Delusion of Hari and Vidhatri

Upamanyu said

The siddhi one can gain in this world through nitya and naimittika rites has now been told. But all of that can be gained at once by setting up his image as a lingam. All the worlds are full of lingam and everything stands in the lingam, so when a lingam is set up, everything is set up. By doing this Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra were placed in their own positions. How could anyone neglect setting up a lingam? When Shiva himself set up the Vishveshvara lingam, can any other reason for installing one even be named? So for welfare in this world and the next, every effort must be made to establish Paramesha's image in the form of a lingam.

Shri Krishna asked

What is called a lingam? Why is Maheshvara in the form of a lingam? How did he become a lingam? Why is Shiva worshipped in this form?

Upamanyu replied

The unmanifest is called lingam. The three gunas arise from it and dissolve into it. It has no beginning and no end. It is the cause of the material of the universe, the basic Prakriti made of maya and filling the firmament. The universe with all that moves and does not came from it. Everything is of three kinds: pure, impure, and a mixture of the two. Shiva, Mahesha, Rudra, Vishnu and the grandfather came from it. By Shiva's command the elements and senses are born from it and dissolve into it. So Shiva is called the one with the form of the lingam, since he directs the lingam. It can do nothing without the lord's command, and on that basis the universe arises and dissolves. That is why the lingam, and nothing else, is his form. The lingam is the body of Shiva and Shivaa because they preside over it, so with Amba Shiva is constantly worshipped in this form. Mahadevi is the seat of the lingam and Maheshvara himself is the lingam. When the lingam is worshipped, both are worshipped. Yet their taking a body in the form of a lingam should not be understood as the final truth. Since they are pure, the body is only a means for worshipping them. It stands for the supreme Shakti of Shiva, the supreme self. By Shakti's direction everything moving and unmoving arises. Even in a hundred years one could not finish describing its greatness.

In the beginning Brahma and Narayana were also deluded by this. Long ago, when the three worlds were in dissolution, Vishnu lay comfortably on his bed in the water and slept happily. Brahma, grandfather of the worlds, wandering as he pleased, came there. He saw the lotus-eyed one asleep, happy in mind. Deluded by Shambhu's maya, the grandfather said to Vishnu, "Who are you?" and, full of impatience, struck Madhava and woke him. Struck by a sharp blow of the hand, he rose at once from his bed and saw Parameshthi. Though himself angry, Hari spoke without anger: "Child, who are you? Where have you come from? Why are you agitated? Tell me." Hearing Vishnu's words, which showed his lordly qualities, Brahma, bound to rajas, answered: "Why do you call me child? Those are words a guru uses to his disciple. Do you not know me as the lord? I have made the world display. Dividing myself in three parts I create, preserve and destroy. In the universe there is no one who made me." Addressed so, the undecaying Vishnu answered Brahma: "I am the original creator, preserver and destroyer. Long ago you took birth from my undecaying limbs. Set by me, you divided yourself in three and made the three worlds, creating, destroying and creating anew. Have you forgotten Jagannatha Narayana, free of ailments? You have chosen to slight me, your father. But this is not your fault. My maya has confused you. By my favour this confusion will soon pass. Four-faced one, hear the truth. I am lord of all the gods, the creator, preserver and destroyer. There is no lord equal to me."

So Brahma and Vishnu argued, and a great battle began between them, terrible and hair-raising. Bound to rajas and so to enmity, they struck each other fiercely with their fists. Ishvara wished to break their pride and enlighten the two gods. So he took the form of a lingam and appeared between them, ringed with thousands of garlands of flame. The excellent lingam was immeasurable and had no equal. It neither grew nor shrank and had no beginning, middle or end. Confused by those thousands of flames, Brahma and Vishnu stopped fighting and wondered, "What is this?" When the two did not understand its nature, they set out to find its beginning and end. Brahma took the form of a swan with wings on every side and tried to go upward with the speed of thought or wind. In play Narayana, whose self is the universe, took the form of a boar, dark as collyrium, and went downward. Vishnu went swiftly down and a thousand years passed; the boar could not see or find the root of the lingam. For the same time, wishing to find its end, the grandfather flew upward. He grew very tired, and unable to find the end he began to fall. Bhagavan Vishnu too was exhausted, his eyes agitated, and with great effort he rose quickly from below. They returned and met each other, surprise and shame in their eyes. Deluded by Shambhu's maya, they did not know what to do or not do. They stood behind the lingam, in front of it and along its sides, bowed, and wondered, "What is this?"