In the beginning, the Supreme Principle is described as having the neck of the Yajurveda and the heart of the Atharva, all-pervading and transcending both Pradhāna and Puruṣa. It is beyond dissolution and origination, untouched by the cycles of creation and destruction. When darkness, tamas, predominates, it is known as Kālarudra; when passion, rajas, is dominant, it is born from the golden egg; when purity, sattva, prevails, it becomes the all-pervading Viṣṇu. In its state beyond all qualities, it is Maheśvara, the Great Lord. This Supreme Principle permeates the limbs of Pradhāna, manifesting first in a sevenfold order, then in a sixteenfold, and finally as twenty-six, always remaining unborn. For the purposes of creation, maintenance, and dissolution, it assumes the form of the Liṅga. With reverence, the narrator bows to this form and prepares to declare the auspicious origin of the Liṅga. Turning to the account of Īśāna's kalpa, it is told that the great-souled Brahmā once composed the supreme Purāṇa of the Liṅga. Its original measure was vast, extending to a hundred crores of verses, but Vyāsa condensed it to four hundred thousand so it could be accessible in all ages. Divided tenfold, this scripture was taught in the ages from Brahmā onward, including the Dvāpara and others. The elevenfold Liṅga was taught by the narrator, having heard it from Vyāsa. Here, O twice-born, the text is presented in eleven thousand verses, and so the narrator promises to briefly relate what has not yet been heard in detail. The origin of the Liṅga is thus told, condensed from four hundred thousand verses by Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana into these eleven thousand. The story begins with the primary creation, followed by the elemental and derivative creations, the origin of the cosmic egg and its eight coverings. The birth of the egg from Śarva occurs due to the dominance of rajas, and his forms as Viṣṇu and Kālarudra are revealed, as he lies upon the waters. The creation of the Prajāpatis, the raising up of the earth, the day and night of Brahmā, and the reckoning of his lifespan are all recounted. The ritual of Brahmā, his yugas and kalpas, his divine and human years, the years of the seers, and the fixed cycles are explained. The origin of the ancestors, the dharma of those in the āśramas, the decline and growth of the world, and the arising of the Goddess's power are described. The narrative reveals the female and male nature, the creation of Virin̄ci, the origin of pairs, and the eightfold account of Rudra told amidst his weeping. The dispute between Brahmā and Viṣṇu is recounted, followed by the renewed origin of the Liṅga, the austerity of Śilāda, and the vision of Vṛtrāri. The prayer of the one born from the womb, the rarity of a son, the dialogue between Śilāda and Indra, and the origin of the Lotus-born are told. The vision of Bhava, the auspicious meeting of teacher and disciple in the month of Tiṣya, the descents of Vyāsa, and the accounts of kalpas and manvantaras are narrated. The nature of kalpas among kalpas, the sequence of different accounts, and in the Vārāha Kalpa, the boar form of Hari are explained. The Meghavāhana Kalpa is described, along with the greatness of Rudra and the emergence of the Liṅga among the sages by the wielder of the bow. The worship of the Liṅga, the procedures for bathing, the marks of purity, the greatness of Vārāṇasī, and the description of the sacred field are given. The number of Rudra's temples on earth, the house of Viṣṇu, and the divine shrines in the atmosphere and the cosmic egg are presented. The fall of Dakṣa on earth, the curse of Dakṣa in the Svārociṣa Manvantara, and the release from Dakṣa's curse are described. Kailāsa is depicted, along with the Pāśupata yoga, the measure of the four yugas, and the detailed law of the yugas. The portions of twilight are measured, and the events of twilight relating to Bhava are narrated, including his dwelling in the cremation ground and the origin of the crescent moon. The marriage of Śaṃkara, the birth of his son, and the destruction and fear of the worlds due to excessive sexual union are described. Satī's curse upon the gods and Viṣṇu in ancient times is recounted, as is the emission of Śuka by Rudra and the origin of Gaṅgā. The merit of bathing the Liṅga during eclipses and other occasions, the agitation of mind, and the dispute between Dadhīci and Upendra are described. The birth of Nandī, the devotee of the god of gods, is narrated, along with the account of the devoted wife and deliberation on the bonds of creatures. The characteristics of activity, knowledge, and those entitled to renunciation are explained, as well as the birth of the sons of Vasiṣṭha, the great-souled Vāsiṣṭhas. The expansion of the lineages of sages, the destruction of the power of kings, the wickedness of Kauśika, and the binding of Surabhi are recounted. The grief for his son by Vasiṣṭha, the lamentation of Arundhatī, the sending of the daughter-in-law, and the words of the one in the womb are narrated. The descents of Parāśara, Vyāsa, and Śuka are described, along with the destruction of the Rākṣasas accomplished by the son of Śakti. The supreme truth of the gods, knowledge arising from grace, and the composition of the Purāṇa by the command of the teacher Pulastya are explained. The measure of the worlds, the movement of planets and stars, the course of luminaries, the procedure for funeral rites for the living, those worthy of śrāddha, and the śrāddha itself are described. The procedure for the Nandi-śrāddha, the characteristics of study, the power of the five sacrifices, and the method of the five sacrifices are explained. The conduct of menstruating women, the superiority of sons through conduct, and the rules of sexual union according to each class are laid out. The regulations regarding what is fit and unfit to eat for all classes, and the expiation for every kind of transgression, are described individually and in detail. The nature of hells, punishment according to deeds, and the marks of those who go to heaven or hell in their future births are explained. The various kinds of gifts, the city of the lord of the dead, the rite of the five-syllabled mantra, and the greatness of Rudra are all recounted, completing this sacred narration.