intelligence.  By praising with these names that enhance one’s auspiciousness of the great lord of blessedness, a worshipper of devoted soul and pure heart succeeds in attaining to his own self.  These names constitute a hymn that furnishes the best means of attaining to Brahman.  With the aid of this hymn one is sure to succeed in attaining to Emancipation.  Rishis and the deities all praise the highest deity by uttering this hymn.  Hymned by persons of restrained soul Mahadeva becomes gratified with those that hymn his praises so.  The illustrious deity is always full of compassion towards his devotees.  Endued with omnipotence, he it is that gives Emancipation to those that worship him.  So also, they among men that are foremost, that are possessed of faith and devotion hear and recite for others and utter with reverence the praises of that highest and eternal Lord viz.  Isana, in all their successive lives and adore him in thought, word, and deed, and adoring him thus at all times, viz. when they are lying or seated or walking or awake or opening the eyelids or shutting them, and thinking of him repeatedly, become objects of reverence with all their fellowmen and derive great gratification and exceeding joy.  When a creature becomes cleansed of all his sins in course of millions of births in diverse orders of being, it is then that devotion springs up in his heart for Mahadeva.  It is through good luck alone that undivided devotion to Bhava who is the original cause (of the universe) fully springs up in the heart of one that is conversant with every mode of worshipping that great Deity.[185] Such stainless and pure devotion to Rudra, that has singleness of purpose and that is simply irresistible in its course, is seldom to be found among even the deities, and never among men.  It is through the grace of Rudra that such devotion arises in the hearts of human beings.  In consequence of such devotion, men, identifying themselves wholly with Mahadeva, succeed in attaining to the highest success.  The illustrious Deity who is always inclined to extend his grace towards them that seek him with humility, and throw themselves with their whole soul upon him rescues them from the world.  Except the great Deity who frees creatures from rebirth, all other gods constantly nullify the penances of men, for men have no other source of puissance that is as great as these.[186] It was even thus Tandi of tranquil soul, resembling Indra himself in splendour, praised the illustrious Lord of all existent and non-existent things,—­that great Deity clad in animal skins.  Indeed, Brahma had sung this hymn in the presence of Sankara.  Thou art a Brahmana (being conversant with Brahman and devoted to those that are conversant with Brahman).  Thou shalt, therefore, comprehend it well.  This is cleansing, and washes away all sins.  This confers Yoga and Emancipation and heaven and contentment.  He who recites this hymn with undivided devotion to Sankara succeeds in