There was once a sage of unwavering and pure devotion to Īśāna, the Lord. His heart was steadfast, and his love for the divine never faltered. With deep recognition, he beheld Viṣṇu—the all-knowing, the creator of all beings—manifested directly before him. In that sacred moment, the sage, his hands graceful and beautiful, gently touched the one who had bowed before him in reverence. It is known, O conqueror of enemy cities, that throughout the three worlds, Śaṅkara is truly the supreme object of devotion. The sage’s vision was blessed: he saw before him the Lord of all, Rudra himself—the teacher of the entire universe. Then, Hṛṣīkeśa, the eternal one, spoke with great affection, saying, “Go with supreme devotion to Śiva, the refuge of all who seek shelter.” Obedient to this divine guidance, the sage journeyed to the city of Śaṅkara to worship Bhava, the benevolent Lord. Casting aside all other actions, he devoted himself wholly to this sacred worship. In this way, he left behind even Satyavatī’s son, Kṛṣṇa the son of Devakī, and turned his devotion to the sage Pārāśarya—Vyāsa of immeasurable brilliance. For who else, indeed, truly knows Rudra, the Supreme Lord, but Pārāśarya, the great-souled yogin, the imperishable Viṣṇu? To that great soul, Vyāsa, the noble son of Satyavatī, all offered their respectful obeisance. Curiosity arose among the sages: “What did this great-minded one do?” they wondered, eager to hear the tale. It was revealed that Vyāsa worshipped Lord Śiva, the Lord of all, on the sacred banks of the Ganges. The other sages, recognizing Vyāsa as foremost among them, honored him with their worship. These virtuous ones, devoted to Mahādeva, faithfully followed the eternal teachings of liberation, reflecting on the greatness of the god of gods and the dharmas revealed in the Vedas. Among them, the sage Jaimini approached Vyāsa with a question about the profound and eternal meaning of these teachings. “O supreme sage,” he said, “there is nothing unknown to you. Some sages pursue Sāṃkhya and Yoga, others practice austerity; some know the ways of nonviolence and truth, and others understand renunciation. Some undertake pilgrimages, while others restrain their senses. If there is anything else, any secret yet untold, you ought to reveal it to us.” Vyāsa, having bowed to the one whose emblem is the bull, spoke with deep and thoughtful words: “I shall speak the most secret of secrets. Let all the great sages listen. This knowledge is hidden, unknown to the unwise, and is served by those who perceive subtlety. Among those ignorant of the Vedas, even the highest knowledge is not auspicious.” As the assembly listened, the goddess, seated among the gods, questioned Mahādeva: “O Lord, how can a man see you in a short time? O Śaṅkara, what other arduous tasks exist in this world?” To this, the Blessed Lord replied, “Though subtle, I am indeed perceivable by all embodied beings. For the welfare of all devotees, listen as I speak, O destroyer of desire. I shall declare the true principle, as spoken by the supreme sages. This is the deliverer from the ocean of worldly existence for all beings. Great souls, established in supreme discipline, dwell in this knowledge. Among all forms of knowledge, the highest is the imperishable, which is mine alone. Only those who dwell in cremation grounds or have reached the divine realm perceive this truth. The unyoked do not see it, but those who are yoked in discipline perceive it with their mind.