You are the eldest, Vāmadeva, Rudra, Skanda, Śiva—the supreme Lord. You are the svāhā invocation, the sacred act of homage, and the consecration that sanctifies all rites. Indeed, the Vedas themselves, the worlds, and all the gods are but your very being, O Lord. On earth, you are the fragrance that delights the senses; in water, you are the very taste; in fire, you are form itself—all these are your manifestations, O great Lord. In the wind, you are touch; in the moon, you are form again—these too, O Lord of the gods, are your own aspects. In intellect, you are knowledge, and you are the very seed of nature, O Lord of the gods. You alone sustain the three worlds; you are their sole creator. With your southern mouth, you withdraw the worlds back into yourself, and with your northern mouth, you become Soma, O best of the gods. The Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Maruts, and the twin Aśvins—all these divine beings arise from you. The Vālakhilyas, the great-souled ascetics, and those steadfast in their vows are your manifestations as well. From you, O Lord of the gods, are born Umā, Sītā, Sinīvālī, Kuhū, and Gāyatrī. Sandhyā and Night, too, arise from you. We offer salutations to you, bearer of the thunderbolt and the Pināka bow; salutations to you, O god clad in gold. Salutations to you, O god of golden seed; salutations to you, O god with a thousand wondrous eyes. Salutations to you, golden hero, giver of gold. Salutations to you, wielder of the Pināka bow; salutations to you, O Shankara, the blue-throated one. You are the god of gods, the origin of the world, radiant as millions of suns. With thousands of mouths, it is as if you devour the sky itself. Your form is adorned with many gems, decorated with diverse garlands and fragrant ointments. Serpents serve as your sacred thread, and you are a terror to the enemies of the gods. Then, your smile filled the entire world. Mahādeva spoke: “I am pleased with you, O best of gods. You two were born from my limbs in ancient times. My left arm is Vishnu, ever undefeated in battle.” Hearing these words, the two, their hearts full of joy, bowed at the feet of the Lord, praying, “May devotion to you, O Lord of the gods, be ours always.” Having spoken thus, the blessed one vanished from their sight. This, indeed, is the supreme knowledge—subtle and known as Shiva. O Mahādeva, salutations to you; O Maheśvara, salutations to you. Salutations to Shankara, the great-souled one. Whoever offers such salutations attains all desires and is freed from all sins. Thus have I told you the mighty power of Maheśvara. The listeners, filled with wonder, expressed their curiosity: “We wish to hear more about the greatness of Mahādeva. He once assumed a strange form that bewildered even the great sages. Though they worshipped him to win his favor, he was not pleased with them. Tell us all about this, you who are foremost among the wise.” This tale, created by the Lord of gods out of compassion for his devotees, unfolded in the delightful Devadāru forest, crowded with myriad trees and creepers.