To the one of dark hue, who rides the clouds and wears the hide of an elephant, whose upper garment is the skin of a black antelope, and whose sacred thread is a serpent, the sages offered their reverent homage. Shankara, adorned with exquisite earrings and divine garlands, clothed in the skin of the lord of beasts and renowned everywhere, was worshipped by them. Pleased by their devotion, the great lord addressed the sages, saying, “I am pleased with your austerity. O virtuous ones, ask for a boon.” At his words, the illustrious sages—Bhrigu, Angiras, Vasishtha, Vishvamitra—bowed deeply to Maheshvara. Alongside them were Gautama, Atri, Sukesha, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Marichi, Kashyapa, Kanva, and the great ascetic Samvarta. They all bowed to Mahadeva and spoke with humility: “We wish to understand the practices of bathing in ash, nakedness, left-handedness, and contrary conduct—what is to be followed and what is to be avoided?” Hearing their earnest inquiry, the blessed supreme lord smiled gently, gazing upon the assembly of sages, and began to speak. He said, “Now I shall tell you this story, my all, today: I am Agni, the maker of Soma, and Soma depends upon Agni. Agni sustains this creation, and repeatedly, for the sake of the world, the universe of moving and unmoving beings has been burned by Agni. All is made supremely pure by ashes; empowered by the potency of ashes, one sprinkles it upon beings. Whoever, having performed the fire ritual, lives out three spans of life, is freed from all sins by my power present in the ashes. That which shines forth is called ‘bhasma’—ash—and that which purifies is also so named; by consuming it, all sins are destroyed, hence it is called ‘bhasma.’ Know that the ancestors are heat-drinkers, and the gods are born of Soma; all the world, moving and unmoving, is of the nature of Agni and Soma. I am Agni, of great brilliance; Soma is this great Ambika. I am Agni and Soma by nature, and I myself am the Purusha. Therefore, O highly fortunate ones, the ash is said to be my potency; I sustain my own power and form in it, and thus it endures. From that time onward, to protect the worlds and guard against inauspicious things, ashes are used for safeguarding—even in the houses of women after childbirth. One whose mind is purified by bathing in ashes, who has conquered anger and the senses, and who approaches me, does not return again. The Pashupata vow and the Kapila yoga were established; formerly, this Pashupata was indeed created, and it is unsurpassed. All other dwellers in the ashramas were created later by the Self-born; this creation was made by me, consisting of modesty, delusion, and fear. Indeed, gods and sages are born naked, and likewise all other humans in the world are born without clothing. One whose senses are not mastered is naked even if covered with cloth; but one who is guarded by self-control is truly protected—clothing is not considered the cause. Patience, steadfastness, nonviolence, complete detachment, and equal regard for honor and dishonor—these are the supreme coverings. Anointed with ashes and meditating on Bhava in the mind, even if one has committed thousands of improper acts, whoever bathes with ashes—ash burns all that away, just as fire with its brilliance burns a forest. Therefore, being diligent, whoever always bathes with ashes three times a day—he attains the path of Ganesha, having gathered all sacrifices and undertaken the supreme vow. Those who meditate on Mahadeva, absorbed in the reality of his play, attain immortality by the noble northern path. And those who took the southern path, who frequented cremation grounds, attain the powers of minuteness, heaviness, lightness, and attainment. The powers of will, desire, determination, and the ability to attain anything by mere intention—these are the paths traversed by those who entered the cremation grounds; likewise, the perfections of minuteness, heaviness, lightness, and attainment. Thus, Indra and the other gods, having undertaken the Kāmika vow, all attained supreme lordship, their brilliance widely renowned. One whose nature is free from pride, delusion, attachment, and the faults born of darkness, knowing this supreme path, should always be devoted to the yoga of Paśupati. Whoever, having become pure, self-controlled, and faithful, meditates on this Pāśupata vow and recites it, destroys all sins. With their souls purified of all sin, they attain the world of Rudra. All those sages—Vasiṣṭha and the foremost twice-born—having heard this teaching, smeared their bodies with white ash, anointed themselves, and, free from desire, remained at the end of the age, established in the world of Rudra by the power of Śiva. Therefore, even those who are deformed or impure in appearance, if they possess form, should never be reviled but always honored, O best of Brāhmins, as if they were great yogis. Why speak at length? O best of twice-born, devotees of Bhava should be worshipped with every effort, just as Śiva—of this there is no doubt. Even Brāhmins who are impure, but are steadfast devotees of Bhava, should be honored, just as Dadhīca, who conquered the Lord of gods and stood firm. In the same way, Nārāyaṇa in this world, by devotion to Rudra—there is no doubt—therefore, with all effort, those whose bodies are smeared with ash, those with matted hair, shaven heads, nakedness, or various forms, should always be honored like Śiva, in thought, word, and deed. Then the question arose: “How did Dadhīca, O virtuous one, strike down the king Kṣupa with his foot, having conquered Janārdana, the Lord of gods, in battle?