In the heavenly realms, those who had abandoned the worship of other gods, world-teachers, and even chaste women, having attained the celestial world, rejoiced in bliss, free from suffering. Yet, there were others who, having forsaken their own husbands and become women of independent conduct, found themselves cast into hell. Thus, it was revealed that the husband is the highest goal for women, but those who abandoned their dharma were led astray. The illusion of Vishnu, the god of gods, together with his command, sent Alakshmi herself to Tripura. Lakshmi, who had been obtained by the Daityas through their austerities from the lord of gods, departed from them, obeying the command of Brahma, the lord. Vishnu, through his illusion, and the illusory Narada, bestowed upon the Daityas a delusion of intellect, clouding their understanding for a moment. Seated comfortably and unperturbed, indifferent to the obstruction of dharma, the beautiful Vedic and traditional dharma was lost at that time. When heresy was thus proclaimed by Vishnu, the source of the universe, the Daityas abandoned Maheshvara and ceased worshipping the Linga. With the loss of women’s dharma and the rise of evil conduct, the lord of gods, as if satisfied, approached the consort of Uma, accompanied by the gods. Having attained the all-knowing one through austerity, Purushottama praised him, offering obeisance to Maheshvara, the supreme self, and saluting Narayana, Sharva, Brahma, and the eternal, infinite, unmanifest lord. After praising the great god and bowing in prostration, the blessed one recited the Rudra mantra ten million times while standing in the water. All the gods, with Indra, the Sādhyas, Yamas, Rudras, and hosts of Maruts, joined in praising the supreme lord. They offered salutations to Śaṅkara, the remover of suffering, to Rudra, Nīlarudra, Kadrudra, and Pracetas. Declaring him always their refuge, they acknowledged him as the destroyer of their enemies, the beginning and the endless, the imperishable lord. They recognized him as both Prakṛti and Puruṣa, creator, destroyer, teacher, protector, leader of the universe, and loving father to the twice-born. He was praised as the bestower of boons, the essence of speech, the one to be spoken of, and beyond both word and meaning; worshipped for liberation by yogis through the wonders of yoga. The wise declared him established in the hollow of the lotus-heart of yogis, the true, supreme, and essential form of Brahman. The noble ones called him the true reality, the mass of radiance, the supreme of the supreme, the supreme self in the world. All that is seen, heard, and exists, all that is born, is said to be subtler than the subtle and greater than the great, and he, the teacher of the world, is their source. He is everywhere—hands, feet, faces, heads, and eyes pervade the world; his ears are everywhere, pervading all things. He is the great god, indescribable, all-knowing, free from affliction, of universal form, with diverse eyes, ever-auspicious, and without suffering. He shines like ten million suns, resembles ten million moons, blazes like ten million fires of dissolution, and is the lord of the twenty-sixth principle. He is called the originator, the great-grandfather of nature, the giver of boons, the god who is the abode of all, the self-born. The Vedas declare him to be their essence, and those who know the essence of the Vedas recognize him as such. All that he has done in the world, though of many forms, remains unseen by the gods; he alone is the source of the hosts of demons, gods, humans, and all that is moving and unmoving. The gods beseeched him: “Protect us, O Śambhu; there is no other refuge. Having destroyed the foremost of the demons, all are deluded by your māyā, O supreme lord.” Just as waves and billows contend in the ocean, yet are stilled by the very water that supports them, so too are all the gods and demons subdued by him. Whoever, rising in the morning and purified, recites or hears this sacred hymn attains all desired things. Thus, praised by the gods and by Vishnu’s recitation, Maheśvara, Soma, embraced Soma and, smiling, took the hand offered by Nandi. Śaṅkara, beholding the gods, spoke in a deep voice: “O lords of the gods, now I have understood this divine task. The power of Vishnu’s illusion, of wise Narada, and the unrighteousness of the Daityas are now known to me. O excellent gods, I shall accomplish the destruction of the three cities.” Then, the gods, along with Brahma, Indra, and Upendra, assembled. Hearing the Lord’s words, they bowed and praised him. Meanwhile, the goddess, seeing the god, was amazed. With a playful lotus, she gently struck Vṛṣadhvaja and said, “Behold, Lord, your son, six-faced and radiant like the sun, is playing.” She pointed out their son, the best among sons, adorned with auspicious ornaments—crowns, armlets, earrings, and beautiful bracelets. He wore anklets, concealed garments, a girdle around his waist, many golden bells, and leaves of the aśvattha tree. He was adorned with flowers from the wish-fulfilling tree, lovely locks, necklaces inlaid with gems of lotus hue, and brilliant armlets. Pearl necklaces shone like the full moon, and he wore tilakas. His form was marked with saffron and other powders, created of sacred ash; his face was like a cluster of lotus blooms. The goddess invited the Lord to behold his son’s beautiful eyes, auspicious and adorned with various collyriums, applied by the mothers for his welfare.