With deep affection, the revered teacher revealed to me the supreme path of liberation, as sanctioned by the Vedas: hearing, praising, and contemplating Śambhu. This threefold means—listening to his glories, singing his praise, and dwelling upon his nature—was imparted to me directly by Śiva himself. “O Brāhman,” he said, “practice these three again and again.” Having spoken thus, the joyful Lord, surrounded by his followers, departed in his own radiant aerial chariot, ascending to his most excellent abode. So, O Sūta, the essence of that ancient and noble account has now been told—the threefold path beginning with hearing, as the way to liberation. Yet, a question arises: if one is unable to practice hearing, praising, and contemplating, by what other means may a person attain liberation? Is there an effortless action that bestows freedom? If the triad beginning with hearing is beyond reach, one should establish a liṅga or image of Śaṅkara, worship it daily, and thus cross the ocean of worldly existence. Even if only simple offerings can be brought, let them be given honestly, without deceit, for the sake of the liṅga or image, and let worship be continual. With devotion, offer a pavilion, gateway, sacred place, monastery, field, festival, cloth, fragrance, garland, incense, and lamp. Various foods, cakes, side dishes, umbrella, banner, fan, and chowrie with their accessories may also be given. Bestow all royal honors upon the liṅga and image, and perform circumambulation, salutation, and recitation as able. With great devotion, conduct the daily rituals from invocation to conclusion, worshipping the Lord in the liṅga and image of Śaṅkara. By Śiva’s grace, even if hearing, praising, and contemplating are set aside, one can attain success; indeed, the great ones of old were liberated merely by worshipping the liṅga and image. Everywhere, the hosts of deities are worshipped only in the form of images. But how is Shiva worshipped everywhere in both the liṅga and the image? This virtuous and wondrous question, O great sages, can be answered only by Mahadeva himself, for none other is worthy. I shall recount what Shiva himself spoke, as it was passed down from teacher to disciple: Shiva, being of the nature of Brahman, is called “without parts.” Yet, because he possesses form, he is also “with parts.” Thus, Shiva is both with and without parts. His formless liṅga is united with him, while his image is his manifest form. Because he is the supreme Brahman—both with and without parts—both the liṅga and the image are always worshipped by people. The other gods are not Brahman; they are never without parts. Therefore, the partless liṅga is not worshipped by the lords of the gods, and since the others are not Brahman but living beings, so too are the other hosts of deities. Only the image, being with parts, is worshipped in silence. The others are living beings, O Shankara, but Shankara alone is Brahman. This is established by the essence of Vedanta and revealed by the meaning of the Pranava. In ancient times, Nandikeshvara was questioned on Mandara in the same way by Sanatkumara, the wise son of Brahma, about Shiva and the other dependent deities. The image alone is often heard and seen as the object of worship; but in the worship of Shiva, both the liṅga and the image are observed. Therefore, O auspicious one, tell me the true principle for my understanding; this peerless question is the secret, the mark of Brahman. I shall relate to you what Shiva spoke, O sinless one, with devotion: because Shiva is Brahman and without parts, he is indeed without parts. His liṅga alone is accepted in all the Vedas for worship; and because he is also with parts, he is both with and without parts. Similarly, the image is universally accepted for worship; the other gods, being living beings and with parts, are worshipped everywhere only in their images. The image alone is accepted for worship according to Vedic teachings; when the gods manifest, only their form with parts appears. The liṅga and the image of Shiva are indeed seen in vision; O fortunate one, you have spoken of the propagation of the liṅga and image. The distinction between Shiva and the others lies in ultimate reality; therefore, only that which arises from the liṅga and image is supreme. O lord of yogis, I wish to hear the marks of the manifestation of the liṅga. Listen, dear one, out of affection for you I shall speak the highest truth. Long ago, at the end of a great age, when the world was renowned, the two great souls, Brahmā and Viṣṇu, began to contend with each other. To dispel their pride, the Supreme Lord appeared between them as an endless pillar, revealing his own true nature. From the sign of his own liṅga, Shiva, in the form of the pillar, showed his liṅga, wishing for the welfare of all beings. From that time onward, in the worlds, the liṅga of the Lord is considered formless, and likewise, the image with form is established as Shiva’s. For other gods, only the image is established; each god’s image grants their respective enjoyments and is auspicious. But the liṅga-image of Shiva bestows both enjoyment and liberation, and is auspicious. Once, O lord of yogis, Viṣṇu lay sleeping in supreme prosperity upon the serpent, surrounded by his attendants. By chance, Brahmā, the foremost knower of Brahman, came there and questioned the lotus-eyed one, lying on his beautiful bed: “Who are you, lying here like a man, looking at me with pride? Arise, child, and see me, your master, who has come here.” One who, seeing his guru and lord arrive, behaves with arrogance is a betrayer and a fool; expiation is prescribed for him.