Conversation between Vyasa and the Sages

Vyasa said

The Samhita opens with a bow to Shiva with Amba, his ganas and his sons, and to the lord of Pradhana and Purusha, the cause of creation, preservation and destruction. The rishis said they had heard the beautiful Uma Samhita with its many accounts and asked for the Kailasa Samhita, which deepens Shiva's tattvas.

Vyasa replied: sons, listen gladly to the divine Samhita called Kailasa, full of Shiva's supreme tattvas, which I will tell out of affection for you. Earlier, very energetic sages practised austerities on a Himalayan summit. Having made a vow, they wished to go to Varanasi, so, self-controlled, they left the mountain and reached Kashi. They went to Manikarnika and bathed, offered oblations to the gods, Jahnavi and others, and then went to see Vishvesha, lord of the three divinities, bowed and worshipped him with great devotion, praising him with the Shatarudra and other hymns. They thought themselves blessed and their aims accomplished. Since they were always devoted to Shiva, he was pleased and all their wishes were met. At that time Suta wished to visit Panchakrosha and went there. Seeing him they were glad and worshipped him. He worshipped Vishveshvara, directly lord of the gods and Uma's husband, bowed and entered the Muktimandapa with them. The great-souled Suta, supreme among Purana-knowers, sat there, and all the sages honoured him with water of welcome and other things. Pleased, Suta looked at the sages, excellent in their vows, asked after their welfare and they after his. Seeing he was in a good mood, the sages, who wished to know the meaning of Pranava, asked him related questions.

The sages said: Vyasa's disciple, most fortunate Suta, supreme among Purana-knowers, you are Shiva's devotee and blessed, an ocean of every kind of discernment. The illustrious Vyasa, guru of everyone, has made you the guru of all who know the Puranas, so Purana knowledge is engraved in your heart. The Puranas tell the meaning of all the Vedas; the Vedas arise from Pranava and Pranava means Maheshvara. So you are Maheshvara's place, and the one to be meditated on is established in you. The nectar from your lotus mouth is full of the amrita of Pranava's meaning, and drinking it we will lose our anxieties. Wise one, we have no guru but you, so out of great compassion tell us of Mahesha's supreme nature. Hearing them, wise Suta, loved by Vyasa, bowed to Ganesha, the six-faced one, Mahesha himself, Maheshvari, Nandisha, the divinity who is Shilada's son and Suyasha's husband, Sanatkumara and Vyasa, and spoke.

Suta said: this is praiseworthy, fortunate ones, and must be lauded. Sages whose sins have grown thin and whose minds are firm, evildoers cannot achieve this. My guru, Parashara's son, taught the sages living in Naimisharanya about this, and I will tell it, bulls among sages. As soon as men hear it they develop devotion to Shiva, so listen gladly and attentively. Earlier, in the Svarochisha manvantara, rishis firm in vows were practising austerities in Naimisharanya, frequented by all the siddhas. They performed a long sacrifice dedicated to Rudra, lord of sacrifices. Overjoyed, they wished to learn of Shiva's wonderful nature and prosperity. All stayed there waiting to see Vyasa, always devoted to Shiva, wearing ash and rudraksha. Seeing their feelings, the illustrious Badarayana, fruit of Parashara's austerities and present in all selves, showed himself to them. Seeing him all the sages were delighted, their faces and eyes bright. All stood and respectfully welcomed him and gave him a golden, auspicious seat, on which he sat comfortably. Parashara's son, the great sage, then spoke in a deep voice: I hope all is well with you all. Have you properly worshipped the lord of sacrifices in your great sacrifice? Tell me. In this sacrifice, why have you, with devotion, worshipped Parameshvara, who frees from samsara, with Amba? This act of yours and your earlier servitude suggest to me that you wish to know the auspicious, supreme nature of Mahesha, the cause of liberation. So addressed by infinitely energetic Vyasa, Indra among sages, the sages of Naimisharanya bowed to Parashara's great-souled son, whose mind was glad at their love for Shiva, and spoke. They said: illustrious one, tiger among sages, you are directly a portion of Narayana, ocean of compassion, wise lord of every kind of learning. You have gained the favour of the great lord of the universe, with Amba and the ganas, and so you are yourself a store of jewels. Like bees wanting lotuses, our minds have longed to drink the taste of your lotus feet, and having seen them today we are successful. Sinners cannot see your lotus feet; we have got something very hard to get and must have done good deeds. This region is called Naimisharanya and we undertook this long sacrifice because we wanted the meaning of Pranava to be clear. Thinking among ourselves we decided we must learn of Mahesha's great nature and hear about Paramesha, which we do not know. Lord, we are limited in mind and full of doubts, so dispel them; no one else in the three worlds can. We are sunk in this fathomless, shoreless ocean of delusion, so, ocean of compassion, carry us across in the boat of knowledge of Shiva. We are full of devotion and wish to know the nature of devotion to Shiva. So the Veda-expert sages asked. The great sage, Shuka's father, foremost among knowers of the meaning of all the Vedas, who knew Pranava Parameshvara, essence of all Vedanta, meditated in the lotus of his heart on the one who frees from samsara, with Amba. Pleased, the great sage spoke.