Hear now the profound mystery of the universe and its Lord. The entire cosmos is governed by Śiva and Śivā; they are not subject to the universe, but rather, it is under their dominion. Because the universe is to be ruled, Śiva and Śivā are the sovereigns over all that exists. Śiva and Devī are one in essence—just as the moon and its light are inseparable, so too are Śiva and Devī. There is no true distinction between them. As the moon cannot shine without its own radiance, even if present, so too Śiva does not shine without Śakti. Likewise, the sun exists not apart from its brilliance, and that brilliance is entirely dependent on the sun. Thus, the power (Śakti) and the possessor of power (Śiva) are mutually dependent: without Śiva there is no Śakti, without Śakti, no Śiva. It is through this supreme power that Śiva is always manifest in devotion and liberation for embodied beings. She alone is the highest power—consciousness itself—yet she depends upon Śiva. This power, known as the energy of the Lord of all, is adorned with countless attributes, yet her true nature is one with the supreme soul, Śiva. She alone is the supreme, conscious power, creative by her very nature. She divides the universe in manifold ways, arranging it according to Śiva’s will. This root-principle is Māyā, remembered as threefold, possessing the three qualities (guṇas). By her, even Śiva is veiled, and she pervades the entire universe. Powers are differentiated in one, two, or even a hundred thousand ways, divided according to the needs of the world. By Śiva’s will, the supreme power, united with the principle of Śiva, begins to manifest at the dawn of creation, like oil pressed from sesame seeds. Then, by the power called Kriyā, which arises from the empowered, when this power is stirred, the first sound (nāda) emerges. From this primal sound arises the point (bindu); from bindu is born the god Sadāśiva; from Sadāśiva comes Maheśvara, and from Maheśvara springs pure knowledge. This sovereign power of speech, called Vāgīśā, belongs to the trident-bearing Lord; she spreads among the mothers as the very letters themselves. Thereafter, through infinite infusion, Māyā produces time, destiny, limitation, knowledge, and from limitation arise attachment and the individual soul. From Māyā again arises the unmanifest, composed of the three qualities, and from this threefold unmanifest, the distinct qualities—sattva, rajas, and tamas—come forth. These three qualities pervade the entire universe. When they are agitated, the three forms known as the lords of the qualities arise. From them, the principles beginning with Mahat emerge in due order. From these, countless cosmic eggs are established by Śiva’s command, each presided over by infinite lords of knowledge. The divisions of power are described according to the differences among bodies; these powers are of many forms, distinguished as gross and subtle. The fierce power of Rudra is Raudrī; for Viṣṇu, it is Vaiṣṇavī; for Brahmā, it is Brahmāṇī; and for Indra, it is Aindrī. Why speak at length? The universe itself is pervaded by this power, just as the inner self pervades the body. Therefore, all that exists, moving and unmoving, is made of power. The supreme power, called Kalā, is declared to be of the Supreme Self. Thus, this supreme power, following the will of the Lord, certainly creates all that is stable and moving in the universe. With the three inherent powers—knowledge, action, and intention—the Lord, ever endowed with power, pervades and sustains the universe. The will-power of the Great Lord, eternal and the regulator of all outcomes, is of the nature: “Let this be thus, let this not be thus.” The power of knowledge determines the effect, the instrument, the cause, and the purpose, manifesting as intellect. The power of action, according to its own will, brings forth the entire world of effects in an instant, taking the form of 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 produced. Thus, through union with Power, Śiva is called the Possessor of Power; and this world, arising from both Power and the Possessor of Power, is both Śākta and Śaiva. Just as a son is not born without both father and mother, so too, without Bhava and Bhavānī, this moving and unmoving universe does not exist. The world arises from the union of male and female and is of the very nature of both. The manifestation of male and female is established by both. The Supreme Self is called Śiva, and she is renowned as Śivā. Śiva is called Sadāśiva, and she is Manonmanī; Śiva is Maheshvara, and she is known as Māyā. The Purusha is the Supreme Lord, and Prakriti is the Supreme Lady; Rudra is truly Maheshvara, and Rudrāṇī is Rudra’s beloved. Viṣṇu is the Lord of the Universe, and Lakṣmī is his beloved; when Brahmā is the creator, Śiva is Brahmā, and Brahmāṇī is Brahmā’s beloved. The Sun is the blessed Śambhu, his radiance is the blessed Śivā; Mahendra is the enemy of Kāma, and Śacī is the daughter of the mountain king. Agni is the great god, Svāhā is the one who shares half the body of Śarva; Yama is the three-eyed god, and his beloved is the daughter of the mountain. Nirrti is the blessed Lord, Nairriti is the daughter of the mountain; Varuṇa is the blessed Rudra, and Varuṇī is the daughter of the mountain. Vāyu, adorned with the crescent moon, is Śiva, and Śivā is enchanting; Yakṣa is he who destroys the head of the sacrifice, and Riddhi is the daughter of the king of the mountains. Chandra, who wears the crescent moon, is Chandra, and Rohiṇī is Rudra’s beloved; Iśāna is the Supreme Lord, and his noble lady is the Supreme Lady. Ananta, adorned with endless bracelets, is Ananta, and Ananta’s beloved is Anantā; Kālāgni Rudra is the enemy of Time, and Kālī is the beloved of the ender of Time. In this way, all that exists—moving or unmoving, manifest or hidden—arises from the union of Śiva and Śakti, the Lord and his Power, the eternal male and female, the Supreme Self and the Supreme Lady.