Having bowed with reverence to the great sage whose emblem is the bull, one of the assembled devotees addressed him, saying, “O supreme sage, there is nothing that is unknown to you. Among the sages, some follow the path of Sāṃkhya and Yoga, while others dedicate themselves to intense austerity. There are those who uphold nonviolence and truth, and some who deeply understand the spirit of renunciation. Some undertake pilgrimages to holy places, while others focus on restraining their senses and mind. Yet, if there is anything else—something hidden or secret—you alone should reveal it to us.” Hearing these words, spoken with humility and depth, the sage, having offered his respects to the Lord adorned with the bull, replied, “I will speak to you now of the most secret of secrets. Let all the great sages listen attentively. This knowledge is hidden, unknown to the unwise, but it is cherished by those who perceive the subtle truth. For those ignorant of the Vedas, even the highest knowledge among various teachings does not bring auspiciousness.” At this moment, the goddess, seated among the gods, turned to Mahādeva and asked, “O Lord, how can a person come to see you in a short time? O Śaṅkara, what other difficult practices exist in this world?” Mahādeva replied, “Though I am subtle, O goddess, I am indeed perceivable by all embodied beings. For the sake of all devotees, O destroyer of desire, I will declare to you the true principle, as spoken by the supreme sages. This teaching is the deliverer from the ocean of worldly existence for all beings. The great souls, established in supreme discipline, dwell in that state. Among all forms of knowledge, the highest is the imperishable, which is truly mine. Only those who dwell in the cremation grounds or who have reached the divine realm can perceive this truth. Those who are not yoked to practice do not see it, but those who are yoked perceive it with their mind. “Becoming Time itself, O beautiful one, I withdraw this world into myself. My devotees go there and enter into me alone. There, meditation, study, and knowledge become imperishable. For one who has entered Avimukta, all that binds is destroyed. “Women, foreigners, and others of mixed or sinful birth—whoever meets their end in Avimukta, O beautiful-faced one, is reborn as a human in my city, O goddess, which is Shiva’s own. All, being favored by the Lord, attain the supreme state. Even one who, having struck his foot with a stone, dwells in Varanasi—wherever he meets his end—finds liberation from the cycle of worldly existence. “Those who are not awakened, deluded by my māyā, do not perceive this truth. Instead, they dwell again and again among excrement, urine, and semen—caught in the cycle of birth and death. But one who attains the supreme state does not grieve; having reached that, one is accomplished—so the wise declare. “That highest state is attained, but only in Avimukta is it truly found. The wise know Avimukta as the supreme remedy. Avimukta is the highest truth; Avimukta is the supreme auspiciousness. To such devotees, I grant that supreme knowledge, and at the end, the highest state. “There are other sacred places—Kedāra, Bhadrakarṇa, Gayā, and also Puṣkara; Prabhāsa, Vijayeśāna, Gokarṇa, and Bhadrakarṇaka—but Avimukta alone is the supreme abode, the essence of all holy places.” Thus, the Lord revealed the secret, eternal truth, bestowing supreme grace upon those who listened with devotion.