Listen, O noble one, as I reveal to you the supremely rare and profound yoga, a path not easily attained. At the outset, the mind must be firmly established in contemplation, holding the eternal as its focus in five distinct ways. To begin, one should assume the lotus posture, harmonizing with the subtle energies of the moon, sun, and fire. This posture, graced with twenty-six powers, is practiced in eight different manners, as taught to the best of the twice-born. Next, meditation unfolds in sixteen ways, and then again in twelve, always with the goddess at the center and the god—spouse of Umā—present. The unborn Lord manifests eight powers and eight forms, and with these eight, the Rudras appear, multiplying into sixty-four forms. All energies, endowed with eightfold qualities, are likewise contemplated. By meditating successively upon these, one attains unsurpassed knowledge. This is the Pāśupata yoga, O sages, which grants both liberation and accomplishment. The divine powers beginning with aṇimā cannot be reached by any number of ordinary actions, even those performed over millions of lifetimes. Here, the eightfold lordly powers of yogins are described; as I explain them in sequence, you should understand their significance. These powers are: aṇimā (the ability to become infinitesimal), laghimā (lightness), mahimā (greatness), prāpti (attainment), prākāmya (fulfillment everywhere), īśitva (lordship everywhere), vaśitva (mastery everywhere), and the power to fulfill desires at will—this last is known in three ways, for lordship is that which grants all desires. These powers exist in three forms: faulty, faultless, and subtle. The faulty is composed of the five elements. The senses, mind, and ego, as well as subtle activity, are also rooted in the five elements. The senses, mind, thought, intellect, ego, and the all-pervading perception established in the self are all part of this subtle realm. Union occurs only in the subtle, in threefold manner, and the eightfold division is also established only within the subtle. I will describe its form as the Blessed Lord has spoken, showing how its regulation is understood among all beings in the three worlds. Beginning with aṇimā and the other powers, the unmanifest is present everywhere, yet difficult to attain among all beings in the three worlds. But for those who practice, these powers become attainable. The first is the yogi’s ability to leap and move freely throughout the world—this is always its form. Swiftness among all beings is the second stage, honored everywhere for its greatness. Greatness itself is the third yoga, known as the ability to go wherever one wishes among all beings in the three worlds. The yogi enjoys objects at will, unobstructed anywhere; pleasure and pain, which arise for all beings, are now under his command. He becomes the lord everywhere, distinguished as the knower of yoga; all beings, moving and unmoving, are subject to him. By his will, forms come into being or do not; wherever desire is fulfilled at will, in the three worlds, among moving and unmoving beings. Sound, touch, taste, smell, form, and mind—all these arise according to his wish or do not, as he desires. He is not born, nor does he die; he is not cut, nor split; he is not burned, nor deluded; he is not dissolved, nor stained. He is not diminished, nor does he decay; he is never afflicted; he is not made, nor transformed in any way. He is without smell, taste, or form; without touch, devoid of sound; without color, without tone, and sometimes without any characteristic. He enjoys objects, yet is not bound by them; being subtler than the subtle, he is supreme. Because of this subtlety, he is liberating. All-pervading and leading to liberation, the all-pervading one is called the Puruṣa. By virtue of its subtle nature, the Puruṣa abides in supreme sovereignty. Transcending the qualities, established in sovereignty, it is called the most subtle everywhere. Attaining unobstructed sovereignty, one reaches the highest yoga. From there, the path leads to liberation, to that subtle, supreme state. Thus, O best of sages, know the Pāśupata yoga. It yields the fruits of heaven and liberation, and is the cause of union with Śiva. Or, if one acts out of passion, having gained knowledge of the path, one may perform actions. Having experienced actions born of passion or darkness, one is released there itself; likewise, one who has performed virtuous deeds enjoys their fruits in heaven. From that place, the best is again reborn as a human; from there, one attains the supreme bliss of Brahman, the eternal and highest Brahman. Indeed, one should serve Brahman alone, for Brahman is the highest happiness; all the effort of great sacrifices is truly for this purpose. Yet, again one may fall under the power of death; therefore, liberation is the highest happiness. Or, being joined with meditation and devoted to the truth of Brahman— He cannot be shaken even by hundreds of aeons. Having seen the divine Puruṣa, called Viśva, who faces all directions— With the universe as his feet, head, and neck; the Lord of the universe, of universal form, with universal fragrance, universal garland, the Lord clothed in the universe— He moves the earth with cows, and birds do not generate again in this way. Thus is the ancient sage, the ruler, subtler than the subtle, greater than the great. He is to be seen by yoga, not by the eye; the sense-transcending Puruṣa, golden-hued, without mark, qualityless, conscious, eternal, always, all-pervading, the essence of all. Without hands, feet, belly, sides, or tongue, he is beyond the senses, extremely subtle, and one alone. He knows all, but is not known by all; he is called the foremost, the great Puruṣa.