In a sacred place, Lord Hara, united with the goddess, abides in the form of a fish. There, the goddess herself remains eternally as a mountain, sanctifying the land with her divine presence. The stones found in this holy region must be worshipped with utmost care, especially those marked with the discus, for they are imbued with special significance. Among them are stones resembling the navel of Shiva and others resembling the navel of the discus, each bearing a mark of divinity. It was here that Soma, the Moon god, established the supreme liṅga, bestowing upon it his own name. Freed from a curse and radiant with newfound brilliance, Soma was graced by the manifestation of Triambaka, the boon-giving Lord, from the Someśvara liṅga. In reverence, Soma bowed to Shiva, the five-faced, blue-throated, three-eyed One, adorned with the crescent moon and worshipped by all the gods. He saluted the trident-bearing deity, whose shining hand holds the ḍamaru drum and whose banner bears the bull. Soma praised Shiva, the destroyer of the three cities, the great Time, the slayer of Andhaka and other demons, the Lord adorned with a serpent as sacred thread and a garland of Rudras, whose eyes are fire, moon, and sun, and who is beyond the reach of mind and speech. Soma honored Śambhu, dwelling on Kailāsa, who made the Himalayan peaks his hermitage. Shiva, pleased with Soma’s devotion, invited him to choose a boon, promising to grant whatever wish abided in his mind. Soma requested that the cherished wishes of devotees who worship this liṅga be fulfilled. The Lord of gods responded, “Especially in this place of yours, from today onward, O protector of cows, another supreme form of mine, O Moon, will certainly reside here—of this there is no doubt. I shall grant you boons, auspicious one, that are difficult even for the gods to obtain.” Shiva explained that he had deliberated together with Viṣṇu, the treasure of arts, and they had resolved that among the two mountains, the stones known as Viṣṇu-śilā and Śiva-śilā would be sanctified. With the wish, “May I have a son like you,” a boon was granted to Revā, the moon-marked one. In the form of a liṅga, with Gaṇeśa at the forefront, the goddess was known as Shiva’s other form, a water-formed (jalamayī) manifestation. Thus, having received the boon, Revā came into Shiva’s presence. Long ago, Gaṇḍakī too performed severe austerities for ten thousand years. For a hundred divine years she practiced austerity, meditating on Viṣṇu with unwavering devotion. Pleased, the compassionate Lord who loves the devoted, spoke sweet words to her, inviting her to choose a boon. Gaṇḍakī, seeing the bearer of conch, discus, and mace, rejoiced, for she had beheld a vision of the Lord difficult even for yogis to attain. She exclaimed, “O Lord, I have seen you!” Then Viṣṇu entered her, and thus he is called Puruṣa. That Brahman, without beginning or end, infinite, as proclaimed in the Vedas, is the supreme power and the primal mother of the world, and this power truly belongs to Gaṇḍakī. The Puruṣa is without qualities, unmanifest, whose nature is pure consciousness and stainless. Having entered her own yogic power, Gaṇḍakī attained the state of being the agent. Even as the world is created by the natural three qualities, it is not otherwise. Just as a red hibiscus flower appears in a clear crystal, so too does the divine manifest in subtle ways. Even Brahma and other wise ones do not truly know the Lord as he is, for his nature is beyond all comprehension.