From the highest, Brahma, down to the smallest immobile beings, all creatures are said to be the offspring of the god of gods, the wielder of the trident—Shiva. All exist within the bounds of worldly power, subject to his will. Because Shiva is the master of all living beings, he is remembered as Pashupati, the Lord of creatures. Through bonds such as impurity and illusion, he binds them, drawing all into the web of existence. Yet, Shiva alone is their liberator, if worshipped with true devotion. The twenty-four principles—maya, karma, and the three qualities—are the very bonds and objects of life. With these, Maheshvara binds every being, from Brahma himself down to the humble blade of grass. By means of these bonds, the Lord compels each creature to perform its own actions, and by Mahesha’s command, nature produces what is proper for each individual. Nature first brings forth intellect; intellect gives rise to ego, and ego then produces the senses—ten plus one—and the five subtle elements. Even these subtle elements are produced by the great command of Shiva, the bestower of auspiciousness. All the great elements are generated in succession, forming the bodies of embodied beings, from the highest gods to the smallest forms of life. By Shiva’s command, the great elements arise; intellect comprehends, ego claims ownership. The mind perceives and forms intentions, while the senses—such as hearing—grasp their respective objects, like sound and so on, each fulfilling its own purpose. Each sense acts according to its own nature, not another’s, by the divine power of the Lord’s command. Speech and the other organs of action exist as established by his will. Every function is performed by each organ, nothing more, by Shiva’s command; sounds and other objects are received, and actions such as speech are carried out. For all beings, Shambhu’s command is supreme and inviolable, granting opportunity to all without exception. Space, by the order of the Supreme Lord, pervades everything; breath and other distinctions of name maintain the world within and without. Wind sustains all by Sharva’s command, carrying offerings for the gods and ancestral oblations for those who partake. Agni, by the Supreme Lord’s command, cooks and performs other tasks; water, by his order, enacts revival and other functions for all. The earth, always by the command of the Lord of the universe, supports the world, nourishes the gods, destroys the demons, and protects the three worlds. By his command, Indra and all the gods exercise sovereignty over the waters; Varuna always rules them. Varuna binds the guilty with fetters, as the master of justice; the lord of the Yakshas bestows wealth, as the master of riches. According to merit, Shiva bestows prosperity upon beings, granting enduring knowledge to the wise. He restrains the wicked by his command; Shesha, by Shiva’s order, supports the earth upon his head. Even what is called the dark, fierce, and death-bringing form of Hari is created entirely by the Lord’s command. With his many forms, Vishnu protects and, at the end of time, destroys; he preserves the universe by the command of the Lord of Time. He creates, trembles, and with his three bodies, destroys all worlds at the end; Hari acts by that very command. The soul of the universe creates and, being threefold, protects; Time accomplishes everything, and Time destroys all beings. Time preserves the universe by the command of the Lord of Time, sustaining the world through rain and other phenomena. In the sky, the sun pours down rain by the command of the god of gods, nourishing plants and delighting all beings. By the order of the moon-crested Lord, the gods drink the essence of the moon; the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Ashvins, and Maruts as well. Celestial beings, sages, perfected ones, enjoyers, humans, wild animals, cattle, birds, insects, and immobile beings—all are subject to his command. Rivers, oceans, mountains, forests, lakes, the Vedas and their limbs, treatises, mantras, hymns, and sacrifices—all exist by his will. Worlds from Kālāgni to Shiva, with their rulers, countless universes and their coverings—all are governed by his command. All that exists now, has passed, or will come to be; all directions and intermediate quarters, divisions of time and its parts—everything seen or heard in this world is established by the power of Shankara’s command. By the force of his command, the earth stands firm, as do mountains, clouds, oceans, hosts of luminaries, the gods led by Indra, and whatever exists, moving or unmoving, conscious or unconscious. This, O Krishna, is most wondrous—the work of Shambhu, whose deeds are boundless. Listen well, for this is what I have heard from the mouth of the Veda. Long ago, the gods, led by Indra, quarreled among themselves after defeating the demons in battle. Each boasted, “I am the victor!” “No, I am!” At that moment, the great Lord appeared among them in a wondrous form, without distinguishing marks, manifesting as a Yaksha. He spoke to the gods, taking a simple blade of grass from the earth: “Whoever among you can alter this is truly the conqueror of the demons.” Hearing these words, Vajrapani, the lord of Shachi, angered somewhat, laughed and tried to pick up the blade of grass. Yet, he could not even grasp it with his mind, let alone his hand. To cut it, the wielder of the thunderbolt hurled his mighty weapon.