In the presence of his devoted sons, the great Lord Śiva began to reveal the profound mysteries of creation and dissolution. He spoke of the subtle forces pervading the universe: “Concealment dwells within air, and grace abides in space; from earth, all things are brought forth, and by water, all that lives is nourished and grows. Yet, fire consumes all in the end, wind carries all away, and space upholds everything. Thus, the wise should understand the workings of the cosmos.” Śiva continued, “Know that these five acts—creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, and grace—are performed by me, and to comprehend them, there are five faces: four in the cardinal directions and the fifth in the center. Through your austerities, O my sons, you have attained two of these acts—creation and preservation. This fortune, dear to my heart, I have granted you out of affection. But the two supreme acts, grace and concealment, belong to Rudra and Maheśa alone, and cannot be obtained by any other.” He reminded them, “All these ancient deeds have faded from your memory with the passage of time, but Rudra and Maheśa have not forgotten. In form, attire, action, vehicle, seat, weapon, and all else, we have made everything equal among ourselves for this very purpose. Yet, because you have become separated from my knowledge, confusion has arisen within you. If my knowledge were present, there would be no pride in form, even one as glorious as Maheśa’s.” Śiva then offered a path to restore their knowledge: “Therefore, to regain my knowledge, recite the mantra Om, which destroys pride and reveals my true nature. I have taught you my own mantra, the great and auspicious Om, which first arose from my mouth and awakened my consciousness. I am both the utterer and the uttered; this mantra is of my very essence. To remember it is to remember me always.” He described the cosmic origin of the sacred sounds: “‘U’ emerges before the northern face, ‘ka’ from the western, ‘ma’ from the southern, and the bindu from the eastern face. The sound itself arises from the central face, thus expanding in five directions, yet when united, they become the single syllable Om. This mantra pervades all that exists—every name and form, both branches of the Veda—and it reveals both Śiva and Śakti.” “From Om arose the five-syllabled mantra, which unveils all things, beginning with ‘a’ and ‘na’. From this mantra came the fivefold mothers, and from my head and four faces, the three-footed Gāyatrī manifested in threefold form. From this, the Vedas were born, and from them, countless mantras, each bringing its own accomplishment and all attainments. Through this root-mantra, both enjoyment and liberation are attained; all kingly mantras bestow auspicious enjoyments directly.” Śiva then performed a sacred initiation. For Brahmā and Viṣṇu, he placed a veil and, together with Ambikā, instructed them in the supreme mantra, gently placing his lotus hand upon their heads as they sat facing north. He recited the mantra three times, as prescribed in the sacred texts, offering his two disciples on his right, as well as himself. With their hands joined, Brahmā and Viṣṇu stood near and offered heartfelt praise to the World-Teacher: “Salutations to the formless one, to the radiance beyond form, to the Lord of all forms, to the soul of all. Salutations to the One denoted by Om, whose form is the Om-shaped liṅga, to the Creator and all that follows, to the One with five faces. Salutations to the embodiment of the five Brahmas, performer of the five acts, the Supreme Self of infinite qualities and powers. Salutations to Śambhu, the Guru, who is all and yet partless.” Having offered their reverence in this way, Brahmā and Viṣṇu bowed deeply before their Guru. Śiva then addressed them with affection: “All the principles have now been explained and revealed to you. Recite the mantra Om, which the Goddess gave and which is of my own essence. Through this, your knowledge will become firm, your fortune everlasting, and all things will be made eternal. On the fourteenth day, when the star Ardra is present, reciting this mantra brings inexhaustible merit. When Ardra coincides with the Sun’s course, the merit increases ten millionfold. The final portion of Mṛgaśīrṣa and the beginning of Punarvasu are also auspicious times.” He instructed further, “Ardra should always be regarded as equal for worship, offerings, and oblations. The sight of the liṅga at dawn, during the early morning, is especially meritorious. The fourteenth day that extends into midnight should be observed, and if it extends into the evening, it is especially praised. The liṅga and the image are both worthy of worship, but the liṅga is supreme. Therefore, those seeking liberation should worship the liṅga above the image. The liṅga should be established with the Om mantra, and the image with the five-syllable mantra; both should be consecrated with proper materials, either by oneself or by others. By worshipping with offerings, my state is easily attained.” Having thus instructed his disciples, Śiva disappeared from their sight. Then, the question arose: How should the liṅga be established? What are the characteristics of the site? How should it be worshipped, and in what place, time, and by whom? For their sake, the answer was given: “Listen attentively. At an auspicious and favorable time, in a holy place or on a riverbank, the liṅga should be installed wherever regular worship can be performed—whether made of earth, stone, or metal, according to one’s preference. A liṅga endowed with the marks of a wish-fulfilling tree grants the fruit of worship; one adorned with all auspicious marks bestows the fruit of worship immediately.” “The subtle form is especially praised for portable liṅgas, while the gross form is for fixed ones. It should be made with marks and a pedestal according to Śiva’s ordinance. The pedestal may be square, triangular, or club-shaped, with a subtle center, and such a pedestal yields great fruit. First, the liṅga should be made from clay, stone, or similar materials, or from metals and the like. The pedestal should be of the same material as the liṅga, especially for fixed installations.” In this way, the mysteries of the liṅga’s origin, worship, and the supreme mantra were revealed, guiding all seekers on the path to knowledge, fortune, and liberation.