Hear now the sacred tale, as it unfolded in ancient times. By the power of Mahadeva’s praise, I struck down the force of decay itself with my foot, attaining the unyielding firmness of a thunderbolt. Through the grace of Mahadeva, even death was conquered by me, just as the sage of the radiant white body once overcame death’s grasp. Desiring to know more, I asked the Lord: “O Lord, please tell me how, by the grace of Bhava, the ascetics dwelling in the Devadaru forest sought refuge in the Divine.” The blessed Lord, self-born and resplendent, then spoke to those great souls themselves, who were present in the Devadaru forest, their bodies glowing with the power of their austerities. He declared, “This god is Mahadeva, known as the Great Lord. Beyond him, there is no higher state to be attained. He is the Lord of gods, seers, and ancestors; at the end of a thousand ages, he dissolves all embodied beings. As Maheshvara, he becomes Time itself, withdrawing all creatures, and by his own power, he alone creates all beings. He is the one who bears the discus and the thunderbolt, marked by the Srivatsa. In the Krita age, he is called the Yogi; in the Treta, the Sacrifice. In the Dvapara, he is the fire of time; 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 linga that is square on the outside, eight-sided within the pedestal, and perfectly round and beautiful above. In this worship, know that darkness is Agni, passion is Brahma, and clarity is Vishnu the illuminator. Though his form is one, these are his manifold aspects. Wherever that Brahman abides, united with yoga, one should worship the Lord of gods, Ishana, the imperishable master. The foremost brahmins—those who have conquered anger and their senses—worship the linga properly, adorned with all auspicious marks. The linga should be as beautiful as a thumb, perfectly shaped, universally approved, with a pedestal of equal height, eight-sided or even sixteen-sided. The pedestal should be well-formed, circular, divine, and able to grant every desire; its base should be twice as wide, or equal, as is universally accepted. It should have the shape of a cow’s mouth, one third of the whole, marked with auspicious signs, and a band all around, the width of a barley grain. It may be made of gold, silver, stone, or copper; the breadth of the pedestal should be three times its size on all sides. The form may be round, square, hexagonal, or triangular, flawless and bright, marked with auspicious characteristics. Having established, according to proper procedure, a vessel adorned with marks of worship, one should place it at the center of the altar. Fill it with gold and seeds, and let the Brahmins consecrate it with mantras. Then, bathe the linga with five pure and auspicious substances. Worship according to your means, and you will attain success. With focused minds, worship together with your sons and relatives. All with joined palms, 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 not pure. Upon seeing him, all ignorance and unrighteousness are destroyed. Circumambulate Brahma, who possesses immeasurable splendor. Thus, the dwellers of the forest set out for the Devadaru forest, beginning their worship as instructed by Brahma. They established altars in many places—in mountain caves, on secluded and auspicious riverbanks, and on sandbars. Some were adorned with beautiful moss, some had only a little water within, some had seats of darbha grass, while others stood only on the tips of their toes. Some used wooden mortars for seats, others sat on stones; some stood in the posture of heroes, while others wandered like deer, delighting in their austerities. These great-minded sages spent their time in austerity and worship. When a full year had passed and spring had arrived, the supreme Lord, moved by compassion for those devoted ones, resolved to grant them favor. In that auspicious mountain during the Krita age, the Lord appeared at the Devadaru forest. His body was smeared with ashes and dust, naked, bearing unusual marks, and holding a blazing firebrand in his hand. His eyes were red and tawny; sometimes he laughed fiercely, sometimes he sang in wonder. At times he danced amorously, at times he roared again and again. In the hermitage, he wandered, repeatedly begging for alms. Assuming such a form by his own power, the God entered the forest. All the sages, their minds composed, praised him. With water, garlands, incense, and fragrances, together with their wives, sons, and attendants, those blessed ones approached him. Addressing the Lord, the sages said: “O God of gods, whatever we have done out of ignorance—by deed, by mind, or by speech—may you forgive all of that. Our actions have been diverse, secret, and profound. O Hara, even for gods like Brahma and the others, your paths are difficult to comprehend. We do not know your coming nor your going, not at all. O Lord of all, Great God, you are who you are—salutations to you! The great souls praise you, O God of gods, O Supreme Lord. Salutations to Bhava, to the Auspicious, to the source and cause of existence; to the one of infinite strength and power, to the Lord of beings, salutations. Salutations to the destroyer, to the tawny-hued one, to the imperishable and the perishable, to the bearer of the Ganga’s stream, to the support, to the very essence of all qualities—salutations.” Thus, with devotion and humility, the sages worshiped the Supreme Lord, and the grace of Mahadeva shone upon them.