All offerings that are auspicious—whether they have been rightfully acquired or are gifts of many kinds—should first be purified with water before being presented. When one offers to Rudra, it should be done with a heart filled with devotion, for milk is regarded as the immortal sustenance that upholds all the gods. It is by Viṣṇu and by Jīṣṇu that all food is established, and by the giving of food, Śaṅkara is pleased with all beings. Therefore, one should worship the Lord with food, for life itself is rooted in food. Satisfaction arises from the act of offering, and in the side-dishes, the very wind is said to dwell. The great God, who is the soul of all, the lord of waters flowing in fragrant streams, is the very seat of existence, manifest nature itself, established with the great principle and the elements. For this reason, the devotee should worship the Lord with devotion every month according to the prescribed rules, and on the full moon, one should observe a special vow to fulfill all cherished aims. Truthfulness, purity, compassion, peace, contentment, and charity—these virtues should always be practiced. On the days of the full and new moon, fasting is also to be observed. At the end of the year, it is especially meritorious to give cows in charity and to release a bull, and with devotion, one should feed Brahmins learned in the Vedas. The liṅga, when worshipped with all kinds of offerings, should be installed in a sacred place of Śiva or given to a Brahmin. Whoever, O best of sages, observes this great vow of the Śiva-liṅga with devotion each month is truly the foremost among ascetics. Such a devotee, after leaving this world, ascends to the divine city of Śiva in celestial chariots shining like ten million suns and adorned with jewels, never to return to this earthly realm again. Even if one observes this supreme vow for just a single month, he attains the world of Śiva—of this, there is no doubt. If his mind is attached to other desires and he wishes for different boons, by observing this vow for a year, he attains those desires and then ultimately reaches Śiva. Whether a person seeks divinity, ancestorhood, sovereignty among the gods, or the status of Gaṇapati—whatever he is attached to, he attains. The seeker of knowledge gains knowledge, the seeker of enjoyment receives pleasure, the seeker of wealth finds treasure, and the one desiring long life attains longevity. Whatever desires he contemplates, he enjoys them here, and by undertaking this vow even for a single month, he ultimately attains the state of Rudra. This pure, supreme, and secret vow was established by the creator of the universe, the supreme Śiva, for the welfare of gods, asuras, siddhas, mortals, and vidyādharas alike. Having worshipped the Lord in this manner according to the prescribed rules, bowing with the head along with one’s servants and sons, one should recite the hymn called 'Vyapohana' and circumambulate Śiva with devotion and effort. This hymn, composed by the creator of the universe for the welfare of the three worlds, was offered by the great and venerable god—the grandfather of all—together with the gods. Now, I shall declare the 'Vyapohana' hymn, which bestows all attainments and brings auspiciousness, as it was heard from the mouth of Nandin by the great-souled Kumāra. With great reverence, I have thus spoken to Vyāsa: Salutations to Śiva, the pure, the spotless, the illustrious one; to the destroyer of the wicked, the all-pervading, the supreme soul, who has five faces, ten arms, and fifteen eyes. He is pure, shining like crystal, adorned with every ornament, all-knowing, all-pervading, peaceful, and established above all. May the lord of Soma, seated on a lotus throne—he who is Īśāna, the Supreme Person, Aghora, and Sadyas—swiftly remove my sin. May the blessed Vāmadeva, endless and lord of all knowledge, the all-knowing giver of all, the sovereign, swiftly remove my sin. He who is accomplished in single-minded meditation on Śiva—may he remove my sin; subtle, lord of gods and demons, lord of all, worshipped by the Gaṇas. He who is the highest Śiva, greatly revered, ever devoted to meditation on Śiva—may he remove my sin. He who is all-pervading, the giver of all, peaceful—the one-eyed blessed lord, devoted to the worship of Śiva—may he remove my sin. He who is the blessed lord, the Trimūrti, the awakener of devotion to Śiva—may he remove my sin. He who is Śrīkaṇṭha, the lord of fortune, glorious, always intent on meditation upon Śiva—may he remove my sin. He who is devoted to the worship of Śiva, glorious—may he remove my sin; the goddess, honored by the three worlds, ancient, with the form of the sun’s orb. Dākṣāyaṇī, the great goddess, Gaurī, the auspicious daughter of Himavat, the elder sister of Ekaparṇā, gentle, and also Ekapāṭalā; Aparṇā, the boon-giving goddess, ever intent on granting boons, Umā, the direct remover of gods, or Kauśikī, or Kapardinī. She is the divine bearer of the khaṭvāṅga, with hands like tender shoots, surrounded by four divine sons such as Naigameya and others. Nandinī, daughter of Menā, lotus-born, lotus-eyed, daughter of the sorrowless Ambā and the great-souled Nandin; the peaceful friend of Śubhāvatī, bestower of boons, Pañcacūḍā, who, for the sake of the creation of all beings, has attained the state of primordial, imperishable nature. She is manifested through the twenty-three principles beginning with Mahat, always honored by powers such as Lakṣmī, known as Nandanandinī. Manonmanī, the great goddess, mistress of illusion, fond of adornment, by her māyā encompasses the entire world, from Brahmā onward, both moving and unmoving. She is the agitator, the enchantress, ever abiding in the hearts of yogis, existing as one and as many in the world, with eyes resembling blue lotuses. Thus, the sacred vow and the hymn are revealed for the welfare and liberation of all beings, extolling the supreme Lord Śiva and his divine consort in all their glory.