O best of sages, the Lord declared: One who follows this path is freed from the deadly poison of worldly existence. Thus, in brief, I have revealed to you the imperishable truth. Here, the greatness of knowledge alone is auspicious, for it is through knowledge that the Pāśupata yoga—taught by the Lord himself—shines forth. But, O foremost of sages, what has been spoken by Śiva is not to be given indiscriminately. It is to be entrusted only to a yogin who is ever devoted to the sacred ash and is truly dear. Whoever recites or even hears this teaching, which brings an end to worldly bondage, surely attains union with Brahman—of this, there can be no doubt. Having heard these profound words, Kumāra and the other wise ones approached the wielder of the bow. Bowing in reverence and awe before the gracious Supreme Lord, they addressed him: “O Great Lord, if you sport in such wondrous ways with this goddess, the daughter of Himavat, enjoying various delights, how are we to speak of this mystery here?” Hearing their words, the blue-throated Lord Śiva, bearing his bow, laughed gently. Gazing at Ambikā and the twice-born sages who stood bowed before him, he spoke: “Bondage and liberation for embodied beings are not determined by my will alone. The soul is bound by ignorance; the individual is the experiencer, while the Supreme is the true enjoyer—this is the distinction to be understood. Bound by māyā, the soul is attached to actions. Knowledge, meditation, bondage, and liberation do not truly belong to the Self, O twice-born ones. When one knows me in this way, even then it does not apply in every respect. This is the heart of knowledge: I alone am to be known—this is the wisdom, the Veda, and the tradition. This is steadfastness—my own state—the power of knowledge, and likewise, of action. So, too, are will and command; these two knowledges are certain and without doubt. This is not mere nature, nor a modification; upon reflection, this māyā is not a transformation, nor is it manifest or unmanifest. Long ago, my eternal command arose from my mouth, five-faced and most glorious, granting fearlessness to the worlds. Entering that command, contemplating the welfare of all beings, I, Śiva, pervaded everything in twenty-seven ways through it. From that time onward, O best of twice-born, the pursuit of liberation began.” Having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord looked upon Bhavānī. And Bhavānī, beholding him, removed the imperishable māyā. Freed from the impurity of māyā, those sages beheld Pārvatī in her true form. They became pleased and liberated, realizing the supreme state—there is truly no difference between Umā and Śaṅkara in the highest sense. Assuming this dual form, they remain, and of this there is no doubt. When a wise one becomes unattached, it is by the Supreme Lord’s command. Then, liberation comes instantly—not otherwise, even by millions of actions. The sequence of actions is not prescribed by the Supreme Lord, who is the cause of all increase. By his grace, liberation comes in a moment—this is his promise, without doubt—whether one is in the womb, being born, a child, or even a youth. Whether aged or not, a being is liberated by the grace of the Supreme Lord; whether born from an egg, from sprouting, or from moisture—all are freed. By the grace of the God of gods, there is no need for further deliberation. This very Lord of the universe, Śiva, is the cause of both bondage and liberation. The earth, the atmosphere, the heavens, the great realm, the world of progenitors, the realm of ascetics, the world of truth, and hundreds of millions of cosmic eggs—all these, together with the form of the God of gods, the eightfold cosmic coverings, all the seven continents, mountains, and forests, and all the oceans, all the currents of air, and all other worlds, both moving and unmoving beings dwell. All are certainly born from Bhava; he alone is their refuge. All is Rudra—salutations to that great-souled Person! The entire universe, all beings, and all that has arisen in many forms—he is Rudra alone. By Rudra’s command, this goddess is established; through her, liberation is attained—she is Ambikā. Thus, the Siddhas who move in the sky, their minds delighted, spoke together, having witnessed all beings through the grace of Ambikā. These sky-dwelling Siddhas, having attained union with the Lord, remain established in that state. Then the sages asked: “By what yoga, O Sūta, do the virtuous here attain the powers, endowed with the qualities such as aṇimā and others? Please explain all this in detail.” Sūta replied: “Now I shall declare the yoga that is supremely difficult to obtain. At the outset, one should contemplate it in a fivefold manner, establishing the eternal in the mind. One should assume the lotus posture, uniting with the energies of the moon, sun, and fire, endowed with twenty-six powers, and in eight ways, O best of twice-born. Then, in sixteen ways, and again in twelve ways, O twice-born, one should meditate thus, with the goddess in the center and the god, the spouse of Umā. The unborn Lord, with eight powers and eight forms, and with those eight, the Rudras, who are again sixty-fourfold. And likewise, all the energies, endowed with the eightfold qualities. Meditating in succession in this way, one attains unsurpassed knowledge. Thus is the Pāśupata yoga, which bestows liberation and accomplishment. The powers beginning with aṇimā, O sages, are not attained otherwise, even by millions of actions. There, the eightfold lordly powers of yogins are described; all this, as it is being explained in sequence, you should understand. Aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, prākāmya everywhere, and īśitva everywhere—mastery everywhere, where desire is fulfilled at will—this, too, is to be known as threefold; lordship is that which grants all desires. It is found as faulty, faultless, and subtle; the faulty is said to be that which is composed of the five elements.” Thus, the Supreme Lord revealed the path of liberation, the nature of bondage and freedom, and the supreme yoga that bestows all powers and union with the Divine.