With deep reverence, salutations were offered to liberation itself, to the very embodiment and bestower of liberation, to the Self, the Seer, the Supreme Master, and to Vishnu. Again and again, homage was paid to the blessed one, the lord of serpents, to Omkara, and to the all-knowing. Salutations were extended to the One who is all, to Narayana, to Hiranyagarbha—the primeval deity—honoring the unborn, the Supreme Lord, the cause of all beings’ emanation, the great god of gods, the ruler of all. Praise continued for Sharva, the true, the pacifier, Brahman, the essence of all beings, the all-knowing. Salutations were offered to the great-souled one, whose form is wisdom, to pure consciousness, to awareness and memory itself. Homage was given to knowledge, to the one attainable through knowledge, to ever-present consciousness, to the highest peak, and to the blue-throated Lord. Again and again, salutations were offered to the one whose body is half-female, to the unmanifest, to the steadfast Lord of eleven forms. Praise was given to Soma, to Surya, to Bhava, to the remover of worldly existence, to the bestower of fame, to Shankara, to Ishvara. The lord of Ambika, the husband of Uma, the golden-armed, the one with a golden seed—all were honored. Salutations were offered to the blue-haired, the wealthy, the white-throated, the matted-haired, and to the one who wears serpents as ornaments. Again and again, homage was paid to the bull-rider, the destroyer and creator of all, the supremely heroic, the delight of heroes, the lord of Rama, the mighty one. Honor was given to the king of kings, the lord attained by kings, the chief of protectors, the one who removes even the mightiest. Salutations were given to the lord adorned with armlets, the lord of cowherds, to Śrīkaṇṭhanātha, and to the one who wields the club. Praise was offered to the lord of the world, the essence of the Vedas and scriptures, the bearer of the bow, the royal swan. The Lord was honored as the one adorned with golden bracelets and necklaces, with a serpent as the sacred thread, serpent earrings, and a snake for a girdle. Salutations were offered to the one who holds the Vedas within, who is the very womb and source of the universe—O Shiva! Thus did Brahma, together with Hari, praise the Lord as Virarama. This excellent and holy hymn was proclaimed as a destroyer of all sins. Whoever recites it, or causes it to be recited by Brahmins learned in the Vedas, attains the world of Brahma—even if they are engaged in sinful deeds. Therefore, it was declared that one should always recite, repeat, or have this hymn recited to auspicious Brahmins, for the purification from all sins, as spoken by Vishnu. Then, Mahadeva himself spoke, his voice filled with compassion, “I am pleased, O best of the gods. Behold me, Mahadeva; let all fear be dispelled.” He revealed to them, “You two, of great strength, were born from my body before. Here is Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, at my right; and here, at my left, is Vishnu, the soul of the universe, born from my heart. I am well pleased with you both; ask for the boon you desire.” Having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord touched Vishnu with his auspicious, compassionate hands. With a joyful heart, Narayana bowed deeply to Maheshvara and addressed the Lord, who dwells both within and beyond the linga, “If you are truly pleased and wish to grant us a boon, may we always have unwavering devotion to you.” The god adorned with the cool-rayed moon granted Brahma and Vishnu steadfast faith in himself. Then Narayana, full of humility, knelt upon the ground, bowed to the Lord of the universe, and spoke softly, with self-control, “O Lord of gods, Lord of lords, you have come here because of the excellent dispute between us, to bring an end to our quarrel.” Hearing these words, Hara spoke again to Hari, who stood with bowed head, palms joined in reverence, and a gentle smile. He said, “O King of the earth, you are the creator of dissolution, maintenance, and creation. O child, O Hari, O Vishnu, protect all that moves and does not move in this universe. Know that I am indeed divided threefold as Brahma, Vishnu, and Bhava by the qualities of creation, preservation, and dissolution—yet I am the Supreme Lord, indivisible. Abandon delusion, O Vishnu, and protect this Grandfather, Brahma. In the Padma Kalpa, he will be your son, and you will be his Grandfather. Then you will see me in this way, and so too will the lotus-born see me.” Having spoken thus, the Blessed Lord vanished on the spot. From that time onward, the worship of the linga became firmly established in the worlds. The linga altar was recognized as the great goddess, and the linga itself as the manifest great Lord. Because it is the place of dissolution, it is called linga; there, all the gods reside. Whoever recites the linga narrative daily in the presence of the linga attains the state of Shiva—there is no need for further deliberation. Now, how did it come to pass, in the ancient Padma Kalpa, that Brahma, the lotus-born, arose, and how did the Supreme Person see Bhava through him? Hear this in detail: There was once a single, terrible ocean, undivided and filled with darkness. In the midst of that vast, solitary ocean, Hari—the consort of Shri—appeared, bearing conch, discus, and mace, crowned, cloud-hued, and lotus-eyed. There he was, present in the stillness, awaiting the unfolding of creation.