Listen, O Krishna, to the profound mystery of the Supreme Lords, as revealed by the ancient seers. The essence of taste that delights the senses is Mahadevi herself; Shiva is the one who enjoys that taste. The very nature of affection is Girija, and it is Girisha, her consort, who experiences that affection. When a thought arises, it is always held by the goddess Maheshvari, while the thinker—the universal Self, the great god Maheshvara—contemplates. The capacity to understand is borne by Bhava’s beloved, and the knower is the lord adorned with the tender crescent moon. Prana, the vital force in all beings, is Pinaki, the lord of all creatures, and the state of being within prana is Ambika, the water-formed goddess who pervades all. The beloved of Tripurantaka takes on the role of the field, while the destroyer of death is the knower of the field. Day itself is the god who wields the trident, and night is dear to him; space is Shankara, and earth is his beloved. The vast ocean is the lord, and its shore is the daughter of the mountain king. The tree is the god with the bull-banner, and the creeper entwining it is the beloved of the Lord of the universe. The ruler of cities, the lord, assumes all masculine forms, while the goddess, delight of the gods, assumes all feminine forms. All words, the entire web of speech, are borne by the beloved of all, and the lord crowned with the tender moon embodies the totality of meaning. For every entity and every power that is declared, it is the goddess, ruler of the universe, and the lord Maheshvara who are present. Whatever is supreme, pure, virtuous, or auspicious—all that, the blessed ones say, is the radiant expansion of these two. Just as the flame of a lamp illumines a house, so too does the radiance of Shiva and Shakti pervade and illumine the world. The supreme revelation declares that from the smallest blade of grass up to the form of Shiva himself, the extraordinary sequence of manifestation in the universe unfolds according to the nearness and interplay of these two. They possess all forms and bestow every good, and thus they are ever to be worshipped, saluted, and contemplated. O Krishna, I have thus explained to you, as best as I understand, the true nature of the Supreme Lords, though not in its entirety—for how can their full nature be spoken? It lies beyond even the minds of the greatest sages. For those whose minds are wholly devoted to the Lord, the truth is revealed within; for others, it is not established in the intellect, or only as a shadow. This manifest glory, as described, is considered material; but those who know the secret know of another glory—supreme, immaterial, and hidden. That highest glory of the Lord is where words, mind, and senses turn back, unable to reach. That alone is the highest abode here, the supreme goal, and the utmost limit—the glory of the Supreme Lord. To attain that, those who have conquered their breath and senses strive, just as a potter carefully shapes the flawless mouth of a jar. The wise one who knows the glory of Shiva—like a life-restoring medicine for those bitten by the serpent of worldly existence—fears nothing. He who knows both the supreme and the non-supreme glory transcends the lower and attains the highest. Thus, O Krishna, I have revealed to you the true nature of the Supreme Self, even its secret, for you are worthy and a devoted seeker of the radiant one. According to the Vedic injunction, this glory should not be spoken to the uninitiated, to non-Shaivas, or to those lacking devotion. Share it only with those who are supremely virtuous, not with others—only with those like yourself. Whoever teaches this glory of Shiva to the worthy becomes liberated from the ocean of worldly existence and attains union with Shiva. By reciting these teachings, countless great sins are destroyed, and those repeated more often are destroyed even further. Hostile and inauspicious forces are dispelled, friends flourish, Shaiva knowledge increases, and the mind becomes established in truth. Supreme devotion to Shiva, to Ambika, to their followers and attendants—whatever else is most desired, that too is surely attained. If someone is pure within, devoted to Shiva, and sings his praise with confidence, yet powerful past actions hinder the result, let him practice again and again; for such a person, nothing here is difficult to attain. Know, O Krishna, that this entire universe, moving and unmoving, is the very form of the God of gods. Yet those bound by the heavy fetters of ignorance do not perceive this truth. The great sages, not knowing the supreme, undivided reality, speak of that one alone as manifold. Some say the supreme Lord is the lower form of Brahman and also the higher, whose very nature is Brahman—the great god, without beginning or end, the highest. The lower Brahman consists of the elements, the senses, the mind, primordial nature, and objects; the higher Brahman is pure consciousness. Because of its greatness, or because it causes all to grow, it is called Brahman. Both these are forms of Brahman, the Lord of Brahman, the master—some call him the form of knowledge and ignorance. Knowledge is consciousness, and ignorance is non-consciousness; this entire universe of the supreme teacher consists of both. There is no doubt that the universe is his very form, for it is under his control. Illusion is called knowledge, and the supreme form of Shiva is known as the highest. Mistaken understanding of objects in many ways is called illusion, while awareness in accordance with the true nature of things is knowledge. The reality that is free from all distinctions is called the supreme; what is not real, by contrast, is termed ‘non-being’ by those who expound the Veda. Thus, the mystery of the Supreme Lord and Lady is revealed, their glory shining as the light that illumines all, their unity and play manifesting as the very fabric of existence itself.