If the great god, Maheshvara—the supreme self—is indeed the doer of all things, then it follows that he is also the cause behind the actions of all beings with lesser selves who act. This supreme Lord is eternal, pure, awakened, and without parts. You have said he grants liberation, but if he is truly without parts, then what is it that he actually does? Time is the creator of all that is manifest; time measures itself, and the mind contemplates everything, even that which is partless, though that too is ultimately partless. It is indeed by the action of the supreme Lord that this entire world is established. But what, then, is meant by the eightfold form of the world belonging to the god of gods? Without space, the world cannot exist; nor can it exist without earth, wind, fire, water, or the sacrificer. Without the sun and the moon, the world would not be. All these are forms of the Lord. Thus, all that moves and does not move is the gross form of Rudra. The seers speak of a subtle reality that cannot be expressed, O best of the twice-born; for words and even the mind turn back from it, unable to reach it. One who knows the bliss of Brahman fears nothing from anywhere; thus, knowing the bliss of Pinākin, there is nothing to fear. Recognizing the manifestations of Rudra everywhere, the seers of truth declare, “All is Rudra.” With constant reverence and salutation to the supreme Lord, one knows that all this is Brahman; all is Rudra, the Lord. The Purusha is truly Mahadeva, the great Lord, the supreme Shiva. He is described as all-pervading, and true meditation is contemplation on him alone. By the fourfold path, O virtuous one, having examined and considered, it is understood that the cause of worldly existence is samsara, and the cause of liberation is release. This fourfold division has been described for the contemplative yogi; though many kinds of contemplation are known, all are united in the supreme Lord. Thus, it has been taught here without doubt: Rudra is in Raudrī, Indrī in Indra, Saumya in Soma, and likewise Nārāyaṇī in Nārāyaṇa. Considering everything in the sun, in fire, and everywhere, one should establish in thought the distinction: “She is I, I am He,” in this twofold manner. He is not a true devotee who lacks this understanding; such a one’s contemplation is not Brahmanic. Therefore, O Brahmin, first meditate on all that moves and does not move as pervaded by Brahman. One should abandon the distinction between moving and unmoving, letting go of attachment and aversion, of what is attainable and unattainable, of what should be done and what should not be done. For one who is not fully content, there is no Brahmanic state—it is not otherwise. Thus, the order of inner worship has been described. Those who perform inner worship are to be honored with salutations and the like; even if they are deformed or misshapen, the knowers of Brahman are not to be reviled. All those who perform inner worship should not be judged by the wise; those who revile them, being of little understanding, will suffer distress. Just as the sages of old once reviled Rudra in the forest of Daru, so too, the knowers of Brahman must always be served and saluted. Whether freed from caste and stage of life, or devoted to them— At this point, a question arises: “Now, O Lord, I wish to hear what happened long ago in the Daru forest, concerning those forest-dwelling ascetics whose souls were purified by austerity. How did Lord Nīlalohita, assuming a strange form, with his seed held upward and clad only in the directions, come to the Daru forest? What happened there concerning Rudra, the Supreme Self? Please tell truly what the God of gods did there.” Hearing these words, the best among those who know the essence of the scriptures, the blessed son of Śilāda, smiled gently and replied: The sages in the Daru forest were performing severe austerities, together with their wives, sons, and sacrificial fires, in order to please the God of gods. Rudra, Lord of the universe, the wise one, bull-bannered and matted-haired, the supreme Lord, the blessed Nīlalohita, was pleased by their efforts. Desiring to test the knowledge characterized by action among the dwellers of the Daru forest, the Lord of the universe, with faith and playfulness, resolved to examine them. For the establishment of knowledge characterized by renunciation among those whose minds were set on the knowledge of action, Śaṅkara assumed a strange form: naked, with uneven eyes, appearing bewildered, two-armed, dark-bodied, he entered the divine Daru forest. The blessed Lord, exceedingly beautiful, with a gentle smile, played with his eyebrows and sang sweetly, stirring the god of love in the minds of the women. He sprinkled the group of women again and again, and though he is the destroyer of desire, he greatly increased their passion by his exceedingly charming form. Seeing this man in the forest—strange, colored blue and red—the women, even those devoted to their husbands, followed him with respect. Standing at the entrances of their huts, with garments and ornaments loosened, they moved restlessly; having received a smile from his lotus-like face, those dwelling among the trees followed after him. Some women, seeing Bhava, their eyes rolling with intoxication, lost all outward modesty and made gestures with their eyebrows. Others, seeing him, smiled a little, their faces bright; some, with garments slipping and girdles loosened, began to sing. Some brahmin women, seeing him in the forest at that time, their new silk garments slipping, threw off their various bangles in excitement and went to their relatives. One woman, not recognizing him, her garment fallen, her cloth loosened, intoxicated, wandered to the famous branches and boughs, as did other relatives. Some sang to him, some danced, and some fell to the ground; others sat down like elephants, and some spoke to the best of brahmins. Thus unfolded the wondrous play of the Lord in the Daru forest, revealing profound truths to those who sought the highest knowledge.