With the innocence of a child, the one who had been slain called out, “Be gracious!” to the Lord of sages, to Maheśvara, and to the leader of the gaṇas—the great attendant of Maheśvara. Moved by this plea, the Blessed Lord, showing his favor to the best among the twice-born, entered into him. Seeing that Death’s body had been destroyed and hidden, he acted immediately. Therefore, O twice-born, it is taught that one should worship Mṛtyuñjaya—Śaṅkara, the destroyer of death—with devotion, for he alone grants both liberation and enjoyment to all. What need is there for many words? Renounce all else and worship Bhava with supreme devotion, and you will surely become free from sorrow. At that time, Brahmā addressed the sages, and those who spoke the words of Brahman responded, “May devotion arise in us for the Lord of gods, for Rudra, the wielder of the bow.” They then asked, “By what austerity, O god, or by what sacrifice or vows, do the twice-born become devotees of the Blessed Lord?” Brahmā replied, “Not by gifts, nor by austerity, nor by knowledge, nor by sacrifices, oblations, vows, Vedas, yogic scriptures, or restraints—devotion to Śiva, the supreme cause, comes only by his grace.” Hearing these words, all those great sages, weary along with their wives and sons, bowed to the Grandfather, Brahmā. Thus, it is known that Pāśupata devotion grants success in righteousness, desire, and wealth; it brings victory to the sage and bestows conquest even over death itself. In times long past, Dadhīci, by his devotion, conquered Hari, the lord of immortals. “I struck down decay with my foot,” he declared, “and attained the firmness of a thunderbolt. Even death was conquered by me through the praise of Mahādeva. By the grace of Mahādeva, death was conquered by me, just as the sage with a white body also overcame death.” Then, a question arose: “O Lord, tell me how, by the grace of Bhava, the dwellers of the Devadāru forest sought refuge in the Divine.” The blessed, self-born Lord spoke directly to those great souls, radiant with the power of their austerities, who were present in the Devadāru forest. He said, “This god is Mahādeva, to be known as the Great Lord. Beyond him, no higher state can ever be attained. He is the Lord of the gods, the seers, and the ancestors; at the end of a thousand ages, he dissolves all embodied beings. This Blessed One, as Maheśvara, becomes Time itself and withdraws all beings; and by his own power, he alone creates all creatures. He is the one who bears the discus and the thunderbolt, marked by the Śrīvatsa. In the Kṛta age, he is called the Yogi; in the Treta, he is the Sacrifice. In the Dvāpara, he is the fire of time; and in the Kali age, he is known as the Banner of Dharma. These are the forms of Rudra, as recognized by the wise. One should worship the liṅga that is square on the outside, eight-sided within the pedestal, and perfectly round and beautiful above. In his aspects, darkness is Agni, passion is Brahmā, and clarity is Viṣṇu, the illuminator; though his form is one, these are declared his manifestations. Wherever that Brahman abides, united with yoga, one should worship Īśāna, the imperishable Lord of gods. The foremost brahmins, who have conquered anger and their senses, worship the liṅga properly, ensuring it is endowed with all auspicious marks. The liṅga should be as beautiful as a thumb, perfectly shaped, universally approved, with a pedestal equal in height, eight-sided or even sixteen-sided. The pedestal must be well-formed, circular, divine, and able to bestow all desires; its base should be twice as wide, or equal, as is universally accepted. It should have a cow’s mouth shape, one third of the whole, marked with auspicious signs, and encircled by a band as wide as a barley grain. The liṅga may be made of gold, silver, stone, or copper, and the breadth of the pedestal should be three times its size on all sides. It may be round, square, hexagonal, or triangular, flawless on all sides, bright, and clearly marked with auspicious characteristics. According to proper procedure, a vessel endowed with the marks of worship should be established at the center of the altar. This vessel should be filled with gold and seeds, consecrated by the Brahmins with mantras. Then, the liṅga should be bathed with five pure and auspicious substances. One should worship according to one’s means, and with focused minds, worship together with sons and relatives. With palms joined, all should approach the wielder of the trident; then, you will behold the Lord of the gods, who is difficult to see for those whose minds are unpurified. Upon seeing him, all ignorance and unrighteousness are destroyed. Having circumambulated Brahmā, whose splendor is immeasurable, those forest-dwellers set out for the Devadāru forest, beginning their worship as instructed by Brahmā. On diverse altars—in mountain caves, and in secluded, auspicious riverbanks and sandbars—they performed their rites. Some altars were adorned with beautiful moss, some had only a little water within, some had seats of darbha grass, and some stood only on the tips of their toes. Some used wooden mortars for seats, others sat on stones; some assumed the posture of standing heroes, while others delighted in wandering like deer. These great-minded ones devoted themselves to austerity and worship. Thus, when a full year had passed and spring had arrived, the supreme Lord, out of compassion for his devoted worshipers and to grant them favor, appeared. In that auspicious mountain during the Kṛta age, the supreme Lord, pleased, arrived at the Devadāru forest. His body was smeared with ashes and dust, he was naked, and bore unusual marks—thus did the Lord manifest before his devotees.