represented by Mahadeva). The universe, thou knowest, is the sum of what
is vested with attributes and what else is divested of attributes and has
for its immediate cause the seeds of Brahma and others. Brahma and Indra
and Hutasana and Vishnu and all the other deities, along with the Daityas
and the Asuras, crowned with the fruition of a thousand desires, always
say that there is none that is higher than Mahadeva.[61] Impelled by
desire, I solicit, with restrained mind, that god known to all the mobile
and immobile universe,--him, that is, who has been spoken of as the best
and highest of all the gods, and who is auspiciousness itself, for
obtaining without delay that highest of all acquisitions, viz.,
Emancipation. What necessity is there of other reasons (for establishing)
what I believe? The supreme Mahadeva is the cause of all causes. We have
never heard that the deities have, at any time, adored the sign of any
other god than Mahadeva. If Maheswara be not accepted, tell me, if thou
hast ever heard of it, who else is there whose sign has been worshipped
or is being worshipped by all the deities? He whose sign is always
worshipped by Brahma, by Vishnu, by thee, O Indra, with all the other
deities, is verily the foremost of all adorable deities. Brahma has for
his sign the lotus, Vishnu has for his the discus, Indra has for his sign
the thunder-bolt. But the creatures of the world do not bear any of the
signs that distinguish these deities. On the other hand, all creatures
bear the signs that mark Mahadeva and his spouse. Hence, all creatures
must be regarded as belonging to Maheswara. All creatures of the feminine
sex, have sprung from Ulna's nature as their cause, and hence it is they
bear the mark of femininity that distinguishes Uma; while all creatures
that are masculine, having sprung from Siva, bear the masculine mark that
distinguishes Siva. That person who says that there is, in the three
worlds with their mobile and immobile creatures, any other cause than the
Supreme Lord, and that which is not marked with the mark of either
Mahadeva or his spouse should be regarded as very wretched and should not