ruction in the universe.
Because he is great (Mahat) and the Supreme Lord of all (Iswara),
therefore he is called Maheswara. And since he burns and oppresses, is
keen and fierce, and endued with great energy, and is engaged in eating
flesh and blood and marrow, he is said to be Rudra. Since he is the
foremost of all the deities, and since his dominion and acquisitions are
very extensive, and since he protects the extensive universe, therefore
he is called Mahadeva. Since he is of the form or colour of smoke,
therefore he is called Dhurjati. Since by all his acts he performs
sacrifices for all and seeks the good of every creature, therefore he is
called Siva or the auspicious one. Staying above (in the sky) he burns
the lives of all creatures and is, besides, fixed in a particular route
from which he does not deviate. His emblem, again, is fixed and immovable
for all time. He is, for these reasons, called Sthanu. He is also of
multiform aspect. He is present, past, and future. He is mobile and
immobile. For this he is called Vahurupa (of multiform aspect). The
deities called Viswedevas reside in his body. He is, for this, called
Viswarupa (of universal form). He is thousand-eyed; or, he is
myriad-eyed; or, he has eyes on all sides and on every part of his body.
His energy issues through his eyes. There is no end of his eyes. Since he
always nourishes all creatures and sports also with them, and since he is
their lord or master, therefore he is called Pasupati (the lord of all
creatures). Since his emblem is always observant of the vow of
Brahmacharya, all the worlds worship it accordingly. This act of worship
is said to gratify him highly. If there is one who worship him by
creating his image, another who worships his emblem, the latter it is
that attains to great prosperity for ever. The Rishis, the deities, the
Gandharvas, and the Apsaras, worship that emblem of his which is ever
erect and upraised. If his emblem is worshipped, Maheswara becomes highly
gratified with the worshipper. Affectionate towards his devotees, he
bestows happiness upon them with a cheerful soul. This great god loves to
reside in crematoria and there he burns and consumes all corpses. Those
persons that perform sacrifices on such grounds attain at the end to
those regions which have been set apart for heroes. Employed in his
legitimate function, he it is that is regarded as the Death that resides
in the bodies of all creatures. He is, again, those