33 - Statement of the Sages 

Nandin said: 

1. Thereafter the lord was delighted and he blessed them. On listening to their eulogy he spoke thus: 

2. The brahmin who reads or listens to the hymn glorified by you all or narrates this to the brahmins shall attain leadership among my attendants. 

3-4. O leading sages, I shall mention what is conductive lo your welfare and sacred to the devotees. Everything feminine is goddess Prakruti burn of my body, O Brahmins, everything masculine is Puruşha born of my body. O brahmins, undoubtedly my creation is through both of these.232 

232. The half man and half woman form of Shiva known as "ardha näriśhvara'. It syınlolises the origin of creation by copulation. Cf, Mbh. as quoted in ST.

5. Hence no one shall ensure the naked ascetic who is devoted to me, who expounds Brahman but who behave's like children and mad people. 

6-8. Those devotees of Mahādeva who are interested in applying ashes; who burn their sins through ashes; who are engaged in meditation and carry out what has been laid down in the scriptures; who have perfect control over the sense organs, who have sublimated their sexuality; who worship the great lord with perfect verbal, mental and physical control; reach Rudra's world and do not return therefront. Hence this secret, sacred and divine" rate of the deity of manifest Linga. 

9. The observers of the above holy rite have all types of forms; they save off their heads and they observe the rite of ashes No learned man shall revile at them nor should they be transgressed. 

10. No one shall laugh derisivel, at them nor shall he speak words displeasing to them if he desires for welfare here and hereafter. The stupid man who censures them, censures the lord himself. 

11-12. He who worships them worships Shiva. Thus, with a desire for the welfare of the worlds, the great lord sports alsout as a great jogin in every yuga, with Ashes sincared all over his body.233 

233. Cf. Bhagvagaita Quoted in ST. 

You too shall observe all the ritos. Then welfare will be yours and you will attain perfection. 

13. Grasping the great knowledge imparted by Shiva, which being incomparable is the destroyer of fear, the sages bent their heads and made obeisance to Shiva with their minds cleared of fear, greed and delusion immediately. 

14-15. On hearing what was recounted thus, the delighted brahmins, began the ablution of lord Shiva with pure scented waters with Kušha grass and flowers scattered therein. They poured water out of water jars. They sang various songs of esoteric meaning and produced humkāras with sweet tones. 

16. Obeisance to the overlord of Devas; obeisance to the great lord, obeisance to one who shares half of body with his consort;234 obeisance to the initiator of Sankhya and Yoga. 

234. See p. 18. note 27. 

17. Obeisance to one who is black as a cluster of clouds. Obeisance to one wearing elephant's hide. Obeisance to one having deerskin for the upper garment; obeisance to one having serpent for the sacred thread. 

18. Obeisance to Shiva with wonderful well-arranged ear-rings; with well knit garlands and ornaments; to one with the fine lion skin as garb; obeisance to one of extensive reputation. 

19. Then the delighted lord spoke to the sages-"O ye of good rites, I am delighted with your penance. Choose your boons." 

20-24. All those sages bowed to the lord. Then Bhrugu, Angiras, Vasişhtha, Vishvämitra, Gautama, Atri, Sukešha, Pula- stya, Pulaha, Kratu, Marichi, Kaśhyapa, Kanva and Samvarta of great penance, spoke to the lord after paying due homage: “We wish to know the mystic secret behind the smearing of ashes, nudity, indirectness (in worship) contrariety in the natural order,235 the propriety of service or otherwise." On hearing their words the great lord looked at the excellent sages and said smilingly. 

235. Våmatvam-savya-märga-prakärah ST. the left-hand ritual or doctrine of the Tantras. pratilomată-the opposite of Văma-märga, i.e. a tantric ritual in which left band practices find no place.