Turning to the Great Goddess, Mahadeva explained the sacred practice of mantra recitation and the conduct that upholds its power. He described how, when one recites facing west, the mantra is known to bestow wealth; when facing north, it brings peace. The recitation is especially potent in the presence of the sun, fire, Brahmins, deities, and revered teachers. He cautioned that mantras should never be uttered with aversion, nor in the presence of others, and never while wearing a turban or upper garment, with the head bowed, with loose hair, or with the neck covered. The hands must be pure, the body clean, and the mind free from sorrow. Recitation must be avoided in states of anger, intoxication, sneezing, spitting, or yawning. Mahadeva further instructed that one should avoid seeing dogs or outcastes during recitation. If such contact occurs, purification should be performed, or one should remember Mahadeva alongside the Goddess. It is permitted to gaze at a lamp or practice breath control during recitation, and one may do so whether sitting, lying down, walking, or having just arisen. However, recitation should not take place in streets, impure places, or darkness, nor with feet outstretched or in the rooster posture. Even if riding, lying on a bed, or troubled by worry, one should strive to observe these rules if able; if not, one should recite as best as possible. Summing up, Mahadeva declared: "Why speak at length? Hear this in brief—one who recites with good conduct, in purity, and with meditation will surely attain auspiciousness." Conduct, he said, is the highest dharma, the greatest wealth, the supreme knowledge, and the ultimate path. Without proper conduct, a person is condemned in this world and finds no happiness in the next; thus, one must be adorned with good conduct. True conduct is that which is prescribed in the Vedas and authoritative scriptures. Good conduct is so called because it is practiced by the virtuous, and its root is faith. If a person of faith never strays from good conduct, he is never corrupted; therefore, one should become a person of faith. Just as happiness and sorrow arise in this world from good and bad deeds, so too do they arise in the next world—this conviction is the mark of faith. Mahadeva then leaned closer to the Goddess and confided a secret, urging her to keep it hidden from non-believers and animals alike. In the Kali age, for those devoid of good conduct, fallen, or of the lowest caste, there is no protection apart from the five-syllable mantra. Whether walking, standing, or acting as one wishes, whether pure or impure, this mantra is never fruitless. For those whose conduct is lacking, whose six paths are impure, even if they have not been instructed by a guru, this mantra is still never fruitless. It is never fruitless even for the lowest, the ignorant, the foolish, the fallen, the unrestrained, or the base. For anyone, whatever their state, if they possess supreme devotion to Mahadeva, the mantra is always accomplished—there is no doubt—but not for others. Auspicious times, lunar days, stars, weekdays, and yogas need not be considered for this mantra; it is not bound by the seven prescribed rules. For anyone, at any time, this great mantra is never an enemy, whether it is perfectly accomplished, accomplished, or yet to be accomplished. When a perfected guru gives the mantra, it is said to be perfectly accomplished. If received from an unaccomplished guru, it is accomplished and to be perfected. Yet, whether perfected or not, it is accomplished without doubt for one with supreme faith in Mahadeva, the mantra, and the guru. The wise should learn this supreme knowledge—the five-syllable mantra—directly in the ashram. Among all other mantras, even if those are accomplished, this mantra does not become accomplished; but when this great mantra is accomplished, all others are accomplished as well. “O Great Goddess,” Mahadeva said, “just as I am not attained among the gods unless I am truly attained, so too with these mantras: when I am attained, you are attained as well. The rule is the same.” Whatever faults exist in other mantras do not occur in this one, because it is practiced without regard for caste or other conditions. Yet, even so, one should not hastily employ it among those engaged in lowly or trivial aims. This is the measure of its great power. Thus, Mahadeva, the trident-wielder, directly revealed to Mahadevi the procedure of the five-syllabled mantra for the welfare of the worlds. Whoever recites this with devotion, or listens to it with concentration, is freed from all sins and attains the highest state. Hearing this, the Great Goddess addressed Mahadeva: “O Lord, you have described the greatness of the mantra and its method, which is as direct as the Veda itself. Now, I wish to hear about the supreme initiation of Shiva. You have hinted at the collection of mantras, but have not forgotten them.” Mahadeva replied, “Indeed, I will tell you the supreme and meritorious initiation, which destroys all sins, as spoken by Shiva himself. Through this initiation, a person becomes fully qualified for worship and other rites; thus, it is called the purification of the six paths. It is by this initiation that knowledge is imparted and the bonds of fetters are destroyed, and so it is also called consecration. In the Shiva scriptures, initiation is taught in three ways by Shiva, the Supreme Self: Shaambhavi, Shaakti, and Maantri. By merely seeing the guru, by touch, or even by conversation, immediate recognition arises in the being, causing the destruction of fetters. This is called Shaambhavi initiation, which is further divided into two: intense and most intense, according to the degree of fetter destruction. That initiation by which immediate liberation occurs is called most intense; the intense one purifies a person’s sins completely while alive.” Thus, Mahadeva revealed the profound secrets of mantra and initiation to the Great Goddess, for the upliftment of all beings.