Hear now the essence spoken by Lord Shrikantha Shiva, the Supreme Self, for the welfare of all worlds. There are souls of such greatness, so absorbed in the Divine, that even the exalted states of Brahma, Vishnu, and the lords of gods appear to them as insignificant as blades of grass. These great souls depend on nothing but Shiva alone. For those who seek to transcend all qualities, impure intellect, worldly power, and even the dominion of the lords of qualities must be cast aside. Why elaborate further? The one true means to the highest good is to absorb the mind wholly in Shiva, by whatever cause or method that may be. This, then, is the summary of the essence of knowledge, as revealed by Shiva himself. Within this compendium is contained the fullness of the Vedas, scriptures, histories, Puranas, sciences, and their many commentaries. Here are gathered six great topics: knowledge, the object of knowledge, what is to be practiced, qualification, the means, and the goal. One must come to know that knowledge which is authorized by the guru—the bond, the soul, and the Lord. Even a devoted and authorized seeker should perform the worship of the liṅga and similar rites. The means are the Śiva-mantra and related practices; the supreme goal is to attain equality with Shiva himself. It is said that knowledge of these six principles leads to omniscience. The path begins with actions such as sacrifice, performed with devotion and according to one’s means. After worshipping Shiva externally, the seeker should turn inward, offering worship within the heart. For the one whose delight is truly inward, who has amassed great merit, no external action remains necessary. Such a soul, satisfied by the nectar of knowledge and wholly devoted to Shiva, has no further duties—neither outward nor inward. Therefore, as one advances, both external and internal actions are gradually abandoned. With true knowledge, one perceives what is to be known and renounces ignorance. If the mind is not fixed on Shiva, what use are actions, performed or unperformed? And if the mind is fixed, again, what need is there for action? Thus, regardless of whether actions are performed, the mind should be established in Shiva. Those whose minds are thus steadfast in Shiva, whose intellect is unwavering, experience supreme bliss everywhere—here in this world and beyond. Through the mantra “Om namaḥ Śivāya,” all attainments are possible; it is to be pursued for mastery over all realms, higher and lower. At this, a great sage, filled with longing, addresses the all-knowing teacher: “O ocean of wisdom, I wish to hear truly of the greatness of the five-syllable mantra.” The teacher replies: “The greatness of this mantra cannot be fully described even in hundreds of millions of years. Listen, then, to its essence in brief. “In the Veda and the Śiva scriptures, this six-syllable mantra fulfills all purposes for devotees of Shiva. Though brief in syllables, it is rich in meaning—the very essence of the Veda, bestowing liberation, established by divine command, free from doubt, and of the nature of Shiva. “Endowed with many divine attainments, pleasing to the minds of all, its meaning is certain and profound; this is the supreme statement of the Lord. Easily pronounced, it brings about all aims; the all-knowing one proclaims ‘Om namaḥ Śivāya’ for all embodied beings. “Its seed is the source of all knowledge, the primary mantra, subtle and of immense significance—like the tiny seed from which the mighty banyan tree springs. The deity invoked by this mantra transcends all qualities, is all-knowing, the Lord of all actions; Shiva abides in the mantra as the single syllable ‘Om’, pervading all. “The subtle syllables beginning with ‘Ishana’—the single-syllabled Brahman—are established in the mantra ‘Namah Shivaya’ in their proper order. In this subtle six-syllabled mantra, Shiva abides as the fivefold Brahman-form. “He is both the signified and the signifier, directly and by his own nature. Shiva is called the signified because he is incomparable; the mantra is remembered as his signifier. This relationship of signified and signifier has existed from the beginningless past, just as the ocean of worldly existence has flowed from time without beginning. “In the same way, Shiva is eternally the liberator from this worldly ocean, just as a remedy, by its nature, is the antidote to disease. Shiva is remembered as the counter to all the faults of worldly existence; without the Lord of the world, all would be enveloped in darkness. “Because of the insentience of Prakriti and the ignorance of Purusha, everything from the highest principle down to the smallest atom is insentient. None of these are seen to act on their own, without an intelligent cause; discernment alone gives rise to righteousness and unrighteousness, bondage and liberation. “Without the all-knowing one, the original creation of beings does not arise—just as, without a physician, the afflicted find no relief. Therefore, Sadashiva, who is beginningless, all-knowing, and perfect, exists as the Lord, the savior of beings from the ocean of worldly existence. He is free from beginning, middle, and end, pure by his own nature, the Lord, all-knowing and complete; Shiva is to be known in the Shiva scriptures. “His name is this mantra, and he is remembered as the one denoted by it. By the relationship of name and named, the mantra is established as the supreme Shiva. This alone is the knowledge of Shiva, this alone the supreme state: the six-syllabled Shiva statement, ‘Om Namah Shivaya.’ “This Shaiva statement is an injunction, not mere praise, and it is of the very nature of Shiva—who is all-knowing, perfect, and pure. He, as benefactor of the worlds, could never speak falsely. Whatever exists, with its qualities and faults, exists by its own nature. And whatever result is complete, the all-knowing one declares accordingly; only one afflicted by passion or ignorance would speak untruth. “But such faults are not found in the Lord. What is declared by Shiva—the all-knowing, faultless, and pure—is authoritative and beyond all doubt.” Thus, the supreme knowledge, the supreme mantra, and the supreme path are revealed: to know, to remember, and to be absorbed in Shiva, through “Om Namah Shivaya.