The Lord spoke with deep compassion, revealing a profound secret to the assembled gods and sages. He said, “The reward gained by worshipping me with unwavering devotion for an entire year is attained instantly by worshipping me on the sacred night of Śivarātri. This time is especially auspicious, for it marks the growth of my dharma, much like the waxing of the moon. It is the festival of my manifestation—a holy occasion that opens the blessed path for all my devotees. Recall, in the ancient days, when I first revealed myself as a pillar of light, that moment fell during the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, under the Ārdrā constellation, in the early part of the month. Whoever beholds me then—whether in the company of Umā, as my image, or as the liṅga—is dearer to me than one who remains hidden away in solitude. On that holy day, even a mere sight of me bestows great merit; but if one engages in worship, the fruits are beyond all description. On the battlefield where I appeared in the form of the liṅga, the very place where the liṅga arose became sanctified. This pillar, without beginning or end, will sometimes appear as small as an atom, so that all beings may see and worship it. This liṅga grants both worldly pleasures and ultimate liberation; by seeing, touching, or meditating upon it, living beings are freed from the cycle of birth and death. This liṅga, blazing like a mountain of fire, will become renowned as Aruṇācala. Here, many sacred bathing places will arise, and by living or even dying in this place, beings attain liberation. All auspicious festivals and gatherings will occur here, and whatever is offered, recited, or given in this holy field yields merit a millionfold. Of all my sacred fields, this one is the greatest. Simply remembering it leads embodied beings to liberation. Thus, this place is supremely excellent, filled with every auspicious quality, and bestows freedom upon all. Whoever worships me here, as Lord in the liṅga, attains residence in my divine realm, closeness to me, likeness to me, and even sovereignty. These five blessings—union, residence, nearness, likeness, and sovereignty—are the fruits of worship here, and all desires are swiftly fulfilled. Out of kindness, the Lord then restored the armies of Vinīta and Vidhimādhava, who had perished in their conflict. By his own power, he revived them completely with a stream of nectar, and to dispel their enmity, he spoke gently to the two. He declared, “I possess two forms: one with attributes and one without. No other being shares this nature—therefore, none else is supreme. In the past, as the pillar before you and as the child-form after, I showed the state of Brahmā as without attributes, and that of Lordship as with attributes. Both these states are perfected only in me, not in anyone else. Thus, neither of you nor anyone else possesses true Lordship. Your contest for supremacy arose from ignorance. To dispel this, I manifested here on the battlefield. Cast aside your pride and fix your minds upon me, the Lord; by my grace, all purposes in the worlds become clear. The words of the teacher are the indicator and repeated authority; this secret truth of Brahman I reveal to you out of love. I alone am the Supreme Brahman, my form both with and without parts. Because I am Brahman, I am also the Lord; creation and grace are my acts. By my vastness and power to expand, I am Brahman; you, Brahmā and Keśava, are equal to me in essence, and by my pervasiveness, I am also the Self, O my children. All others are not the Self but merely living beings—there is no doubt. Creation, preservation, and the world born from the lotus arise from my grace alone. Because of my eternal Lordship, which belongs to me alone, the formless liṅga first arose for the realization of Brahmanhood. When my Lordship was unknown, O Vāmā, I manifested to reveal it. Thus, I became possessed of all attributes, and the Lord appeared directly at that very moment. Know, then, that my Lordship is to be understood as possessing all attributes, and this formless pillar is the means for realizing my Brahman-nature. Because it bears the marks of a liṅga, this is my liṅga. Therefore, O sons, you must always worship it here. It is ever of my own essence, the cause of my presence. Revere it always, for there is no difference between the liṅga and the bearer of the liṅga. Wherever and by whomever my liṅga is established, there I am present, even if I am not established elsewhere. The fruit of installing a single liṅga is equality with me, and with a second liṅga, one attains oneness with me. The liṅga should be installed as the primary form, and the image as secondary; if the liṅga is absent, then, even with an image, that place is incomplete. Then, the assembled asked, ‘O Lord, tell us the characteristics of your five acts, beginning with creation.’ Out of compassion, the Lord replied, ‘I will explain to you the secret knowledge of my duties. Creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, and grace—these five are my constant and perfect activities regarding the world, O unborn and imperishable ones. Creation is the beginning of existence; preservation is its maintenance; dissolution is its destruction; concealment is its withdrawal. Liberation is grace. These five are my acts. While I perform these, others remain silent, like a reflection at the city gate. The first four acts—creation, preservation, dissolution, and concealment—pertain to the expansion of worldly existence. The fifth, liberation, is always firmly established in me and is the cause of release. These five acts are reflected among my people in the five elements: creation on earth, preservation in water, and dissolution in fire as well.’ Thus, the Lord revealed his supreme nature, the mystery of the liṅga, the greatness of Aruṇācala, and the eternal acts by which the worlds are sustained and beings are liberated.