Not knowing what action was truly fitting in that moment, the devotee humbly bowed before the Lord and spoke whatever arose in his heart. He confessed, “O Lord, though you granted me the power of causality, I forgot it through your own māyā. Deluded and filled with pride, I have once again been instructed by you.” With deep humility, he continued, “What use is there in many words? I am truly afraid, O Lord, for I tried to comprehend you—who cannot be comprehended. They praise you, O Mahādeva, destroyer of the suffering of the fearful. Therefore, O Śaṃkara, please forgive my transgression today.” Hearing these words from the two great lords, Brahmā and Viṣṇu, the great Lord Śiva was pleased. With a gentle smile, he addressed them graciously, “O Brahmā and Viṣṇu, you both were deluded by my māyā. Overcome by pride in your own powers, you became mutually hostile in understanding. Engaging in dispute—even to the point of battle—you did not desist, and thus the creation of beings was interrupted, though you are the causes of the world. Because of ignorance and pride, discord arose between you two. To remove that, I myself brought about your pride and delusion.” Śiva continued, “You were restrained by the play of the liṅga’s manifestation. Therefore, abandoning all dispute and shame completely, you two, free from envy, should each perform your own duties as before, according to my command, together with all the collections of knowledge. For the sake of establishing your fame as causes, I gave you both the supreme mantra-jewel, known as the Sūtra, composed of five syllables. All that I instructed you has today been forgotten by you both. Now, by my command, I give it again, entirely as before. Without that, you are not able to create or protect.” Having declared this, the great Lord addressed Nārāyaṇa and the Grandsire, giving them the king of mantras, together with all knowledge. Receiving this supreme, divine command of Maheśvara—the great mantra-jewel and all the arts as before—they bowed deeply, prostrating themselves like staffs at the feet of the God of gods. Standing there, free from fear and filled with joy and calm, they witnessed a wondrous, magical, divine liṅga vanish from sight. They searched everywhere, but the liṅga was nowhere to be found. Lamenting with cries of “Alas!”, their affection for it was suddenly broken. Saying to each other, “What is this strange event?”, they reflected on the inconceivable greatness of Śambhu, and their distress was dispelled. Having attained supreme friendship, embracing each other, those foremost of gods departed, intent on fulfilling the world’s activity. From that time onward, all the gods and asuras, beginning with Indra, as well as sages, men, nāgas, and women, according to the prescribed rule, began to establish the liṅga and worship Śiva in the liṅga. Then the devotee asked, “O Lord, I wish to hear the supreme procedure for installation, and how the image and the liṅga were established by Śiva.” The Lord replied: “On an auspicious day during the bright fortnight, following the path prescribed by the Śiva scriptures, one should properly establish the liṅga. First, select an auspicious place and examine the ground, performing the ten rites of worship, beginning with the examination of auspicious marks. After purifying the site and performing the related rites, bring the liṅga to the bathing place. Inscribe the prescribed marks as set forth in the treatises on iconography. The liṅga, together with its pedestal, should be purified with eight or five kinds of clay and water, as well as with the five sacred products of the cow. “Having worshipped the liṅga with its pedestal, bring it to a divine water vessel and perform the consecration there. In a pure consecration chamber, adorned in every way with an archway and enclosure, and garlanded with darbha grass, arrange for eight guardian elephants, eight pots for the guardians of the directions, eight auspicious articles, and worship by the guardians themselves. In the center, place a seat marked with a lotus, made of gold or wood, along with a large platform. “Worship the doorkeepers in order—Samudra, Vibhadra, Sunanda, and Vinandaka. After bathing and worshipping the liṅga and its pedestal, wrap it all around with two cloths and two kusa grass rings. Slowly pour water and lay it upon the platform, with its head to the east, a cord below, and the pedestal to its west. The liṅga, endowed with all auspicious marks, should be consecrated there for five nights, or three, or even just one night. “After worshipping it there and purifying as before, following the festival procedure, bring it to the sleeping chamber. There, in the center, establish the place for resting; after bathing the liṅga with pure waters, worship it in order. In the northeast, draw a lotus on the purified ground; after purifying the Śiva-pot, invoke Śiva there and worship him. In the center of the altar, properly draw a white lotus, and to its west, inscribe the Caṇḍikā-lotus as well. “Prepare a bed there with cloths such as linen, or with flowers or darbha grass, and place a golden flower upon it. Then, accompanied by all auspicious sounds, bring the liṅga, wrap it all around with a pair of red cloths and kusa grass rings, and continue the worship as prescribed.” Thus, the supreme procedure for the installation and worship of the liṅga, as established by Śiva himself, was revealed for all beings to follow in devotion and reverence.