With reverence and awe, Brahma began to praise Shiva, the Supreme Lord, whose nature encompasses the nine essential principles, whose power manifests as both ninefold and eightfold, shining forth in eight ways as the eightfold, eight-formed One. He extolled Shiva as the embodiment of the sixty-four essential principles of the self, yet again of eightfold nature, surrounded by eight qualities, possessing all qualities yet transcending them. Brahma saluted Shiva, who abides at the root of all things, dwelling in the eternal place, established in the navel region, and causing resonance in the heart. He praised Shiva, who resides in the throat, at the opening of the palate, between the eyebrows, and in the midst of sound. Brahma offered salutations to Shiva, established in the orb of the moon, who is himself the form of Shiva, embodying the forms of fire, moon, and sun, and manifesting thirty-six energies. He honored Shiva, who envelops the worlds in three ways, who is the self of the sleeping serpent, established in three forms, and whose form is the fire of the threefold sacrificial altar. Brahma bowed to Sadāśiva, the peaceful one, the great Lord wielding the Pināka bow, all-knowing and the refuge, to Sadyojāta. He saluted Aghora, Vāmadeva, Tatpuruṣa, and repeatedly Īśāna. Brahma continued, saluting Shiva as the thirtyfold radiance, the one beyond peace, the Lord of infinity, the subtle one, the highest. He bowed to the one-eyed Lord, to the one Rudra, to the three-formed, to Śrīkaṇṭha, the crested one. He praised Shiva who is seated upon the endless seat, endless himself, the destroyer of the end, pure and vast, whose limbs are spotless. He honored Shiva seated on the pure seat, the form of pure meaning and purpose, dwelling in the inner seat of yoga, the yogi and the giver of yoga. Brahma praised Shiva, who ever dwells in the hearts of yogis like unhulled rice, who is withdrawal itself and always devoted to withdrawal. He saluted Shiva as the support for those devoted to withdrawal, as concentration itself, and ever devoted to concentration. To Shiva, present before those engaged in concentration, to meditation, to the form of meditation, to the one attainable through meditation, Brahma bowed. He saluted Shiva as the object of meditation, attainable by meditation, as meditation and the meditated-upon, as the object of meditation even for those who meditate, and the most worthy of meditation. Brahma saluted Shiva, who is approached through concentration, the embodiment of concentration, and who takes the form of the objectless state cherished by those devoted to absorption. Brahma exclaimed, “O Rudra, today you have burned and lifted up all this threefold world; who could wish to praise you, the destroyer of the three cities, and how could I praise you, O Shiva, who are already satisfied?” Because of devotion, satisfaction, and Shiva’s wondrous appearance, even mortals and immortals, gods and perfected beings, bow down to him, the Lord of hosts, the Lord of the Gaṇas. He reflected on Shiva’s power: “Merely by your glance you can burn the three cities and the three worlds; with Ambika as your playful army, you burned them in an instant, and then were released from the arrows.” A chariot, a great bow, and a shining arrow were made for the destruction of Tripura; despite many efforts by Brahma and the hosts of gods and siddhas, none of these resulted in success for Shiva, for he is all of them—the chariot, the charioteer, Hari, Rudra himself, Indra, and the Grandfather. How could Brahma praise one who cannot be satisfied except by bowing his head? Brahma acknowledged Shiva’s endless feet, arms, and heads, his role as the destroyer of ends, his infinite forms. “How can I satisfy you, who cannot be satisfied, how can I praise one such as you?” he wondered. He offered salutations again and again to Shiva, Rudra, Sharva, and Bhava; to the gross, subtle, most exceedingly subtle, knower of subtle meanings, and the creator. Brahma saluted Shiva as the creator, sustainer of all gods and demons, destroyer of worlds, ordainer, leader of gods and lords of demons, giver, ruler, and master of all scriptures. He praised Shiva, who is known through Vedanta, pure, always praised by knowers of the Vedas, the very essence of the Vedas, the end, the middle, and the best of middles, O Bhava. He honored Shiva, established as without beginning or end, not void, with form and without form, made of the linga, the linga itself, the direct embodiment of the Vedas and their source. Brahma saluted Rudra, who severs heads, the sacrificial form of his primeval god; recalling how, seeing the destruction of his sacrifice, Shiva struck the earth with the tip of his fingernail. Brahma marveled at Shiva’s wondrous activity, the God of gods, Lord of all gods and demons. Though Shiva possesses a body and accomplishes divine deeds with the gods, his true nature is formless. Shiva is one, gross; one, subtle; one, most exceedingly subtle; with form and without form; visible, of speech, Lord, to be meditated upon—this wondrous reality is Shiva’s alone. He reflected, “That object seen in a dream is truly ungraspable, though seen it appears, I think; nor is there any form, nor is it the Lord of gods—how can that which is not seen even by the gods with effort be seen?” Brahma lamented, “Where is your divine power, O Lord of gods, and where are we? Where is devotion, and where is praise of you? Yet, O Lord, forgive me, Brahma, who laments with devotion.” Then Brahma declared, “Whoever on earth, O best of twice-born, listens to or recites this hymn to the Lord with devotion, bowing down, is freed from the bonds of sin by devotion to the Lord of the city.” Having heard this hymn and seeing Parvati, Brahma praised Shiva with devotion. Then the mighty-armed, great-souled Lord, dwelling on Mandara’s peak, spoke with a smile: “By this hymn I am pleased, and by your devotion, O Padmaja; choose your boons, let there be welfare for you, and for the gods as you desire.” Brahma, the blessed one born from the lotus, bowed to the Lord of gods, joined his hands in reverence, and spoke with a delighted heart: “O Lord, Lord of gods, destroyer of Tripura, Śaṅkara, grant me supreme devotion to you today; be gracious, O Supreme Lord. And for all the gods as well, O Lord who bestows all aims, be gracious, always through devotion and through guidance.” Janārdana too, the blessed one, bowed to Maheśvara, joined his hands in reverence, and spoke to Sāmbā and Tryambaka: “I always desire to be your vehicle, O Lord; be gracious to me. Grant me devotion to you, O Lord of gods, God of gods; salutations to you.” Thus, in the presence of Parvati and the assembled gods, Brahma and Janārdana offered their heartfelt praises and prayers to Shiva, the Supreme Lord, who accepted their devotion and granted them his grace.