The sequence of knowledge and action that leads to liberation is firmly established, and when divine grace is bestowed, its truth becomes as clear and tangible as if held in the palm of one’s hand. By this grace, liberation is possible for anyone—be it god, demon, animal, bird, parrot, or even a worm. Grace knows no bounds of form or status. It matters not whether one is in the womb, being born, a child, youth, aged, dying, residing in heaven, or suffering in hell. Nor does it matter whether one has fallen or is righteous, learned or ignorant—once grace is received, liberation comes instantly and without doubt. Out of boundless compassion, the Supreme Lord extends grace even to those who are unfit, removing their various impurities. Devotion itself arises from grace, and grace is born of devotion. The wise recognize the differences in state, yet are never confused by them. This grace, which grants both worldly enjoyment and ultimate liberation, is not attained by humans in a single birth. Rather, the Great Lord is gracious to those who, perfected through many births, follow the injunctions of the Vedas and Smritis, who are detached and awakened. Even within an animal, when the Lord of gods is gracious, there arises the thought: “There is a Lord, He is mine,” along with a little devotion and understanding. Through various Shaiva austerities and righteous actions, a person becomes united with the Lord, and from such practice of yoga, supreme devotion arises. By this supreme devotion, the highest grace is obtained; from grace comes freedom from all bonds, and for the liberated, perfect peace. Even a small measure of this devotion in a mortal, after three births, certainly prevents suffering in lower wombs—of this there is no doubt. Service to Shiva, whether with or without external elements, is called devotion and is further divided threefold—by means of mind, speech, and body. Contemplation on Shiva’s form is mental service, recitation and similar acts are verbal service, and ritual worship and the like are bodily service. This threefold service is called the practice of Shiva’s dharma, though the Supreme Self, Shiva, declares it to be of five kinds: austerity, action, recitation, meditation, and knowledge. Ritual worship and similar acts are actions, while austerities include observances such as Chandrayana. Recitation is threefold; the practice of Shiva is contemplation, and knowledge is what is taught in the Shiva scriptures. All this was spoken by Shiva through Shrikantha, and the Shiva scriptures are for Shiva’s devotees; out of compassion, they are the sole means to the highest good. Therefore, the wise who seek the highest good should increase their devotion to Shiva, the supreme cause, and abandon attachment to sense objects. With reverence, a devotee addresses the Lord: “O Lord, I wish to hear the knowledge of Shiva, as spoken by Shiva himself, which is the essence of the Vedas and grants liberation to those who take refuge in him. This knowledge is hidden, woven with tenfold meanings, and is dismissed by the unwise and those lacking devotion or discipline; it is beyond their grasp. Sometimes it aligns with, and sometimes differs from, the duties prescribed for the classes and stages of life; it is drawn fully from the Vedas and their six limbs, as well as from Sāṃkhya and Yoga. The Supreme Lord has described it in texts numbering a hundred crore, vast in extent. In that, how is the worship of the Lord to be performed? Who is qualified for worship and for the paths of knowledge and yoga at the outset? Please explain all this in detail. Summarize the Shaiva teaching, as spoken by Shiva and found in the Vedas, free from praise and blame, and immediately effective as a means of conviction.” The reply comes: “I shall briefly tell you that divine knowledge, born of the guru’s grace, which grants liberation effortlessly; its full exposition is not possible. Long ago, desiring to create, Shiva—the immovable, the Great Lord, endowed with the cause and effect of true existence—manifested himself from the unmanifest. At that time, the Lord, the sage surpassing all, created the first among the gods, Brahmā, lord of speech. Even Brahmā beheld the divine Father as he was being born; by command, the divine progenitor saw him as he was coming into being. The Lord, seen by Rudra, created the universe and established the separate orders and stages of life. He created Soma for the sake of sacrifice; from Soma arose the sky, and from the sky, the earth, fire, the sun, the sacrifice, Vishnu, and the lord of Shachi. These gods and others praised Rudra with hymns to Rudra; the Lord, with a gracious face, stood before them. For his own play, the great Lord took away their knowledge and bewildered them. The gods, confused, asked him, ‘Who are you?’ The blessed Rudra replied, ‘I alone am the ancient one. I will be, and there is no one apart from me; I alone am the entire universe, and I satisfy it with my own radiance. There is none greater or equal to me; whoever knows me is liberated.’ Having said this, Rudra vanished, while the gods, unable to see the Lord, continued to praise him with hymns. Having undertaken the Pāśupata vow, established in the Atharvaśiras, the immortals covered all their limbs with ashes. Then, for the sake of granting them grace, the Lord of beings, the Supreme Lord, together with his attendants and Umā, made his presence manifest—he whom yogis, free from sin, sleepless, and with controlled breath, perceive in their hearts. The foremost of the gods beheld that deity whom yogis see in their hearts, the one called the supreme power, who follows the will of the Lord.