According to the sacred rite, the sage Upamanyu purified Kṛṣṇa of all impurity through acts of austerity. He dusted Kṛṣṇa with holy ash and intoned mantras, beginning with those dedicated to Agni and proceeding in the proper order. Once this purification was complete, Upamanyu initiated Kṛṣṇa directly into the twelve-month Pāśupata vow, a profound and demanding spiritual observance. Through this, the sage bestowed upon Kṛṣṇa the highest and most secret knowledge. From that moment on, all the divine Pāśupatas—those sages wholly devoted to their vows—gathered around Kṛṣṇa, serving him and attending to his needs. Then, at the command of his revered guru, Kṛṣṇa, now endowed with supreme power, undertook intense austerities with a singular purpose: to obtain a son, directing his devotion toward Śaṃbhu, the great Lord Śiva. At the conclusion of Kṛṣṇa’s austerities, the Supreme Lord himself appeared before him, radiant with divine splendor. Śiva stood there, accompanied by Sāṃba and his attendants. For the sake of the boon he sought, Kṛṣṇa, with joined hands and deep reverence, offered heartfelt praises to Hari, who had manifested in a beautiful and wondrous form. Immersed in the company of his attendants, Kṛṣṇa received Sāṃba as his son; Śiva, pleased by Kṛṣṇa’s devotion and austerity, granted this boon to Viṣṇu. Śiva, the great Mahādeva, gave Sāṃba as his own son, and so he was named Sāṃba, the son of Jāṃbavatī. Thus, everything has been told: how Kṛṣṇa, renowned for his limitless deeds, attained sacred knowledge from the sage and received a son from Śaṃkara. Whoever recites, listens to, or causes this story to be heard each day attains the knowledge of Viṣṇu and rejoices in his company. Now, questions arise: What is this Pāśupata knowledge? In what way is Śiva the Lord of all creatures? How did Kṛṣṇa, whose actions are ever pure, question the elder Dhaumya on these mysteries? O Vāyu, tell us all these things—describe the form and essence of Śaṃkara, for there is none to match you in eloquence, nor any other master in the three worlds. Hearing these earnest requests, the great sage Prabhanjana recollected Śiva, the Lord of all, and prepared to speak. He began by recalling that, long ago, the supreme Pāśupata knowledge was directly taught by Maheśa, also called Śrīkaṇṭha, on Mount Mandara to the goddess Pārvatī. This very knowledge was later sought by Kṛṣṇa—Viṣṇu himself, the source of the universe—who wished to understand the nature of creatures, the lordship of Śiva, and the mysteries of bondage and liberation. As it had been taught to Kṛṣṇa by the sage Upamanyu, so too would the sage now declare it briefly, urging all to listen attentively. He recounted how, in times past, Viṣṇu in the form of Kṛṣṇa approached Upamanyu, who was seated in deep meditation, and respectfully addressed him: “O revered one, I wish to hear the divine Pāśupata knowledge spoken by the god to the goddess, and to learn the fullness of his glory. How is Pāśupati the lord of creatures? Who are these creatures? By what bonds are they bound and released, and how?” Thus prompted, the great-souled Upamanyu, after bowing to the god and goddess, spoke as he had been asked. He explained: “From Brahmā at the summit down to the immobile beings like grass, all are called creatures of the god of gods, the trident-wielder Śiva, subject to the powers of worldly existence. Because he is the lord over all these, Śiva is remembered as Pāśupati, the Lord of Creatures. Through bonds such as impurity and illusion, the Lord binds the creatures, and he alone is their liberator when worshipped with true devotion. The twenty-four principles—māyā, karma, and the three guṇas—are the elements of bondage. These are the objects, the bonds of life itself. Mahādeva binds all beings, from Brahmā down to a blade of grass, with these bonds. By these, the Lord compels each being to perform its own actions. By the command of Maheśa, nature produces what is appropriate for each person. Nature brings forth intellect; intellect gives rise to ego, and ego to the senses—ten plus one—and the five subtle elements as well. By the command of the god of gods, Śiva, bestower of auspiciousness, even the subtle elements are produced. All the great elements then come forth in succession, forming the bodies of living beings, from Brahmā to the smallest blade of grass. The great elements, without exception, arise by Śiva’s command; intellect discerns, and ego claims ownership. The mind perceives and forms intentions; the senses such as hearing grasp their respective objects—sound and the rest—each separately. Each organ acts according to its own nature, not another’s, by the divine power of the god’s command; speech and the other organs of action function as established. Each performs its own task and nothing else, by Śiva’s will; sounds are received, and actions such as speech are carried out. For all beings, the command of Śaṃbhu is inviolable and supreme; it grants opportunity to every creature without exception. Space, by the order of the Supreme Lord, pervades all; breath and the other distinctions of name sustain the world both within and without. Wind upholds everything by Śarva’s command, carrying offerings for the gods and ancestral oblations for those who partake of them. Agni, the fire, performs cooking and other vital tasks by the Supreme Lord’s command; water, by that same order, brings about revival and other functions for all. The earth always supports the world by the command of the Lord of the universe; she nourishes the gods, destroys the demons, and protects the three worlds. By his command, Indra, king of the gods, along with all the other deities, exercises sovereignty over the waters; Varuṇa always rules them. The guilty are bound with fetters by that very command; Kubera, lord of the Yakṣas, dispenses wealth as the master of riches. According to merit, the Lord bestows prosperity upon beings through the guidance of each person’s nature; he grants enduring knowledge to the wise. Thus, all creatures and all actions are bound and released by the supreme will of Śiva, the eternal Lord of all.