The great god, the eternal liṅga form, must be worshipped with devotion, for through this sacred act, all beings are purified together with the five praṇavas—the sacred utterances of Oṃ. The foremost among the gods is to be honored in union with the five prāṇāyāmas, and with four praṇavas, alongside those who dedicate themselves to the practice of breath control. With three praṇavas and the corresponding prāṇāyāmas, one places the Oṃkāra in two ways, ever devoted to the discipline of prāṇāyāma. At this stage, the devotee utters the Oṃkāra, restraining both prāṇa and apāna—the vital breaths—allowing the nectar of knowledge and the vibration of praṇava to fill every limb. In this process, the three guṇas, which are known as fourfold, together with ahaṃkāra (the sense of self), the subtle elements, the gross elements, and the organs of knowledge, are all purified. The organs of action, as well as the dual person, are cleansed, and making the self of consciousness the very body, the devotee should touch themselves with the sacred ashes of fire. Using the ashes of fire, air, space, water, and earth, whoever anoints themselves with these ashes at the three junctions of day and night becomes a true yogī, a knower of all the cosmic principles. This Pāśupata vow, declared by Bhava (Śiva), is for liberation from all bondage, O best of gods. Thus, having performed the Pāśupata rite and worshipped the Supreme Lord, the liṅga was seen by me in ancient times, and by Viṣṇu, the great soul. When we have carefully worshipped the god for all our undertakings, O gods, no beings are born as subjects within a year. Both outwardly and inwardly, I consider the Lord alone to be worthy of honor; this is my vow and that of Viṣṇu, O best of the gods. Among the sages, there is no doubt—therefore, one should worship Śiva. Not doing so is a loss, a great defect, delusion, and ignorance. Even for a moment, if one does not contemplate Śiva alone, that is a failing. Those whose minds are surrendered to Bhava, who are intent on remembering him, are not subject to suffering. Beautiful dwellings, divine ornaments, women, and wealth up to satisfaction—all these are the fruits of worshipping Śiva. Those who desire great enjoyments and sovereignty in the abode of the gods should always worship the liṅga form of Maheśvara. Even having slain, shattered, or burned all beings and the entire world, one should worship the god with deformed eyes, for he is untouched by sin. My liṅga of stone is indeed worshipped by all the gods. Having spoken thus, and first worshipped Rudra, the Lord of the three worlds, he praised the god of gods, the three-eyed one, with chosen words. From that time, Indra and the other gods began to worship the Lord, having taken up the Pāśupata vow, their bodies smeared with sacred ashes. By the command of Brahmā, the divine architect Viśvakarman fashioned liṅgas according to the authority and nature of each deity. The liṅga made of sapphire is always worshipped by Viṣṇu; the one of ruby by Śakra (Indra); the golden one by the son of Viśravas (Kubera). The Viśvedevas worship a silver liṅga; the Vasus a shining, beautiful one; Vāyu, one of orpiment; and the Aśvins, one of earth. King Varuṇa worships a crystal liṅga; the Ādityas one made of copper; and the wise lord of Soma a peerless pearl liṅga. The great serpents, beginning with Ananta, worship a beautiful coral liṅga; the Daityas, an iron one; and the great-souled Rākṣasas, likewise. The Guhyakas worship a three-metal liṅga; the Gaṇas, one made of all metals; Cāmuṇḍā, a sand liṅga; and the Mothers, O best of twice-born, each according to their nature. Nairṛti worships a wooden liṅga with devotion; Yama, a beautiful emerald one; the Rudras, beginning with Nīla, a pure and auspicious ash liṅga. Lakṣmī worships a liṅga made of the Lakṣmī tree; Guha, one of cow dung; and the sages, O best of ascetics, an excellent one made of kuśa grass. The goddesses beginning with Vāmā worship a flower liṅga; Manonmanī, a fragrant liṅga; and Sarasvatī, a liṅga for Rudra made of a precious jewel. Durga worships the golden, supreme Mahādeva liṅga, together with its altar, fierce and made of flour, all mantras, and the auspicious ghee-made offering. All the Vedas are made of curd; the spirits are fashioned from lead; and each received their appropriate place by the grace of Brahmā. What more need be said? All the moving and unmoving world, having worshipped the Shiva-liṅga, remains established in its place—there is no doubt. The liṅga is said to be of six kinds, distinguished by their materials, and their divisions are stated to be forty-four, described in fourfold ways. The first is called stone-born, which is fourfold; the second is gem-born, sevenfold; the third is metal-born, eightfold; the fourth is wooden, said to be sixteenfold; the fifth is clay, divided in two; and the sixth is the temporary liṅga, spoken of as sevenfold. The gem-born liṅga grants prosperity; the stone-born, all accomplishments; the metal-born, wealth; and the wooden, the attainment of enjoyments. The clay liṅga is auspicious and grants all accomplishments; the stone-born is the highest, and the metal-born is considered middling. There are many kinds of liṅgas, but nine in summary. At the base is Brahmā, in the middle is Viṣṇu, lord of the three worlds, and above is Rudra, Mahādeva, called Praṇava and Sadāśiva. The liṅga altar is Mahādevī, threefold, the triple-formed Ambikā. Whoever worships with her—whether the liṅga is stone-born, gem-born, metal-born, or wooden—worships both the goddess and the god. Thus, the worship of Śiva in his liṅga form, in union with the goddess, is the path honored by all beings, leading to prosperity, accomplishment, and liberation.