Once more, with deep reverence, he bowed to Viṣṇu, addressing Hari with devotion. Then, he spoke to Śivā—Satī, the daughter of Himavat—urging her to explain these profound truths properly to all who inquire. Having settled his mind in meditation upon his own supreme state, the great yogi replied. He revealed that this knowledge is a most secret teaching, to be carefully concealed, for it holds the key to liberation for beings submerged in the vast ocean of worldly existence. It alone is their deliverance. He spoke of the highest state, known as ‘space’ or the Himavatī, which abides in both unity and multiplicity, ever devoted to the form of knowledge. Innate and firmly rooted in that knowledge, her radiance shines pure, like the brilliant light of the sun. Possessing both the higher and lower forms, she delights in play before the Lord. The wise declare that the Lord himself is untouched by action or instruments. Yet, because she is the substratum of all, the yogi urged the assembled sages to listen to what followed. Therefore, he explained, the Supreme Lord is described as having four emanations, and in all four Vedas, the Great Lord is recognized as having these four forms. Rudra, due to his connection with the infinite, is the Supreme Self. Thus, the Blessed Lord is known as Time, Hari, Life-breath, and the Great Lord. The Vedic scholars sing of this Time as Agni, Hara, and Rudra. All are subject to Time—none can escape its sway, for Time itself is subject to none. Through Time, the yogin enters into all other principles. By her, the Lord—the supreme magician—causes the world to turn. He continually reveals the universal form of the Great Lord. The three great powers—of knowledge, of action, and of life-breath—are all his. Indeed, O best of Brahmins, it is through Māyā, who is beginningless and infinite, that all this occurs. The Lord is the master of Māyā, the magician who wields all powers, Time, the maker and master of Time. Time establishes the universe itself; all creation depends upon Time. Of Ananta, the Lord of all—of Śambhu, who is Time itself—there is one all-pervading, infinite, unique, partless, and auspicious (Śiva) power. All other powers, endowed with their own potencies, arise from this supreme power. Yogis who contemplate reality perceive no real distinction between these powers. Yet, for the sake of understanding, this distinction is explained in the Purāṇas by those who are versed in Brahman. The Lord, the enjoyer, is called Kapardin, the blue-red one. The mind is called Īśānī, and must be understood with discernment. This is declared in all the Vedas by sages who perceive the truth, and it is established in Vedānta and all the Vedas by those who know Brahman. Yogis behold that supreme state of the great Goddess; they witness it in their deepest realization. That supreme state of the Goddess is merged in the infinite Prakṛti, and it is the very domain of self-realization. By taking refuge in the Lord, the Goddess destroys all the sufferings of worldly existence. Thus, one should take refuge in Śivātmikā, the essence of Śiva, who is the very self of all beings. With his wife, he sought refuge in Pārvatī, the supreme Lady, the source of all grace and liberation.