Maheshvara, the great lord of beings, is beginningless, undecaying, and infinite. Govinda, filled with purpose, swiftly made his way to the abode of this supreme soul. Upon arrival, the son of Devaki performed offerings to the gods, sages, and ancestors, honoring each with reverence. He worshipped the emblems of Shambhu, whose brilliance is immeasurable, and the residents of that place joined in worship, offering flowers and unbroken rice. All those dwelling there stood motionless, their bodies auspicious, silently witnessing the sacred rites. When the desired ceremonies were complete, they began to depart from the ancient city. Govinda, gathering the finest flowers, entered the house of the chief sage. He bowed his head respectfully to the sage, who was calm, clad in bark garments and with matted locks. Govinda then seated the foremost guest among yogis upon a seat, and Viṣṇu, whose form is unmanifest, stood there in the attitude of a devoted disciple. The sage, recognizing Viṣṇu—the soul of the universe—said, “That very Viṣṇu has come to my house in person. For what reason has someone like you come here?” The great yogi, bowing to the sage, spoke: “I have come to your abode, eager for the vision of the Blessed One. Where, and after how long, will I see that Lord of Uma?” The sage replied, “With devotion and intense austerity, do that here with diligence. Here, ascetics who recite and meditate remain absorbed in the Lord. He plays with various beings, surrounded by yogis.” He spoke of Vasiṣṭha, the venerable sage, who obtained yoga from Maheshvara. Having seen him, Vasiṣṭha attained supreme knowledge and the Lord of lords. Surabhi, endowed with devotion, obtained sons from Rudra. Those who beheld the glorious Hara became fearless and attained bliss. Vasiṣṭha attained supreme yoga and the highest authorship of scripture, teaching the ancient, supremely meritorious text to worthy disciples among the twice-born. “O best of men,” the sage continued, “that scripture consists of exactly twelve thousand verses. Here itself, it was made known by the disciples, as spoken by Śāṃśapāyana. By Maheshvara’s command, he composed that unsurpassed scripture of yoga. Śukra, the foremost among those who know yoga, was obtained as a son from Maheshvara. You are worthy to behold Viśveśa, the fierce and formidable one with matted hair.” The Pāśupata vow and yoga were given to Krishna, whose actions are untainted. There itself, the lord worshipped the god Rudra through austerity. With his mind fixed solely on Śiva, he recited the Rudra mantra day and night. Then, Mahādeva, Maheshvara, appeared in the sky with the goddess. Together with the goddess, Govinda beheld Mahādeva, radiant like a thousand suns. He saw Śambhu, the lord of life-breath, standing before him—the primordial god, holding conch, sword, and discus in his hands. He saw the grandsire, the teacher of the worlds, shining brilliantly in the heavens.