Bearing mighty weapons—spear, club, mace, discus, lance, and noose—Hara stood, his hands bestowing boons and fearlessness, his form clad in tiger skin. His body was adorned with sacred ashes, and as Bhava appeared thus, Janardana, delighted, immediately bowed before the god of gods. The assembled gods, led by Indra, circled the three-eyed Lord in awe, but soon fled, shaken by his presence. Even the world of Brahma trembled, and the earth quaked beneath the force of his manifestation. The radiance of Śambhu blazed for a hundred yojanas in every direction—above, below, and across the earth—so intense that cries of “Alas!” arose everywhere. Then Mahādeva, Śaṅkara, as if smiling, looked affectionately upon Viṣṇu, who stood with palms joined in reverence. He spoke: “O Janārdana, I now understand your divine purpose. I grant you the splendid discus, Sudarśana.” He continued, “The form you have seen, which terrifies all the worlds, has appeared for your benefit, O steadfast one, and for the sake of your own being.” Mahādeva taught, “Peace in battle, O Viṣṇu, brings suffering to the gods. For the peaceful, a weapon is peaceful—but what fruit is there in a peaceful weapon? For the peaceful in battle, their weapon is indeed peace; for ascetics, peace is strength. By peace, the warrior cuts the strength of his foe and increases his own. When the gods are not at peace, my imperishable form is to be contemplated. O slayer of the gods’ enemies, what need is there for a weapon in battle? Forgiveness is not to be practiced in battle, O slayer of the gods’ enemies, whether in the future, the past, in weakness, or when surrounded by your own people. But when the time is not right, or in unrighteousness or calamity, O slayer of foes—” Saying this, he gave the discus, shining like ten thousand suns, to Viṣṇu. He also bestowed upon Viṣṇu an eye, resembling a lotus, making him from that time known as ‘Lotus-eyed’. Having given the eye and the discus, Nīlalohita touched Viṣṇu with his beautiful hands and spoke kindly: “I am the bestower of boons; choose the highest boons you desire. By your devotion, O best of men, I am truly won over by you.” Thus addressed, Janārdana bowed and said, “May I have devotion to you, O Mahādeva; grant me the supreme boon. I desire nothing else; for your devotees, O Lord, there is no distress.” Hearing these words, Mahādeva became exceedingly compassionate. He touched Viṣṇu and bestowed steadfast faith upon him, and spoke: “By my grace, you shall be devoted to me, worshipped and honored by gods and demons alike, O best of the gods—there is no doubt.” Mahādeva foretold, “When Satī, the daughter of Dakṣa, reproaches her mother and father, she will become the queen of the gods. At that time, your auspicious sister, the goddess Umā, the divine daughter of Himavat, will also be yours, O Viṣṇu. By Brahmā’s command, you shall give that virtuous one to me; and being thus related to me, you will be honored among all beings. From that moment, you will see me, Śaṅkara, in a divine form, gracious and friendly to you as to your own self.” Having spoken thus, the blessed Rudra, blue and red in hue, disappeared. Janārdana, in the presence of the gods and sages, requested the great god Brahmā for the splendid divine hymn to the Lotus-born, which had been recited. Whoever recites, hears, or causes the best of twice-born to hear this hymn obtains, for each name, the fruit of gold. He attains the fruit of a thousand horse sacrifices; and if he bathes Rudra with ghee and other offerings in a pure vessel, by worshiping Śiva, the Lord, with these thousand names in faith, he too obtains the fruit of a thousand sacrifices, as did the lords of the Asuras. He becomes worthy of worship by Rudra and gains his favor. Thus, the Lotus-born spoke to Janārdana. Having bowed to the Lord of gods, the teacher of the world, the assembled departed. Therefore, O sinless twice-born, one should worship with the thousand names. He who recites the thousand names attains the highest state. At this point, the wise Sūta was addressed: “O Sūta, you have indicated the origin of the goddess; now tell in detail, as it truly happened, about her as Satī. How did Menā become the great goddess? How was Dakṣa’s sacrifice destroyed, and how was she given by Viṣṇu to Śaṃbhu, the god of gods? How did her auspiciousness come about? You should now tell this.” Hearing their words, Sūta, the foremost of narrators, described to those great souls the origin of the great goddess, as it was formerly told by Brahmā to Daṇḍin, in full detail. That account was then told by Sūta to Kumāra, and by Kumāra to the wise Vyāsa. Therefore, Sūta said, “Having heard it, I will now relate it in full detail. By your command, O highly fortunate ones, I bow to Umā and Bhava; she, called Bhaga, the sustainer of the world, is the threefold altar of the liṅga form.” “O best of twice-born, the liṅga, the blessed one, together with the two, is the source of creation; Śiva, the liṅga form, is the light standing above darkness. By the union of the liṅga and the altar, Ardhanārīśvara came into being; he created the god Brahmā first, his four-faced son. Hara, who is composed of knowledge, imparted knowledge to him; that blessed Ardhanārīśvara, the all-pervading Lord, surpasses the universe.