess. By your grace, O Lord of gods, and by your command, I have created these beings, gods and others; yet they are deluded by your yoga-māyā. Grant your favor to them, so that they may become as before.” Thus, O sages, I informed the Supreme Lord. I then addressed all the gods, who were immobilized and bewildered, unable to recognize Śaṃkara. “Go swiftly for refuge to this very Maheśvara, together with me, to the Lord of gods, the supreme, imperishable soul.” Hearing this, all the immobilized dwellers of heaven bowed mentally to Śarva, their hearts purified by devotion. Pleased with their devotion, Maheśvara, the god of gods, quickly restored the bodies of the deities as they were before. As the restraint of all the gods was underway, the Lord of gods manifested a wondrous, three-eyed form. Overwhelmed by his radiance, all closed their eyes, and to them he bestowed the supreme vision, granting them the power to perceive his own form. He revealed himself as the Supreme Lord, and they beheld the all-pervading one, the Supreme Lord bearing the third eye. The gods, led by Śakra and all the lords of the celestials, gazed upon him, and the goddess was delighted in the presence of the heavenly beings. She placed a garland upon his feet, radiant with immeasurable brilliance, and all the gods exclaimed, “Excellent, excellent!” again to the Lord. Along with the goddess, they bowed with their heads touching the earth. At that moment, O Brahmins, I, together with the gods, addressed him. To Himavat, the great and radiant mountain, I spoke: “You are praiseworthy, worthy of worship and reverence; among all, you are truly great. Since you have such a great alliance with Śarva, let this splendid wedding be arranged—why then is there hesitation, O noble one?” After bowing, Himavat replied to me, “You alone, O god, are the cause of all my prosperity; by your grace, everything has arisen, and you alone are the reason. As for the wedding, let it be as you see fit, O Grandfather.” Having heard these words of the king of mountains, O Brahmins, I said to the Lord, “Let the wedding be performed, O god.” Śaṅkara replied, “As you wish, O Lord of the worlds.” And at that very moment, O Brahmins, we constructed a city for the wedding of Maheśa, adorned with various gems—jewels, diverse precious stones, gold, and pearls. Manifest beings approached and decorated the excellent city. Its ground was of variegated emerald, adorned with golden pillars; its shining crystal walls were hung with strings of pearls. At the beautiful gate of that city, a wedding pavilion was constructed. The city shone brilliantly for the great-souled Lord of gods, Maheśa, illuminated by the combined rays of the moon and sun. A fragrant and delightful breeze, carrying a sweet scent, blew gently, displaying devotion to Bhava. There were the four oceans, the best of gods like Indra, divine rivers, great rivers, Siddhas, and sages as well. All the Gandharvas and Apsarases, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, beings of the waters, those who move in the sky, Kinnaras, and divine Cāraṇas were present. Tumburu, Nārada, Hāhā, Hūhū, and the singers of Sāma came to the city, bringing delightful instruments. The sages, rich in austerity, recited stories and Vedic hymns, joyfully chanting sacred wedding mantras. All the mothers of the world and all the divine maidens, filled with joy, sang at the wedding of the Supreme Lord. The six seasons, each bringing various fragrant delights, were present there in embodied form, declaring, “This is Śaṅkara’s wedding.” Peacocks, resembling dark rainclouds, danced everywhere, calling out joyfully, thrilled by the sound of mantras.