He is fierce and awe-inspiring, the very source from whom all lineages arise, and the lineage itself, resonant like the sound of the flute—faultless and pure. He takes on every form imaginable, masterfully weaving the fabric of illusion, yet remains a steadfast friend, embodying the forces of wind and fire. He is the very concept of bondage, the maker of bonds, and the liberator from even the most virtuous ties. He stands as the adversary of mere ritual, the foe of desire, with mighty arms and terrible fangs. Though Śarva is sometimes reviled, he is indeed Śaṅkara, the beneficent one, who dwells in poverty yet reigns as lord among immortals—the great god, god of all, destroyer of the foes of the gods. He is Ahirbudhnya, like the wind, wise and ever-receiving of offerings. Known also as Hari, Ajaikapāda, the bearer of skulls, the conqueror of Triśaṅku, and Śiva. He is Dhanvantari, the divine healer; Dhūmaketu, the comet; Skanda, the commander; and Vaiśravaṇa, the lord of wealth. He is Dhātā, Śakra, Viṣṇu, Mitra, Tvaṣṭṛ, Dhruva, and Dhara—each a facet of his boundless being. He is Prabhāva, the source of all power, all-pervading Vāyu, Aryaman, Savitṛ, and Ravi. He is Uṣaṅgu, Vidhātā, Māndhātā, and the creator of all living beings. He pervades all things, brings forth every hue, and bestows all desirable qualities. He is Padmanabha, the great cosmic womb, moon-faced, the wind, and fire itself. He is powerful yet tranquil, ancient and auspicious, the doer of all actions. He dwells among the Kurus, becomes the Kurus, and is the very medicine of virtues. He is the abode of all, wandering upon darbha grass, the lord of all beings, god of gods, ever attached to bliss, present and absent, the knower of all precious jewels. He dwells on Mount Kailasa, finding refuge in the Himalayas. He is both the remover and creator of lineages, filled with knowledge and great generosity. He is merchant and carpenter, tree and vakula tree, sandalwood and shelter. His neck is strong, shoulders broad, his nature restless, and he is the great healer. He is the accomplisher and possessor of success, master of meter and grammar. His voice is the lion’s roar, his fangs and gait those of the lion, and he rides the lion itself. He is the essence-soul, the very time of the world, steadfast as the tree that gives shelter to all. He is marked by the deer, nine-spoked in form, bannered, and ever-fostering. He is the abode and lord of all beings, day and night, ever blameless. He carries all beings, is their refuge, all-pervading and the origin of all. Unfailing, restrained, swift as a horse, he is the sustenance and the very breath of life. Steadfast, wise, skillful, honored, lord of the ages—he is protector of cows, master of herds and villages, clad in cowhide, remover of darkness. Golden-armed, guardian of caves, he is formidable to his enemies, the bringer of great joy, conqueror of desire, master of the senses. Of Gandhara, well-clad, devoted to austerity, he is the delight of men, a great singer and dancer, ever served by hosts of apsaras. He is the great-bannered one, the great support, accompanied by many, always moving. He is to be revealed, the command itself, the bringer of all fragrant delights. He is the gateway and deliverer, the wind and enclosure, lord of those who move in the sky. He is union, increaser, aged and exceedingly aged, ever surpassing in virtue. He is eternal, self-reliant, lord of gods and demons, master of all. United, strong-armed, he is the god, chief among celestials. Invincible, ever-constant, tawny and the remover—his form whirls among the worlds, best among the shining ones, and the great path. He is the remover of heads, the one who reflects, marked by every auspicious sign. The imperishable, charioteer, master of all yogas, mighty in strength. He is the Veda in its entirety, and that which is beyond the Veda, the deity of sacred fords, the mighty charioteer. Devoid of life yet giver of life, he is mantra, of auspicious vision, exceedingly severe. Abundant in jewels, red-limbed, he knows the depths of the great ocean. He is the root and vastness, immortal, manifest and unmanifest, repository of austerity. He who ascends and causes ascent, upholder of virtue, famed throughout the ages. Like an army, like a great age, he is yoga, maker of ages, remover of affliction. He is the very form of the ages, of great and vast form, impenetrable, destruction itself. He establishes justice, is the foundation, wise and steadfast as a mountain. He is adorned with many garlands, with a great garland, the moon itself, whose eyes are the sun and moon. Vast, saline, a well, the pair of ages, and the one whose arising bears fruit. He has three eyes, limbs marked by poison, adorned with jewels, bearing matted hair. He is the dot and visarga, auspicious-faced, an arrow, armed with all weapons, enduring. He is the offering, born of happiness, bearer of sweet fragrance, the great bow; guardian of fragrance, the divine one, the originator, and doer of all actions. He is the churner, abundant, the wind, all-encompassing, all-seeing. He is Tala, Tāla, the hand cymbal, powerful in the upper body, the great one. He is the umbrella, the excellent umbrella, the renowned one, the world, refuge of all, the very order. He is shaven-headed, deformed, staff-bearing, water-pot-bearing, and the transformer. He is Haryakṣa, the directions, wielder of the thunderbolt, hundred-tongued, thousand-footed, thousand-headed, lord of the gods, embodiment of all gods, the teacher. He is thousand-armed, all-limbed, giver of refuge, creator of all worlds. He is the pure one, the three-syllabled mantra, youngest, dark and tawny. He is the creator of Brahma’s staff, possessor of weapons like the hundred-killer, the noose, and the spear. He is the womb of the lotus, the great womb, the womb of Brahma, born from water. He is radiant, creator of Brahma, associated with and knower of Brahma, the path of the Brahmin. He is of infinite forms, manifold selves, fiercely brilliant, self-born. He is the upward-moving soul, lord of creatures, swift as the wind, speed of the mind, sandal-scented, tip of the lotus stalk, surpassing fragrance, the man. He wears a great garland of karṇikāra flowers, crowned in blue, bearer of the Pināka bow, husband and beloved of Umā, bearer of the river Jāhnavī. He is the best, the boar, giver of boons, most excellent, of mighty voice, great grace, the subduer, destroyer of enemies, white and tawny. His essence is golden, the supreme self, pure-hearted, sustainer of primordial matter. His soul is pleased, he faces all directions, is three-eyed, the foundation of righteousness, the choicest of all.