Let me tell you of the wondrous, many-faceted nature of the Supreme Lord as revealed in these sacred verses. He lies amidst ashes, protecting them, his very body composed of ash, embodying scripture and dissolution. He is the great soul, worshipped by all. Sometimes he appears white, with the form of a woman, pure and radiant, served by beings, dwelling in hermitages and among pigeons, the universal craftsman, cosmic lord. His form stretches vast like branches, with copper-colored lips and a netted lotus aspect. Firm in resolve, tawny and massive like a pitcher, he is weapon-bearing and hairy. He is Gandharva, Aditi, and Tārkṣya, unknowable yet endowed with excellent intellect, wielding the axe as his weapon, divine, fulfilling all purposes, and a true friend. He is Tumbavīṇā, of great wrath and upward-flowing seed, the lord who lies in the waters. Fierce, he is both the maker of bamboo and bamboo itself, the player of the bamboo flute, and blameless. He assumes all forms, master of illusion, true friend, wind and strength, binder and maker of bonds, yet also the liberator from strong bonds. He slays demons and is the enemy of desire, with great fangs and mighty weapons, pendant with hanging lips, long-armed and bestower of boons. His arm is blameless and all-pervading. He is Śaṅkara, never angered, lord of immortals, exceedingly terrible, the universal god, destroyer of the gods' enemies. He is Ahirbudhnya, Nirṛti, Cekitāna, and Halin; also Ajaikapāda, Kāpālī, Śaṃ, Kumāra, and the great mountain. He is Dhanvantari, Dhūmaketu, the Sun, Vaiśravaṇa, Dhātā, Viṣṇu, Śakra, Mitra, Tvaṣṭṛ, Dhara, and Dhruva. He is Prabhāsa, the mountain, the wind, Aryaman, Savitṛ, Ravi, Dhṛti, Vidhātā, Māndhātā, and the creator of beings. He is Nīrastīrtha, Bhīma, performer of all acts, bearer of virtues, lotus-wombed, of great womb, moon-faced, sky, and sinless. Powerful and tranquil, ancient, the foremost doer of merit, maker of cruelty, dweller in cruel places, subtle self, and the great medicine. He is the abode of all, moving everywhere, lord of life, master of living beings, god of gods, delighting in happiness, knower of all that is and is not, possessor of all jewels. He dwells on Kailāsa, lives in caves, takes refuge in the Himālaya, destroyer and creator of lineages, wealthy and father of many children. He is lord of life, the binder, the tree, the mongoose, mountain-dweller, short-necked, great-kneed, unwavering, and the great medicine. Maker of doctrines, accomplished in aims, source of meter and grammar, lion-roaring, lion-fanged, lion-faced, and lion-mounted. He is of powerful essence, time of the world, time itself, trembling, tree-bodied, antelope-marked, bannered, and of good insight. The abode and lord of beings, day and night, impure and pure, bearer of wealth, soul of all beings, unmoving and well-learned. He is not a friend to all beings, unmoving, knower of the moving and unmoving, unfailing, self-controlled, joyful, food, and sustainer of life. Steadfast, wise, three-eyed, doer of good, lord of battles, protector of cows, lord of cows, village, clothed in cowhide, and Hara. Golden-armed, cave-dwelling, the entrance, great-minded, of great desire, desiring the mind, and conqueror of the senses. Gandhara, drinker of wine, devoted to ascetic practices beneficial to others, the great element, supporter of beings, attended by hosts of Apsaras. Of great banner, supporter of the earth, ever engaged in manifold forms, the tone, unknowable and yet knowable, all-pervading and bringer of happiness. Deliverer, one with feet, creator, enclosure, highly worshipped, uniter, increaser, aged, courtesan, and lord of hosts. Eternal, supporter, companion, lord of gods and asuras, master, endowed and strong-armed, excellent god, and of auspicious joints. Ashadha and Sushadha, bearer of Skanda, green, remover, revolving in form, of another form, supreme form, and great form. He touches the head, adorned with all marks and characteristics, imperishable, praised in chariot songs, enjoyer of all pleasures, and of great strength. Of the Sama Veda and the great Veda, god of sacred fords, of great fame, lifeless yet giver of life, the mantra, gracious and very severe. Of the nature of gems, gem-limbed, knower of the fall into the great ocean, the root, vast, immortal, manifest and unmanifest, treasure of austerity. Ascent and mounting, bearer of virtue, of great austerity, great-throated, great yogi, the yoke, maker of ages, and remover. Of the form of the age, of great form, vehicle, deep, mountain, justice, extinguisher, footless, learned, and comparable to the immovable. Adorned with many garlands, of great garland, shining, beautiful eyes, vast, saline, the well, flower-bodied, and the source of fruits. He is the bull, the strong bull, breaker, with matted locks adorned with jewels, the moon, emission, beautiful-faced, heroic, armed with all weapons, and enduring. The one to whom offerings are made, born of nectar, gate to heaven, of great bow, dwelling in the mountain, emission, knower of all marks and characteristics. Adorned with garlands of fragrance, blessed, endless, possessing all marks, progenitor, abundant, strong-armed, complete, purifier of all. Holding a hand-bowl, skull-bearing, upper teeth joined, youthful, renowned for machines and devices, the world, refuge of all, and gentle. Shaven-headed, deformed, monstrous, staff-bearing, earringed, ever-changing, water-eyed, the quarters, wielder of the thunderbolt, blazing in brilliance, thousand-footed. Thousand-headed, lord of gods, composed of all gods, the teacher, thousand-armed, of all limbs, refuge, creator of all worlds. Pure, threefold sweet mantra, youngest, dark-tawny, creator of Brahma's staff, destroyer of hundreds, bearer of a hundred nooses. Thus, in all these myriad forms and qualities, the Supreme Lord is revealed—as the heart of all, the source of all, the master of all, and the refuge of all beings.