Endowed with wondrous powers and delighting in many pleasures, the celestial beings shone with beauty akin to blue lotus petals. Their eyes, elongated and lovely like lotus leaves, sparkled with joy. They were adorned in garments as delicate as the filaments of the lotus, and their forms were further embellished with bangles, anklets, necklaces, ornate parasols, and splendid robes. Fond of decoration and radiant with many ornaments, these celestial beauties and the leaders among them assembled together. When the gods beheld this magnificent gathering, they proceeded, led by Indra, to the city of the Lord of Hosts—he who is the enemy of the three cities. Arriving there, the hosts of gods and Siddhas, with Puruhuta at their head, stood in the very heart of that city. Before them rose the supreme Lord’s foremost palace, blazing with the brilliance of a thousand rising suns. At the gate of this resplendent palace stood Nandin, the illustrious lord of the hosts. The gods, with Indra at their head, saw Nandin and immediately bowed before him, offering salutations of victory. Nandin, gracious and majestic, addressed them: “O gods, greatly fortunate, your sins now removed, you have arrived—lords of all the worlds, steadfast in your vows. Speak, and tell me your purpose.” The gods replied, “Show us the boon-giving Lord, radiant as the king of elephants—Maheshvara himself—so that we may be released from the bonds of existence. In former times, when the three cities were to be burned, we were called ‘beasts.’ Because of this, O steadfast one, we are troubled by this ‘beast-hood.’” Nandin answered, “The Pāśupata vow was declared by Bhava, the supreme Lord. By that vow, O lord of beings, ‘beast-hood’ does not exist at all. Whether observed for twelve years, twelve months, or even twelve days, if one maintains that supreme vow, all beings are freed from the bonds of existence.” Thus, Nandin revealed this teaching to the gods, with Nārāyaṇa at their head. Then, Nandin, son of Śilāda and foremost among all hosts, saw the imperishable Lord Īśāna together with Sāmbā and his attendants. Overwhelmed with joy, the gods bowed and praised the blue-throated Lord, informing him of their desire for release from bondage. They stood before Śambhu, repeatedly bowing down. Seeing their devotion, the bull-bannered god of gods—the supreme Lord—purified the state of bondage from those gods and personally instructed them in the Pāśupata vow. He taught this vow not only to the gods but also to the sages, together with Ambā. From that time, all those gods came to be known as Pāśupatas. Because he is the Lord of beings and they are directly deities, they are called Pāśupatas, and again they engaged in austerities. Thus, at the end of twelve years, the excellent gods, now freed from their bonds, departed as they had come, accompanied by Brahmā and Viṣṇu. All this has been told as it was once heard from the Grandfather by Sanatkumāra, and thus recounted by the wise Vyāsa. Whoever, being pure, recites this narrative to the brāhmaṇas, or hears it with a pure heart, is freed from the bonds of existence when the body is dissolved. This vow, which has just been described, is indeed the release from bondage—the Pāśupata vow, pertaining to the Liṅga, practiced long ago by the gods. Now, the listeners respectfully requested, “Tell us, as you once heard, O lord of the mountains, when you were questioned by Sanatkumāra.” Nandin then spoke: “I shall briefly recount the vow practiced by gods, asuras, siddhas, gandharvas, and accomplished cāraṇas, as well as by the greatly fortunate sages—the supreme vow called the Twelve Liṅgas, which grants release from the bonds of existence. This vow bestows enjoyment, yoga, fulfillment of wishes, liberation, and all auspiciousness. It brings inseparable merit and destroys fear for devotees. Having churned the Vedas and their six limbs, this vow was established as the highest of all gifts, surpassing even ten thousand horse sacrifices in merit. It bestows all auspiciousness and merit, destroys all enemies, and grants liberation even to those immersed in the ocean of worldly existence. It destroys all diseases and removes every fever; it was practiced in former times by the gods, by Brahmā, and by Viṣṇu. To observe this vow, one should fashion a small liṅga and bathe it with sandalwood water, beginning in the month of Caitra. One should create a beautiful golden lotus, complete with pericarp and filaments, inlaid with nine gems and eight petals, according to the proper method. In the pericarp, a crystal liṅga with a pedestal should be placed, and there, with devotion and in the prescribed manner, one should worship it with bilva leaves. With a thousand white lotuses, red and blue water-lilies, white arka flowers, karavīra, bakula, and other flowers as available, one should worship with the Gāyatrī hymn, along with fragrances, auspicious incense, and lamps. With nīrājana and other rites, the liṅga form of the great Lord should be worshipped. Agaru incense is to be offered to the south with the Aghora mantra; to the west, divine realgar with the Sadyojāta mantra; to the north, sandalwood or the like with the Vāmadeva mantra; to the east, haritāla with the Puruṣa mantra. White agaru and black agaru should also be offered. Likewise, guggulu incense, the most excellent fragrant substance, and the incense called sitāra, should be offered to Īśa with devotion. A great food offering, or at least cooked rice by measure, should be presented. Thus has the meritorious great vow of the Śivaliṅga been declared. While this practice is common to all months, there are special distinctions: in the month of Vaiśākha, a vajra (diamond) liṅga is used; in Jyeṣṭha, an emerald one. Thus, the supreme vow—the Twelve Liṅgas—has been revealed, a practice that brings liberation, merit, and all auspiciousness to those who undertake it with devotion.