He is the master of all time—untimely, timely, and even the adversary of time itself. He is the destroyer of time, death incarnate, the imperishable one, the end of all things, the one who uproots the very earth and dispels all illusion. He is Samvarta and Vartaka, the mighty Samvartaka and Balāhaka clouds, Ghantaki and Ghanti, Chudala, and even the vast salt ocean. He is Brahma, bearing the face of the time-fire, holding a staff, his head shaven, carrying three staffs, embodying the four ages, the four Vedas, the four sacrifices, and the four paths of life. He leads the four stages of life, creates the four castes, is both perishable and imperishable, beloved and clever, counted among the groups and the leader of them all. Adorned in red garlands and garments, he is the lord of mountains, beloved of the mountain-born goddess, lord and best among artisans, and the originator of all crafts. Fierce and powerful, he destroyed Bhaga’s eye and Pūṣan’s teeth. He is Svāhā and Svadhā, the utterer of vaṣaṭ, and to him all salutations and homage are due. He is hidden in vows, hidden from sight, served by those with secret vows. He is the savior, the one who saves, the protector of all beings. He is the creator, the arranger, the uniter, the depositor, the supporter, and the bearer of all. He is austerity, Brahman, truth, celibacy, and uprightness itself. He is the soul of all beings, their creator, their very existence, the origin of past, future, and present. He is earth, atmosphere, heaven, being, fire, and the great lord. He is Brahmāvarta, Surāvarta, and Kāmāvarta—homage to him! He is the destroyer of the image of desire and delights in garlands of karṇikāra flowers. He is the leader of cows, moves among them, and rides the bull as his vehicle. He is the protector of the three worlds, known as Govinda, the protector, and Garga among cows. He faces the undivided moon, his face both beautiful and difficult, sometimes faceless, sometimes four-faced, sometimes many-faced, always ready for battle. He is the golden womb, the bird, the giver and lord of wealth, vast and immense. He is great unrighteousness and greatly skilled, bearer of the staff and fond of battle. He stands firm, steadfast, unmoving, well-settled, difficult to restrain, endure, or surpass. He is hard to hold or approach, eternal, hard to subdue, victorious, and victory itself. He is the hare, moon-eyed, cold and hot, hunger, thirst, and old age. He is afflictions and diseases, the destroyer and lord of disease, enduring, the hunter of sacrificial animals, and the source and non-source of all illnesses. He is Śikhaṇḍī, Puṇḍarīka, the one who gazes upon the lotus, the bearer of the staff, the one with the discus and staff, and the destroyer of the portion belonging to Rudra. He is the drinker of poison, nectar, divine liquor, milk, soma, honey, water, and indeed, of everything—strong and weak alike. His limbs are those of a bull; he is the bull, bull-eyed, the renowned bull, the purifier of the worlds. The moon and sun are his eyes, O Ancient One, and the heart is the grandsire; Agniṣṭoma is his body, established by righteous action. Neither Brahmā, nor Govinda, nor the ancient seers can truly know the greatness of Śiva as he is. May those subtle forms of Śiva appear before me; may they protect me on all sides as a father protects his own son. O faultless one, protect me, for I am to be protected by you. Salutations to you! The Lord is compassionate to his devotees, and I am always devoted to you. He stands alone at the edge of the ocean, enveloping thousands of beings who are difficult to perceive—may he always be my protector. Salutations to that Lord of Yoga, whom those who are ever wakeful, who have conquered their breath, who are established in purity and see all equally, behold as light while engaged in meditation. At the end of the age, when the time comes, he consumes all beings and lies in the midst of the waters. I take refuge in that One who rests upon the waters. He enters the mouth of Rāhu, drinks the moon at night, devours the sun, becomes Svarbhānu, and is indeed the moon and fire. May those beings, the size of a thumb, who dwell in the bodies of all creatures, always protect me and increase my well-being. By whom embryos are produced and who are present in the waters and their portions—may offerings of svāhā and svadhā reach them, and may they enjoy them. By whom beings dwelling in bodies grow, weep, rejoice, and remain unharmed—salutations to them always. Those who are in the ocean, in the fortresses of rivers, on mountains, in caves, at the roots of trees, in cow-pens, and in dense wildernesses; those who are at crossroads, in streets, in squares, in assemblies, in elephant, horse, and chariot stables, and in ruined gardens and houses; those who are in the five elements, in the directions and intermediate directions; those who are between Indra and the sun, and those who are in the rays of the moon and sun; those who dwell in the netherworlds and those who have gone beyond them—salutations to them, salutations to them, salutations to them all. You are everything, O God, all-pervading, lord of all beings, the inner self of all creatures; therefore, you are not to be invited. You alone are worshipped, O God, with sacrifices of various offerings; you alone are the agent of all; therefore, you are not to be invited. Or, O God, perhaps by your subtle illusion I have been deluded; or for some other reason, I did not invite you. Be gracious to me, O Lord of the gods; you alone are my refuge, you are my goal and my foundation, and I hold that there is no other. Having thus praised the great god, the wise one ceased his hymn. The blessed one, well-pleased, spoke again to Daksha: “I am satisfied with your hymn, Daksha, O virtuous one. What need is there for many words? You shall come near to me.