In that realm, Narayana himself resides—the ultimate destination for renunciants, for those peaceful souls who have laid aside all worldly attachments and possessions, and from which none who have entered ever return. It is here that a remarkable event unfolded. Vṛkāsura, a demon, had been afflicted by a terrible curse and was tormented. Seeing his suffering from afar, the Lord—destroyer of all evil—approached. By his yogic power, he assumed the form of a radiant young Brahmachari, wearing a belt, deerskin, and carrying a staff. His presence blazed like fire, and with kusa grass in hand, he greeted Vṛkāsura with utmost humility and respect. The Blessed Lord addressed him gently, “O son of Shakuni, you seem exhausted—have you come from afar? Rest for a moment, for the self is the fulfiller of all desires. If your purpose is not too secret for us to hear, O mighty one, please share it. For generally, men seek to fulfill their aims through others.” Thus questioned by the Lord, whose words were like nectar, Vṛkāsura’s fatigue vanished, and he recounted everything that had happened to him. The Lord then spoke, “If this is so, we cannot trust the words of one who, by Daksha’s curse, has become demonic and is lord of ghosts and spirits. If you truly have faith in the Teacher of the Universe, O lord of the Dānavas, then quickly place your hand upon your head, and let it be proven. If the words of Śambhu are in any way untrue, O best of Dānavas, then abandon him as a speaker of falsehood, for one who speaks lies should not be followed again.” Confused by the Lord’s clever and artful words, Vṛkāsura forgot himself and foolishly placed his own hand upon his head. Instantly, his head split and he fell, struck down like a felled ox. Cries of “Victory!”, “Homage!”, and “Well done!” resounded in the heavens. Showers of flowers rained down as the wicked Vṛkāsura was slain; the gods, sages, ancestors, and gandharvas rejoiced, and Śiva was freed from distress. The Supreme Person then addressed the liberated Lord of the Mountain: “O great god, O divine one, this wicked soul has been destroyed by his own evil. O Lord, who among the great beings, having committed sin, can survive? What to say, O Lord of the Universe, if one offends the Teacher of the World?” Whoever recounts or hears this deliverance of the Lord of the Mountain, brought about by Hari, the Supreme Self whose power is unfathomable, is freed from the cycles of birth and death, as are their enemies. *** Now, on the banks of the sacred Sarasvatī, the sages gathered to perform a sacrifice. Among them arose a debate: “Of the three Lords, who is the greatest?” Wishing to resolve this, they sent Bhṛgu, the son of Brahmā, to discover the truth. Bhṛgu first went to Brahmā’s assembly. As a test, he neither offered obeisance nor praise. Brahmā became angry, his brilliance blazing. Yet, master of himself, Brahmā restrained his anger, just as a progenitor holds back fire with water from his own source. Bhṛgu then traveled to Mount Kailāsa, where Maheśvara joyfully rose to embrace his brother. But Bhṛgu did not wish to return the embrace, considering him disrespectful. Maheśvara’s eyes blazed with anger, and he raised his trident to strike Bhṛgu. The goddess, falling at his feet, soothed him with gentle words, and Bhṛgu moved on to Vaikuṇṭha, the abode of Janārdana. There, Bhṛgu struck the Lord, who lay with Śrī on his chest, with his foot. The Lord, refuge of the virtuous, rose with Lakṣmī, descended from his bed, bowed his head, and said, “Welcome, O Brāhmaṇa, please be seated for a moment. O Lord, forgive us who did not know of your arrival. Purify me, along with the world and its guardians devoted to me, with the water that has washed your feet, O maker of holy places among the holy. Today, O Lord, I have become the exclusive recipient of Lakṣmī’s favor; prosperity, freed from sin by the touch of your feet, will dwell upon my chest.” Hearing these gentle words in Vaikuṇṭha, Bhṛgu was deeply satisfied, fulfilled, silent, overwhelmed with devotion, and tears filled his eyes. Returning to the assembly of sages, Bhṛgu described everything he had directly experienced. Astonished and free from doubt, the sages placed even greater faith in Viṣṇu, from whom peace and fearlessness arise. From Him arises dharma itself, along with knowledge, renunciation, eightfold sovereignty, and fame that purifies the self. He is declared the supreme goal of sages who have laid down their rods, who are peaceful, equal-minded, possessing nothing, and virtuous. His beloved form is sattva; brāhmaṇas are his chosen deities; the peaceful, desireless, and wise worship him without seeking reward. By His māyā, endowed with the guṇas, the threefold classes—rākṣasas, asuras, and suras—are created; and sattva is the means to attain that holy place. Thus, the Sarasvata brāhmaṇas, for the removal of people’s doubts, attained the supreme destination by serving the lotus feet of the Supreme Person. Whoever, with their ears as vessels, repeatedly drinks this nectar, fragrant with the lotus feet of the sage’s son, which removes the fear of worldly existence and concerns the Supreme Person, will abandon the fatigue of wandering the path. *** Once, in Dvārakā, a newborn son of a brāhmaṇa’s wife, having just touched the earth, died. The brāhmaṇa, taking his dead child, placed him at the king’s gate and, lamenting in distress and with a sorrowful mind, spoke: “Because of the misdeeds of a king who hates the brāhmaṇas, is deceitful, greedy, and attached to sense objects, my child has died. When the king delights in violence, is wicked, and has uncontrolled senses, the people suffer, becoming poor and constantly afflicted.” In this way, when a second and then a third child died, the brāhmaṇa left them at the king’s gate, reciting his lament.