Brahmā, filled with wonder and humility, reflected upon the mysterious vision he had seen in his dream. He realized that what appears in dreams is ultimately beyond grasp—an elusive form that, though seen, remains intangible. He pondered, “That which is not even seen by the gods themselves, despite their greatest efforts, how can it be truly beheld?” In this moment of awe, Brahmā acknowledged the vast distance between his own capacities and the divine power of the Lord of gods. He questioned, “Where is your divine power, O Lord, and where are we? Where is devotion, and where is praise of you, in the face of your greatness?” Yet, even as he lamented, Brahmā humbly begged forgiveness for his limitations, offering his devotion to the Supreme. It was declared that anyone on earth who listens to or recites this hymn to the Lord with devotion—bowing down with a sincere heart—would be freed from the bonds of sin, through their devotion to the Lord of the city. Thus, having heard this sacred hymn and seeing Parvati beside him, Brahmā praised the Lord with heartfelt devotion. Then, the mighty-armed, great-souled Lord, dwelling upon the peak of Mandara, smiled gently and spoke. “By this hymn and your devotion, O Padmaja, I am pleased,” said the Lord. “Ask for any boon you desire, for yourself and for the gods—may there be welfare for all as you wish.” Brahmā, the blessed one born from the lotus, bowed before the Lord of gods. With his hands joined in reverence and his heart full of joy, he prayed, “O Lord, destroyer of Tripura, Śaṅkara, grant me supreme devotion to you today. Be gracious, O Supreme Lord. And for all the gods as well, O bestower of all aims, grant your grace always—through devotion and through guidance.” Janārdana (Viṣṇu) too, after bowing to Maheśvara, stood with hands joined and addressed Śaṅkara and Tryambaka. “O Lord, I always wish to be your vehicle. Be gracious to me. Grant me devotion to you, O Lord of gods, God of gods; I offer you my salutations. Grant me always the strength to bear you, O Lord, and bestow upon me the gifts of omniscience and omnipresence, O Śaṅkara.” Hearing these requests, the Supreme Lord, the great god, appointed Bhava to the roles of charioteer and vehicle. Thus, having granted these boons to Brahmā and Viṣṇu, and having destroyed the demons, the great-souled Lord of gods, together with the goddess Parvati, Nandin, and the hosts of spirits, caused himself to disappear from their sight. When Maheśvara departed from the battlefield with his attendants, the lords of the gods, filled with wonder, bowed reverently to Bhava and Pārvatī. Freed from sorrow, the lords of gods, sages, hosts, and radiant beings returned to heaven in their own vehicles. This sacred account of the enemy of Tripura, composed long ago by Brahmā, was proclaimed: Whoever recites it at the time of śrāddha or during divine rites, or causes it to be heard by the twice-born with devotion, attains the world of Brahmā, freed from sins of mind, speech, and body. From all kinds of sins—gross, subtle, and very subtle; great and minor; arising from transgressions—a being is freed by hearing this auspicious chapter. Enemies are destroyed, and one becomes victorious in battle. Such a devotee is not afflicted by disease, nor do misfortunes touch him; he obtains incomparable wealth, long life, fame, learning, and power. When Maheśvara had departed, having burned Tripura in an instant, Brahmā, the blessed one born from the lotus, addressed the assembly of the lords of gods. At that time, after the Lord of gods, Maheśvara, had vanished in the form of the liṅga, the powerful grandson of Tāraka—the mighty son of Tāraka—remained. Tārakākṣa, the son of Diti, Kamalākṣa the mighty, Vidyunmālī the lord of the Daityas, and others with their kin, having abandoned the great god Mahādeva and Lord Hari through delusion, were all destroyed along with their cities and their inhabitants. Therefore, it was declared: The liṅga form of Sadāśiva must always be worshipped. As long as the gods are worshipped, so long does their existence endure. Śiva must be worshipped always, with faith, by the foremost of the gods, for the whole world is pervaded by the liṅga, and all is established in the liṅga. Whoever desires perfection for himself should worship the liṅga, for all gods, asuras, and dānavas attain through worship of the liṅga alone. Yakṣas, vidyādharas, siddhas, rākṣasas, flesh-eaters, ancestors, sages, piśācas, kinnaras, and others—having worshipped the liṅga form—have attained perfection, without doubt. Therefore, the liṅga should always be worshipped by anyone, O gods. All beings, including ourselves, are subjects of that wise Lord of gods; but by renouncing our state as subjects, we become followers of Paśupati. The great god, the eternal liṅga form, must be worshipped, and all beings must be purified together with the five praṇavas. The foremost of the gods, joined with the five prāṇāyāmas, and with four praṇavas together with those devoted to prāṇāyāma, and with three praṇavas, likewise, placing the Oṃkāra in two ways—one devoted to prāṇāyāma—should utter the Oṃkāra, restrain the prāṇa and apāna, and fill all the limbs with the nectar of knowledge and the praṇava. The three guṇas, known as fourfold, and the ahaṃkāra, the subtle elements, the gross elements, and the organs of knowledge—all these should be purified, as should the organs of action and the dual person. Making the self of consciousness the body, one should touch with the ashes of fire, as well as the ashes of air, space, water, and earth. Whoever anoints himself with these ashes at the three junctions of day and night becomes a yogī, a knower of all principles. This Pāśupata vow is declared by Bhava for the sake of liberation from bondage. Thus, having performed the Pāśupata rite and worshipped the Supreme Lord, the liṅga was seen by Brahmā in ancient times, and by Viṣṇu, the great soul. It is said that no beings are born as subjects within a year, O gods, when the god has been carefully worshipped for all undertakings. In this way, the glory and power of the Lord, his worship, and the means to liberation were revealed to all assembled, and the tradition of worshipping the liṅga as the source and support of all creation was established for all time.