The sages gathered with devotion and listened as the sacred teachings unfolded. They heard that the emblem united with ‘bhaga’, or ‘bhaga’ joined with the emblem, is the source of enjoyment in this world and beyond, granting perpetual delight. One should honor the blessed Mahādeva, Shiva, in the form of his emblem—the linga—for just as the sun is the creator of the world, so too does this mark arise from creation itself. The mark that reveals the meaning of the emblem is called the emblem, and it signifies the very purpose of the person, for it is united with Shiva. The union of the marks of Shiva and Shakti is what is truly meant by the emblem. By worshipping one’s own mark, deep satisfaction is attained; the function of the mark is never lost, though from birth onward, its separate function is gradually removed. The worship of Shiva’s emblem is to be performed with sixteen offerings, both external and internal, using simple and natural means accessible to ordinary people. On the auspicious day of the sun, such worship removes the bonds of birth. Especially on the first day, the great emblem should be worshipped with the sacred syllable. On this day, an ablution with the five sacred products of the cow—dung, urine, milk, curd, and ghee—is prescribed. Offerings of milk, honey, sugarcane juice, and other foods derived from cow’s milk should be made, all accompanied by the sacred syllable. The emblem of sound is the sacred syllable itself; the emblem of resonance is self-born; the emblem of the dot is the device, and the syllable ‘ma’ is established within. The syllable ‘u’ is the moving emblem, while ‘a’ is the form of the teacher. By worshipping these six emblems constantly, one attains liberation while still living, without doubt. Devoted worship of Shiva grants liberation from the cycle of birth. By wearing rudrākṣa beads, one advances halfway, and by wearing sacred ashes, another step is gained. Reciting mantras brings three more steps closer to liberation. Through worship and full devotion, both the emblem of Shiva and the devotee are honored, and thus one attains the highest freedom. Whoever recites or listens to these teachings with concentration will find their devotion to Shiva growing ever stronger, the sages were assured. Then, the sages respectfully asked, “O great sage, tell us of the greatness of Praṇava, the sixfold Liṅga, and the worship of a devotee of Shiva.” The sage replied, “O ascetics, your question is righteous. Only Mahadeva truly knows this secret. Yet, by Shiva’s grace, I shall explain. May Shiva, the great Lord, protect us all. “The wise know Praṇava—the sacred syllable Om—as a new boat for those adrift in the great ocean of worldly existence, which is caused by nature. The syllable ‘pra’ denotes the fivefold manifestation, and Praṇava is your own, for it leads you to the highest liberation. “For those who recite their own mantra, for yogins and worshippers of their own mantra, Praṇava destroys all karma and bestows new, divine knowledge. This Praṇava, free from illusion and ever new, is called the supreme, pure essence in its highest form. “The wise recognize Praṇava as that which is ever-renewing. It is described in various ways, both subtle and gross. The subtle Praṇava is the single syllable, unmanifest and containing five sounds; the gross is the five-syllabled form, manifest with clear sounds. “For one liberated while living, the subtle form is the essence of all. By meditating on its meaning with the mantra, one continues until the dissolution of the body. When the body dissolves, one surely attains complete union with Shiva; but even by mantra recitation alone, union is attained. “By reciting thirty-six crores, one surely attains union with Shiva. The subtle Praṇava is twofold, distinguished as short and long. It consists of ‘a’, ‘u’, and ‘ma’, together with bindu and nada, endowed with the measures of sound and time. “Thus, the long Praṇava is held in the heart by yogins, while the short Praṇava is the essence of the three principles, ending with ‘ma’. Shiva and Shakti are united in ‘ma’, which is of triple nature; thus, the short form is to be recited by those who seek the destruction of all sins. “From earth, air, sky, fire, water, and the ten directions arise the tenfold sounds, which are the sources of all manifestation. For those engaged in worldly action, the short form is used; for those withdrawn, the long form. From the vyāhṛtis and the mantra, the ‘u’ sound is joined with the measure of sound. “In the Vedas, the ‘u’ is to be applied in worship and at the two twilights. By reciting ninety crores, a person becomes purified without doubt. After nine crores of repetitions, one attains victory over the earth; again, after nine crores, over the waters; again, over fire, air, and space, with each nine crores. In the same way, by reciting nine crores for each, one attains mastery over scent and the other elements in order, and again, by nine crores, over the ego as well. “By reciting the mantra a thousand times, a person becomes ever pure. Thereafter, further recitation is for attaining one’s own accomplishment. In this way, by reciting one hundred and eight crores, one becomes awakened through Praṇava and attains pure yoga. “Endowed with pure yoga, one is liberated while living, always reciting and meditating on Shiva, who is of the form of Praṇava. Absorbed in samadhi, the great yogi is truly Shiva, without doubt. One should again recite in the body, as per the seer, meter, deity, and so on. “The Praṇava joined with the letters, when recited in the body, has the seer as its sage; by means of the ten mothers, the six paths, and so on, one attains all the fruits of nyāsa.” Thus, the sages sat in awe, their hearts filled with the glory of Shiva, the greatness of Praṇava, and the profound path of worship that leads to liberation.