Listen, O seekers, to the sacred tale of the fathers and the sages, whose lineage is as radiant as ambrosia. Their ancestry is recounted here in full, so attend closely to this detailed account. First, let us recall the chapter concerning Dākṣāyaṇī, Satī, who, after leaving her father Daksha’s side, joined Rudra, Parvati, in devotion. Having reproached Daksha, Satī obtained Bhava, the great lord, as her husband. Meditating upon her beloved, Nīlalohita—another form of Rudra—released countless Rudras into the cosmos. From his own essence, Rudra created all beings, honoring them equally across the worlds. At Brahma’s request, the tiger among sages, Rudra laughed and instantly fulfilled the wish, manifesting myriad Rudras. These Rudras spread throughout the fourteenfold world, their forms pure and shimmering with blue and red hues. Freed from old age and death, Pitamaha, the grandsire Brahma, addressed the Rudras with reverence: “Salutations to you, O great gods, three-eyed, blue-red ones.” He praised them as all-knowing, all-pervading, tall and short, auspicious, golden-haired, destroyers of sight, eternal, wise, and pure. These Rudras, free from duality and passion, universal selves, sons of Bhava, were extolled by Brahma. After circumambulating Rudra, Brahma addressed Bhava, Shiva, and then the blessed one born of gold spoke. “Salutations to you, O great god,” Brahma said. “You should not create beings who are free from death. O Shankara, create those who are joined with death.” Shiva replied, “Such is not my state. You, O lord, create beings joined with death as you wish.” With Shiva’s permission, Brahma, the four-faced one, created all moving and unmoving beings, subject to old age and death, from Shankara’s essence. Then Shankara, established in withdrawal by the Rudras, assumed the state of Sthāṇu, the immovable one. This, O sages, is Shankara’s greatness. Compassionate Rudra, for the welfare of all beings, acts as Śambhu, who is without attributes and whose body is sustained by his own will. Śaṃkara, through effortless mastery of yoga, grants liberation—called ‘śam’—to those established in detachment. Renunciation of objects, arising gradually from fear of worldly existence, produces detachment; this detachment is recognized in other teachings. Turning away from faults and relinquishing qualities, without inquiry, comes from knowledge. The union of detachment and knowledge is attained by the grace of the Supreme Lord. Dharma, knowledge, detachment, and lordliness—all these are Śaṃkara; he is Pinākī, the blue and red one. All who take refuge in Śaṃkara are liberated, without doubt; even the most sinful do not descend into hell, however dreadful. Therefore, those who take refuge in Śaṃkara attain the eternal, and the twenty-eight fierce forms of Māyā come to their end. Millions of hells exist where sinners are tormented, but those who do not take refuge in Śiva, Rudra, Śaṃkara, the blue and red one, are subject to these torments. He is the refuge of all beings, the imperishable, lord of the worlds, the supreme soul, Puruhūta, praised by men. By darkness, he is called Kālarudra; by passion, he is born of gold; by goodness, he is all-pervading Viṣṇu; in transcendence, he is Maheśvara. The wise ask, “By what do men go to hell, O wise one? By action or inaction? We wish to hear, for we are curious.” Now, hear the secret—the immeasurable power of Bhava, the origin of Śaṃkara, as seen by all. Yogis, knowing all principles, are established in supreme detachment, accompanied by the eight practices such as breath control and others. Endowed with qualities like compassion, even after performing various actions, they go to hell or heaven according to their own deeds. From grace arises knowledge; from knowledge, yoga is set in motion; through yoga, liberation is attained; all this follows from grace. If, by grace, you are able to speak of the true nature, the divine and Maheśvara yoga, O best of those who know yoga, then tell us: How does the Lord, Śiva, free from thought, grant grace by the path of yoga, and at what time to men? In the presence of gods, sages, and ancestors, this story was once told by Śailādi; let them listen to the son of Brahma. The incarnations of Vyāsa, likewise, at the end of the Dvāpara age, and the incarnations of yoga teachers, as well as those of the trident-bearer in the Tiṣya age, are recounted. In each place, the Lord’s disciples are four, vessels of tranquility; among them are many sub-disciples, and thus the Lord is pleased. Knowledge is passed in succession from the mouth of the Lord to men, beginning with Brahmins and ending with Vaiśyas, each according to their nature and compassion. In each Dvāpara age, who were the Vyāsas, and where, in which cycles and kalpas, you ought to hear. Listen: in the Varāha kalpa, O twice-born, in the Vaivasvata cycle, the Vyāsas and the Rudras at present, as well as in all cycles, are declared. In proper order, those who revealed the Vedas, the Purāṇas, and knowledge in all cycles are: Kratu, Satya, Bhārgava, Aṅgirā, Savitṛ, Mṛtyu, Śatakratu the wise, and Vasiṣṭha, foremost among sages; Sārasvata, Tridhāmā, Trivṛt, foremost among sages, Śatatejā, Svayaṃdharman, and Nārāyaṇa; Tarakṣu, Āruṇi the wise, Deva, Kṛtaṃjaya, Ṛtaṃjaya, Bharadvāja, Gautama, best among poets. Thus is the lineage and greatness of the sages and Rudras, and the eternal refuge offered by Śaṃkara, the supreme lord.