The mighty thunderbolt, hurled with force, met the Yakṣa’s own weapon in battle. But astonishingly, the blade of grass wielded by the Yakṣa struck down the thunderbolt in every way, causing it to fall helplessly and sideways to the ground. Witnessing this marvel, the other powerful guardians of the worlds grew enraged. In their fury, they unleashed their weapons by the thousands, directing them all at that single blade of grass. In response, a great and terrible fire blazed forth, a fierce wind howled, and the lord of waters surged and swelled—portents resembling the upheaval that marks the approach of cosmic dissolution. Yet, O Krishna, though all the gods strove together with their might against the blade of grass, their efforts were rendered utterly futile by the Yakṣa’s own mysterious power. Then Indra, the king of the gods, his anger mounting, demanded of the Yakṣa, “Who are you?” But even as all the gods looked on, the Yakṣa vanished from their sight, leaving them bewildered. At that very moment, the goddess of the Himalayas appeared in the sky. She was adorned with divine ornaments, radiant with celestial beauty, and smiled with surpassing grace. The gods, led by Shakra (Indra), beheld her with wonder. Bowing in reverence, they turned to the Yakṣa and asked, “Who is this extraordinary Yakṣa?” The goddess smiled and replied, “He is beyond your perception. It is by him that this wheel of samsara—the cycle of birth and death, of all that moves and does not move—is set in motion. By him, the universe is created at the beginning, and by him, it is dissolved once more. There is no other controller; by him alone is everything governed.” Having spoken these profound words, the great goddess vanished as suddenly as she had appeared. The gods, amazed and filled with awe, bowed in reverence to her and returned to their heavenly abodes. Now, O Krishna, listen to the forms of Mahesha, Shiva, the Supreme Self, by whose various embodiments this entire world, both moving and unmoving, is pervaded. That Shiva, the immeasurable Self, abides in all things through his own forms; all that exists is remembered as his. Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Maheshana, and Sadashiva—these are known as his forms, by which the universe is pervaded. But there are other forms as well, five in number, called the Brahmas. Through these bodies, everything here is pervaded; nothing exists outside of them. These five forms are Ishana, Purusha, Aghora, Vama, and Sadya—renowned as the Brahmas. The form called Ishana, foremost and most exalted, directly presides over the enjoyer of nature, the knower of the field. The steadfast form called Tatpurusha presides over the unmanifest, the object of experience rooted in the qualities. The revered Aghora, belonging to Pinakin, presides over intellect, endowed with dharma and its eight limbs. Those learned in the Agamas say that Vamadeva, the form of Mahadeva, presides over ahamkara, the sense of individuality. The form called Sadyojata, of immeasurable splendor, presides over the mind. The wise know that Ishana, lordly among lords, presides over the ear, speech, sound, and space. Those skilled in the meaning of the Puranas know that Purusha, lordly among forms, presides over the skin, hand, touch, and wind. The learned declare that Aghora presides over the eye, foot, form, and fire. They know Vamadeva, the sovereign, as devoted to pleasure, to the tongue, to taste, and to water. Sadyojata, the sovereign, is said to preside over the nose, the generative organ, scent, and earth. These five forms of the god are to be reverently worshipped always by those who seek the highest good, for they are the sole cause of all auspiciousness. Of that god, the god of gods, the world is composed of eight forms; by pervading them, the universe abides in him, just as clusters of jewels are strung on a thread. Ishana, the great god, and the eight renowned forms are thus declared. Earth, water, fire, wind, space, the knower of the field, the sun, and the moon are presided over by Mahesha through the eight forms beginning with Sharva. The form called Sharvi, also known as Shiva, upholds the universe of the moving and unmoving, as the very essence and supporter of the world—this is the settled conclusion of the scripture. The Supreme Self’s form as water is sung as the life-giver of the entire world. The auspicious form of Rudra, called Raudri, pervades the universe within and without, is made of light, imperishable, and assumes a terrible aspect. The form of Ugra, the creator, is said by the wise to cause movement, to bear the life-giving wind, and to move by itself. The form called Bhima, belonging to Bhima, is the giver of all space, all-pervading, of the nature of the sky, and the divider of the multitude of beings. The form of Pashupati is the sovereign of all, dwelling in every field, and the cutter of the bonds of creatures. The form of Mahesha called Ishana, named after the sun, illuminates the entire world and moves in the heavens. The form of Mahadeva, called Mahadeva, is the moon, the nectar-giver, nourishing the whole world. The eighth form of Shiva, the Supreme Self, is his own self; from him, who pervades the other forms, the universe itself is of the nature of Shiva. Just as the branches of a tree flourish when its root is watered, so does the body of the world flourish through the worship of Shiva. The worship of Shiva is known to grant all fearlessness, bestow all grace, and bring about every beneficence.