Just as a father delights in the love shown to his children and grandchildren, so too does Śaṃkara, the auspicious Lord, rejoice when one shows universal affection to all beings. To harm any living creature is, in truth, to harm the Eight-formed One himself—there can be no doubt of this. Therefore, one should worship Śiva, who pervades the universe in his eightfold forms, with all one’s heart, for he is Rudra, the supreme cause of all. It is said, O Lord, that the entire universe is pervaded by the forms of Parameśa, Śarva, whose brilliance is beyond measure. Yet, a question arises: what is the true nature of the Lord and the Lady? How do Śiva and Śivā, as the male and female principles, govern this universe? The answer is profound and can only be declared briefly, for even the wisest cannot fully express the boundless powers and true essence of Śiva and Śivā. Śakti is the great goddess herself, and Mahādeva is he who possesses her power; all that exists—moving or unmoving—is but a fraction of their shared glory. Within creation, some things are insentient, others conscious; there are both pure and impure, higher and lower forms. That which moves within the circle of consciousness, mingling with the unconscious, is impure; but what transcends both is the highest, most auspicious reality. Both the lower and the higher realms are composed of consciousness and unconsciousness—this is the inherent lordship of Śiva and Śivā. It is they who rule the universe—the universe does not rule them. Because all must be governed, Śiva and Śivā are rightfully called the lords of all. There is no difference between Śiva and Devī; as is one, so is the other, just as the moon and its radiant light are inseparable. The moon cannot shine without its light, though it may be present; likewise, Śiva does not shine without Śakti. Similarly, the sun cannot exist without its radiance, and radiance depends entirely on the sun. Thus, the existence of power and the possessor of power is mutually dependent; without Śiva, there is no Śakti, and without Śakti, there is no Śiva. Through her, Śiva is ever present in the devotion and liberation of embodied beings; she alone is the supreme, conscious power, yet she depends on Śiva. She, called the power of the Lord of all, possesses many qualities but shares the same essential nature as the supreme soul, Śiva. She alone is the supreme, creative power, conscious and self-luminous; she divides and arranges the universe in countless ways, always according to Śiva’s will. The root-principle, Māyā, is remembered as threefold, possessing the three qualities; by her, even Shiva is veiled, and she pervades the entire universe. The powers manifest in one, two, or even a hundred thousand forms, divided according to the needs of the world. By Shiva’s will, the supreme power, united with him, begins to manifest at the dawn of creation, as oil emerges from sesame seeds. From this union, the power called Kriyā arises, and when this power is stirred, the first sound—nāda—comes forth. From sound emerges the point (bindu); from the point, the god Sadāśiva; from him is born Maheśvara, and from Maheśvara, pure knowledge arises. This power of speech, called Vāgīśā, is the sovereign power of the trident-bearing Lord; she expands among the mothers as the letters of language. Then, through infinite infusion, Māyā brings forth time, destiny, limitation, knowledge, and from limitation, attachment and the sense of self. From Māyā again arises the unmanifest, composed of the three qualities, and from this unmanifest, the three qualities—sattva, rajas, and tamas—become distinct. These qualities pervade the entire universe, and from their agitation arise the three forms known as the lords of the qualities. From these lords, the great principles beginning with Mahat are born in due order; from these principles, countless cosmic eggs come into being, established by Shiva’s command and presided over by the infinite lords of knowledge. The divisions of power are described according to the differences among bodies—gross and subtle, of various forms. The fierce power of Rudra is called Raudrī; for Viṣṇu, it is Vaiṣṇavī; for Brahmā, Brahmāṇī; and for Indra, Aindrī. In truth, the universe is pervaded by power itself, just as the inner self pervades the body. Thus, all that exists, moving and unmoving, is made of power. The supreme power, called Kalā, is of the Supreme Self. This power, always following the will of the Lord, creates all that is stable and moving in the universe. Within the Lord dwell three inherent powers: knowledge, action, and intention. Ever united with power, he pervades and sustains the universe. His will-power is eternal and determines all effects, declaring, “Let this be thus; let this not be thus.” The power of knowledge determines the effect, the instrument, the cause, and the purpose, taking the form of intellect. The power of action, according to its own will, brings forth the entire world of effects in an instant, manifesting as intention. As the arising of these three powers is the nature of the source of power, so, impelled by the supreme Power, all the worlds are brought forth. Through union with Power, Shiva is called the Possessor of Power; and this world, arising from Power and the Possessor of Power, is both Shakta and Shaiva. Just as a son cannot be born without both father and mother, so too, without Bhava and Bhavani, this universe—moving and unmoving—cannot exist. The world arises from the union of male and female, and is indeed of the nature of both.