Listen, O wise ones, to the profound mystery and glory of the sacred syllable Om, as revealed in the scripture. The syllable 'a' is to be understood as imperishable, the very foundation; 'u' is joined with it, and 'm' completes the triad—thus, Om is called three-measured, composed of these three sounds. Each syllable signifies a world: 'a' is the earth, 'u' is the atmosphere, and 'm' is the heaven above. Om, therefore, encompasses all three worlds, with its head as the highest heaven. All the limbs of these worlds are said to be Brahman itself, that supreme, ultimate state. Beyond measure is the world of Rudra, and the immeasurable is the state of Shiva. Those who possess special knowledge are to worship this boundless state. Therefore, one who delights in meditation should, with steadfast effort, worship this measureless, imperishable syllable, aspiring for eternal happiness. The measures of Om are distinct: the first is short, the second long, and the third is drawn out. These measures must be precisely understood and practiced in order, only to the extent that one can sustain. Whoever meditates within himself, contemplating the senses, mind, and intellect—even for half a measure—attains a result that must be heard: the merit gained by one who, month after month, performs the Aśvamedha sacrifice for a hundred years is equaled by practicing this measure of Om. Neither severe austerity nor lavish sacrifices can bestow the fruit attained by properly practicing this measure. Among the measures, the one called 'pluta' is prescribed; this alone should be practiced by householders and yogins. Especially among the eightfold yogic powers, beginning with aṇimā, this measure is to be known and practiced, O twice-born. Thus, one who is united with yoga, pure, self-controlled, and master of the senses—who knows the self—attains all. The wise, therefore, should contemplate the self through the Pāśupata yogas; of those pure ones who know the self, there is no doubt. A Brāhmaṇa devoted to self-contemplation attains the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, the Upaniṣads, and also the knowledge born of yoga. Becoming one with all the gods, he is born no more; he abandons the cycle of birth, attaining the eternal state. Just as a ripe fruit falls from a tree when stirred by the wind, so does sin fall away by salutation to Rudra. Where Rudra is saluted, the fruit of all actions is certain; by salutation to other gods, that fruit is not obtained. Therefore, the yogin should worship the great Lord three times a day, as well as Brahman in its tenfold extent and all its expansions. Thus, one endowed with meditation who leaves his body attains union with Shiva, uplifting the three families. Or, seeing death approach, if one goes to Avimukteśvara in Vārāṇasī, he is purified. By whatever means a man gives up his body, he is liberated—especially if he does so at Śrīparvata. He attains union with Shiva—of this there is no doubt. Avimukta is the supreme field, always granting liberation to beings. The wise should always serve it, especially at the approach of death. Hearing this, the sages spoke: “O wise Sūta, if Vārāṇasī is so holy, please tell us now of its power. We are eager to hear, in detail and according to tradition, the splendid greatness of this field, Avimukta.” Sūta replied: “I shall recount, in brief, the glorious greatness of Avimukta at Vārāṇasī, as spoken by the blessed Lord Bhava. Even in hundreds of millions of years, neither I nor the great-souled Brahmā could fully describe it in detail. Long ago, when Śaṅkara, blue and red in hue, was newly wed, he descended from Himavat’s peak with the goddess Haimavatī and the lords of the hosts. Arriving at Vārāṇasī, Śaṅkara revealed the liṅga of Avimukteśvara and made his dwelling there. In Vārāṇasī, Kurukṣetra, Śrīparvata, Mahālaya, Tuṅgeśvara, and Kedāra—wherever an ascetic may reside—if he practices the Pāśupata yoga rightly for even a single day, then, renouncing everything, he should undertake the Pāśupata vow. There, in the divine garden, he should dwell—Śarva’s unsurpassed garden, which Rudra conceived in his mind, along with a splendid palace. At that time, the supreme Lord himself, accompanied by Nandī and Haimavatī, revealed that unsurpassed divine garden. For the delight of Pārvatī, the supreme Lord Bhava, Śaṅkara, spoke of the greatness of this field, Avimukta. That garden was adorned with blooming bushes of many kinds, enchanting with trailing vines, and all around were lovely flowers—priyaṅgu in full bloom and thorny ketaka. It was filled everywhere with fragrant tamāla thickets and clusters of fully blossomed vakula, and with hundreds of flowering aśoka and punnāga trees, their blossoms swarming with bees. In some places, birds dusted with pollen from blooming lotuses sang melodiously, and the air resounded everywhere with the calls of cranes, ruddy geese, and intoxicated dātyūha birds. Elsewhere, it echoed with the auspicious cries of peacocks, or the calls of waterfowl, or was filled with swarms of intoxicated bees, their buzzing mingling with the songs of female bees. In some places, it was frequented by beautiful, fragrant flowers and blossoming mango trees, hidden by vines and tilaka trees, and filled with the songs of Vidyādharas, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas. Thus was revealed the greatness and beauty of Avimukta, the supreme field of liberation and the abode of the Lord, where the wise find ultimate peace and freedom.