O Krishna, listen as I reveal to you the wondrous nature of the Supreme Lords. All that is most exalted, pure, virtuous, and auspicious—everything that the blessed ones praise as supreme—arises from the effulgence of these Lords. Their radiance is like the flame of a lamp that illumines an entire house; so too, the brilliance of these two pervades and illuminates the whole world. The supreme revelation teaches that, from the simplest blade of grass up to the majestic form of Shiva himself, the universe unfolds in a marvelous sequence, each manifestation arising according to its closeness to these two. They assume all forms, bestow every auspiciousness, and are ever worthy of worship, reverence, and contemplation. Today, O Krishna, I have explained to you, as best as I understand, the true nature of the Supreme Lords—but even so, I have not described it in its entirety. Indeed, how can one ever fully express the true nature of the Supreme Lords? Their essence lies beyond even the reach of the greatest minds. For those whose hearts are wholly devoted to the Lord, his reality is found within; for others, it is not firmly established in the intellect, or only dimly perceived. The manifest glory I have described so far is regarded as material; but those who know the hidden secret speak of another glory—supreme, immaterial, and concealed. That supreme, immaterial glory of the Lord is a realm where words, mind, and senses fall back, unable to reach. It alone is the highest abode, the supreme goal, the furthest limit—the true glory of the Supreme Lord. To attain this, those who have mastered their breath and senses strive with great care, like a potter shaping the flawless mouth of a jar. The wise who know Shiva’s glory, which is like a life-restoring medicine for those bitten by the serpent of worldly existence, become fearless. One who knows both the supreme and the non-supreme glory transcends the lower and attains the highest. Thus, O Krishna, I have confided to you the true nature of the Supreme Self, even its secret, for you are worthy and a devoted follower of the radiant Lord. According to the Vedas, this glory should never be spoken to the uninitiated, to those who are not Shaiva, or to those lacking devotion. Therefore, you should share this only with the supremely virtuous, not with others; but you may tell it to those who are like yourself, and none else. Whoever imparts this glory of Shiva to the worthy is freed from the ocean of worldly existence and attains union with Shiva. By reciting these teachings, countless great sins are destroyed; and with repeated recitation, even more are dissolved. Hostile and inauspicious influences are vanquished, friends prosper, Shaiva knowledge grows, and the mind becomes firmly established in truth. Through this, supreme devotion to Shiva, to Ambika, to their attendants, and all that is most desired is surely attained. If one is pure of heart, devoted to Shiva, and sings his praise with faith, yet finds the results hindered by powerful past actions, let him persist again and again, for nothing is unattainable to such a soul. Know, O Krishna, that this entire universe, both moving and unmoving, is the very form of the God of gods. Yet those weighed down by the fetters of ignorance do not perceive this truth. The great sages, not realizing the undivided supreme reality, speak of that one alone as if it were manifold. Some declare that the supreme Lord is both the lower and higher form of Brahman—whose nature is Brahman, the great God, without beginning or end, the highest. The lower Brahman is said to be made of elements, senses, mind, primordial nature, and objects, while the higher Brahman is pure consciousness. Because of its greatness, or because it causes all to grow, it is called Brahman. Both these forms—lower and higher—are Brahman, the Lord of Brahman, the master. Some call him the embodiment of both knowledge and ignorance. It is said that knowledge is consciousness, and ignorance is non-consciousness; and this entire universe of the supreme teacher consists of both knowledge and ignorance. There is no doubt that the universe is his very form, for all is under his control. Illusion is sometimes called knowledge, yet the supreme form of Shiva is ever the highest. Mistaken understanding of objects in many ways is called illusion, while awareness aligned with the true nature of things is declared to be knowledge. That reality which is free from all distinctions is called the supreme; what is not real is termed ‘non-being’ by the wise who expound the Veda. Because he is the lord of both, Shiva is known as the master of being and non-being. The wise say he is both perishable and imperishable, and also beyond both. All beings are perishable; the imperishable is called the unchanging; both are forms of the Supreme Lord, for both are under his command. Of these two, Shiva is said to be the supreme—peaceful, beyond both perishable and imperishable. He is both the collective and the individual, and the cause of both. Some sages say Shiva is the supreme cause; they call the collective unmanifest, and the individual manifest as well. These two forms of the Supreme Lord arise from his will; because they are causes, Shiva is the supreme cause. Those who know the meaning of cause say he is the cause of both collective and individual; some call the Lord the essence of class and individual. That which persists in groups is called ‘class’; ‘individual’ is the distinct form, the support of the group and class. Classes and individuals are governed by his command; thus, the great God is remembered as the embodiment of both class and individual. Shiva is described as the essence of primordial matter, the person, the manifest, and time itself. Primordial matter is called nature, and the person is known as the knower of the field. The wise declare that the manifest consists of twenty-three principles; and time alone is the cause of the transformation of the world of effects. Thus, O Krishna, is the profound glory and mystery of the Supreme Lord revealed.