For the third time, words were spoken that weighed heavily upon the moment—how could such utterances be endured? When the one adorned with a ketaka blossom as his crest bore false witness, the great Lord Giriśa, moved by both gravity and affection, turned to Viṣṇu and addressed him kindly. He spoke, “Indeed, you are born from my very body; you are especially endowed with the pure quality of sattva. Therefore, Viṣṇu, know that at no time shall there ever be any loss of devotion towards me from you.” Out of his boundless compassion, the three-eyed Lord showed favor to the devotee of the egoless Hari. Then Viṣṇu, with humility, replied, “O Lord, except through awe and reverence, your grace is not easily obtained. The words that have been spoken are not truly my own, and your sovereignty cannot be challenged. Who is Viṣṇu? Who am I? Who are these guardians of the directions, Indra and the others? You alone are the Lord, O husband of Pārvatī; we and all these others are but your cattle. You are the embodiment of the twenty-six principles, pervading everything in all directions. You are the god who once appeared as a hunter, accompanied by the Sārameyas, as the stories tell. At Dakṣa’s sacrifice, it was Virabhadra, acting on your command, who carried out your will. In your form as the fire of time, you burn up all the cosmic eggs. When Jalandhara committed offense, he was struck down by your trident. If you had not held the Kālakūṭa poison in your throat, who could have borne it? In the Devadāru forest, you subdued the sages who were absorbed only in ritual action. If you had not trampled upon us, we would have fallen into terrible delusion. If you had not revealed the form of Ardhanārīśvara, the Lord who is half woman, the truth would have remained hidden. By you, O Śambhu, even the proud one with conquering arms was restrained. Hari himself filled the skull of the mendicant with his own blood. If you had not taught compassion, all weapons and missiles would have been unleashed without restraint. If you had not assumed the forms of Narasiṃha and Sharabha, the great sages would not have survived. As the Fish and the Tortoise, you became the boatman who ferries souls across the ocean of the cosmic cycle. With one of your own thousand lotus eyes, you performed worship. Dhūrjaṭi again considered himself the creator of the universe, and he instructed the twice-born in the equal string and in proper worship. For one who remembers me as the guru—whether awake, or during creation and dissolution—know this: in this very place, whatever favor I have granted to you both, for all who dwell in this region within three yojanas, or even for animals and embodied beings among the immobile here, for humans, either by seeing or by remembering from afar, liberation is attained. For auspiciousness, my radiant form shall remain here eternally as an immovable image. Even at the end of the ages, the great oceans will never submerge it. This linga is made of light, and even among lights it is never surpassed. Whomever I wish to favor, that being is born here. From a distance, by prostration, or by circumambulation from near, here alone is the residence of great souls assured. Without disregarding Śoṇācala, even by dwelling elsewhere, one attains liberation.” Thus, having heard these words, those two—Viṣṇu and Brahmā—their egotism removed, submitted themselves to the Lord with reverence and humility.