Eager to understand the path of devotion and the means to please the divine, the seekers approached the Lord and humbly inquired, “O best of gods, tell us—how is true devotion performed, and how does the god become pleased? We yearn to hear this from you.” The Lord, compassionate and wise, addressed the assembly of twice-born sages: “Listen as I explain the proper offering of arghya and all forms of worship for Bhāskara, the Sun, as well as the nature of devotion, faith, and meditation. Devotion is the inner act of mental contemplation; faith is highly praised, and meditation is the state of samādhi. Attend closely to these truths. “Whoever encourages the hearing of sacred tales, honors the devotees of the Sun, or serves the sacred fire is truly an eternal devotee. One whose mind and heart are steadfastly fixed on worship, who is ever devoted to the gods, and who performs the prescribed actions—such a one is indeed an eternal devotee. “Among men, he who delights in actions performed for the gods, or excels in singing their praises, is the most devoted. Such a devotee does not envy others, nor disparage any deity. Especially, one who observes the vow of the Sun is counted as the highest among devotees. “Whether walking, standing, sleeping, smelling, opening or closing his eyes—he who always remembers Bhāskara, the Sun, is the most devoted of all. This devotion should always be practiced by the wise, through unwavering concentration and heartfelt praise. “One who maintains discipline and gives gifts to a Brahmin is accepted by the gods, humans, and ancestors alike. When a leaf, flower, fruit, or even water is offered with devotion, the gods accept it; but they reject offerings from those without faith. Purity of intention, discipline, and proper conduct must always be upheld, for whatever is done with a pure heart bears fruit. “By praising, reciting, offering, or worshipping Vivasvat (the Sun), and by fasting with devotion, one is freed from all sins. Even bowing the head to the ground in reverence instantly removes all sin—there is no doubt. The devotee who circumambulates the Sun with a heart full of devotion, in truth, circumambulates the entire earth with its seven continents. He who, fixing the Sun in his mind, circumambulates the sky, thereby honors all the gods. “One who, after eating only once, worships the Sun on the sixth day, observing discipline and vows, is truly devoted. Or, on the seventh day, the one who worships Bhāskara by fasting day and night attains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice. On either the sixth or seventh day, the devotee attains the highest state; especially on the seventh day of the dark fortnight, fasting with controlled senses. “When Bhāskara is worshipped with offerings of all jewels, and the devotee travels in a vehicle radiant like a lotus, he reaches the world of the Sun. On the seventh day of the bright fortnight, the one who fasts and offers pure gifts to Bhāskara is freed from all sins and attains the Sun’s heavenly realm. He should drink water offered in a vessel dedicated to the Sun. “In this observance, the count is increased in order, and every twenty-fourth day is set aside; with two years, the vow is fulfilled. This sacred Arkasaptami is praised as granting all desires, especially when the seventh day of the bright fortnight falls on a Sunday—it is supremely auspicious. The seventh is called Vijaya; offerings, bathing, charity, austerity, fire offerings, and fasting performed then yield great merit. “Every act performed on Vijaya Saptami destroys great sins, and those who perform ancestral rites on the Sun’s day, and worship the great white form of the Sun, obtain all their desires. All their righteous acts are always dedicated to Bhāskara. In their lineage, no one is ever born poor or diseased, whether the offerings are made with white, red, or yellow clay. “One who applies the sacred unguent receives the result he wishes for, and Citrabhanu (the Sun) should be worshipped with many fragrant flowers. Whoever worships the Sun while fasting attains his heart’s desire; and lighting a lamp with ghee or sesame oil brings further merit. He who worships Aditya with his eyes is never diminished, and the one who always gives lamps is illuminated by the lamp of knowledge. “Sesame seeds, pure oil, or the excellent gift of a sesame cow, offered in fire rituals and in lamps, destroy great sins. Whoever always gives a lamp in temples, at crossroads, and in streets becomes both handsome and fortunate. The first lamp should be made with offerings, the second with herbal juices, but never with marrow, fat, or bone extract. “A lamp always rises upward, never downward; the giver is illuminated and does not fall into a lower state. One should never steal or destroy a lamp that is always burning, for the thief of a lamp meets bondage, destruction, anger, and darkness. The giver of lamps shines like a lamp in the world of the gods, and whoever anoints the lamp with saffron, aloe, and sandalwood attains wealth, fame, and prosperity after death. One who is pure and uses red sandalwood and red flowers in worship also gains merit. “By always offering arghya at sunrise, one attains success within a year, and the observance should continue from sunrise until sunset. Even reciting a little mantra or hymn while facing the Sun, this observance of Aditya destroys great sins.” Thus, the Lord revealed the path of devotion and the supreme merit of worshipping the radiant Sun, guiding all seekers toward purity, fulfillment, and liberation.