As the gods and ascetics, free from worldly passions, looked on, Shiva was overcome by deep affection for his son, feeling as though he had tasted nectar itself. With open-hearted delight, Shiva invited the young Skanda to dance upon his own chest, embracing the child’s playful spirit. They gazed at each other with mutual love, father and son bound in joy. Shiva then instructed the goddess to give her breast to the boy, so that he might drink her milk, as sweet as nectar. He gently told Skanda, “Your descent is for the welfare of the worlds.” Yet, even after this tender moment, neither Shiva nor the goddess felt fully satisfied. At Indra’s urging, and out of fear of the demon Tāraka, Shiva performed the consecration, appointing Skanda as the commander of the gods. Placing his son among them, Shiva—the destroyer of Tripura—ensured Skanda was protected. Remaining invisible, Shiva guarded Skanda in battle alongside Indra and the other gods, wielding the mighty spear that would shatter Krauñca, fierce as the fire of destruction. When Indra, out of fear, cut off Tāraka’s head, the gods, led by Hari and Dhātṛ, offered special praise for the victory. Meanwhile, the lord of the Rākṣasas, Rāvaṇa, proud of his strength, attempted to lift Mount Kailāsa with his long arms. Shiva, the god of gods and wielder of the trident, could not tolerate this audacity. With a simple movement of his big toe, Shiva pressed the mountain deep into the earth, humbling Rāvaṇa. On another occasion, Yama, the ender of life, swiftly brought the soul of a devotee who had sought refuge to Shiva’s feet. Not recognizing his own vehicle, the great bull, the submarine fire seized all the planets and was brought forth, so that only a single water remained in the world. Through such wondrous and delightful acts—many unknown to the world—the universe and its hosts were repeatedly shaken. If Shiva, who is ever peaceful, were to grant everything to all indiscriminately, how could he liberate anyone by his power? The diversity of karma, though beginningless, is not the sole determining factor; even karma acts only by the Lord’s will. Why speak at length? Atheism is not the cause behind these mysteries; O Wind, tell me how it might quickly be dispelled. O Brāhmaṇas, your doubts, prompted by reason, are worthy, for inquiry does not establish atheism in those of noble understanding. I shall state the means of knowledge that dispels the delusion of the good. For the wicked, however, a different state prevails unless blessed by the Lord’s grace. It is rightly understood that, apart from Shiva’s supreme grace, nothing at all can be accomplished. His very nature alone is sufficient for supreme grace; one without such nature cannot bestow anything. Indeed, the whole world of bound souls is to be favored, but the Lord’s command aligns with the granting of supreme grace. Shiva, as the giver of commands, always bestows favor on all; how then could he be dependent on another in accepting a purpose? There is no favoring dependent on the one to be favored; thus, true independence is characterized by non-dependence. If that which is to be favored is dependent on another, it is accepted as such; apart from grace, there is no connection to enjoyment or liberation for it. Even for those with embodied forms, favor is withdrawn by Shiva’s command. In this world, nothing exists that is not established by Śambhu’s knowledge. That by which we perceive the formless through the form—that Shiva whose essence is form—is conventionally called the Shaiva form. Yet, the formless Shiva, the supreme cause, is not directly perceived by anyone through a manifest form. It is only for the sake of being accessible to valid means of knowledge, and to explain his nature, that such a designation is made; otherwise, there is no neglect or intermediate indication. Truly, only a form directly comparable to oneself can be called a form; the form of Shiva, whose essence is form, marks his transcendence. Just as fire is not seen in wood before it is kindled, so Shiva is not manifest in the form-essence before he arises therein. Just as, when one says “bring fire,” it is not brought except from burning wood, so too Shiva is to be worshipped in the form-essence. Therefore, at the beginning of worship, the conceptualization of the form-essence is made; whatever is done to the form-essence is indeed done directly to Shiva. Even in the liṅga and other images, and especially in worship, Shiva is to be approached in the state of that particular form-essence. Just as he, the form-essence, is favored by the Supreme Lord, so too are we creatures favored by Shiva, who is established in the form-essence. For the welfare of the worlds alone, all—from Sadāśiva onward—are always established by the Supreme Lord Shiva, even in the form-essence. For the sake of enjoyment and especially for liberation of souls, Shiva’s connection with the form-essence exists in realities and non-realities. Enjoyment is understood as the result of karma, consisting of pleasure and pain; but since Shiva has no karma, what kind of enjoyment could he have? Shiva grants everything and withholds nothing; those who withhold incur faults, but such faults cannot exist in Shiva. Whatever acts of restraint are shown in Brahma and others, those too are done by Shiva in the form of Śrīkaṇṭha, only for the good of the world. There is no doubt that lordship of the universe belongs to Śrīkaṇṭha; Shiva presides over the playful form known as Śrīkaṇṭha. The gods and others who are restrained are indeed those with faults, as described. Thus, they become purified of sin, and the people too are freed from distress.