Freed from old age, death, fear, and every disease, the gods approached with full prostration and offered their praise. With deep reverence, they addressed the Lord, saying, “You are Brahmā, you are Rudra, and you are the great Indra, O best of gods.” They extolled truth and austerity as supreme, and in that moment, as the gods offered their heartfelt praises, the god of gods, the Lord himself, was glorified. Then Krishna turned to the assembled gods and spoke with compassion: “What shall I do for you today, O gods?” The gods replied, “O Lord, please tell us the means by which your satisfaction or dissatisfaction may arise, so we may act accordingly.” Krishna answered, “All you gods, go to the auspicious and great Kālavan forest. There, in that sacred linga, all the clouds that bring rain are present. From the god Pratīhāreśvara, O gods, Īśāna is manifest. Arrive at the great Kālavan, where the supreme linga abides, and there offer your obeisance to Maheśa, to the endless one adorned with garlands. Bow to the yogi, to the very embodiment of the Veda, to you of tawny matted locks. Salutations to the one of pure, resounding laughter; obeisance to you, the crested one. Salutations to the ender, to the auspicious one, to you, the three-eyed. Obeisance to the one whose very body is yoga, to you who are always the all. With good rain, O lord of gods, protect us who have taken refuge in you.” As the gods performed these acts of worship, from the midst of the linga they rose up, their voices resounding into the sky. Suddenly, all brightness disappeared from the world; nothing at all was discernible. Yet, by the majesty of that god of gods, the gods were satisfied. Then, as the Lord dispelled the darkness, the clouds vanished. Pure, shining lights circled Soma to the right, and the great sages, free from sorrow, together with the Gandharvas, sang melodious songs. With devotion, the gods worshipped him and bestowed upon him a name in accordance with his true nature. “He shall everywhere be known as Meghanādeśvara,” they declared. By his power, people on earth would attain fulfillment. For thousands of millions of aeons, O Parvati, and for hundreds of millions more, the greatness of Meghanada would be recited in that place. From Brahma down to a blade of grass, the three worlds with all their moving and unmoving beings have been produced, sustained, and pervaded by you, O Lord, as I have heard. All the sages, exceedingly joyful, silent, and imperishable, know that this entire universe—the three worlds of earth, atmosphere, and heaven—has been created by you. Among gods, demons, Gandharvas, sages, celestial beings, and serpents, O Lord, where were you situated when you created the world of moving and unmoving beings? Who is that great abode, established in the form of the fierce planets? Thus questioned by you, O goddess, I have recounted all this as it was in former times. The elements, beginning with earth, O beloved, are found in the great forest of Time. With all the worlds, from Brahmaloka and beyond, possessing incomparable and auspicious qualities, there always abides the supreme linga, composed of the highest Brahman. There, Brahma and the other gods, and even Vishnu himself, are established; from that linga arose the great soul, the great intellect. From it came the principles of the elements, ego, Viṣṇu, Śaṃbhu, and Pārvatī—the One who has hands and feet everywhere, faces, heads, and mouths in all directions, pervading all that exists.