Bhava, the great lord of the three worlds, spoke words of reassurance and profound wisdom to Daksha. With a voice that soothed and instructed, he said, “Daksha, do not grieve over the destruction of your sacrifice. I am the one who brought about this end, and you have seen such things before, O sinless one. Once again, O virtuous Daksha, accept this boon from me. Listen with a single-minded heart, with grace and a smiling face. “By my favor, O lord of creatures, you shall gain the merit of a thousand horse sacrifices and a hundred Vājapeya sacrifices. Master the Vedas in their entirety, along with their six limbs, and all the teachings of Sāṃkhya and Yoga. Perform great austerities—so arduous that even gods and demons find them difficult. “For twelve years, remain hidden, enduring the criticism of the ignorant, steadfast in your duties according to your caste and stage of life, disciplined and unwavering. The Pāśupata vow, which I have established for all stages of life, leads to liberation from the bonds of existence. This auspicious vow, Daksha, frees one from all sins. Whatever abundant fruit arises from its proper observance, let it be yours, O greatly fortunate one. Let your mind be free of distress.” Having spoken thus, the Lord of the gods, accompanied by his wife and attendants, became invisible to Daksha, whose splendor was immeasurable. After receiving his due share, as declared by Bhava, the knower of all dharma, he then distributed fever in many forms. For the peace of all beings, listen carefully, O twice-born: the feverish heat of the crest is allotted to serpents, to mountain rocks, and to shilajatu. Nīlikā belongs to the waters, nirmoka to serpents, khoraka to saurabheyas, and ūkhara to the earth. Among dogs, those who know dharma have their vision obstructed; among horses, a flaw enters through the nostrils; among peacocks, the crest splits. In cuckoos, redness of the eyes appears; among great souls, it manifests as aversion; among people, it is seen as division. Among all parrots, hiccups occur; fever is found among tigers, manifesting as fatigue and fever. Among humans, O wise ones, this fever is known and described. It is present at birth, at death, and established in the midst of life. This is the mighty energy of Maheśvara, called fever, exceedingly fierce. He is to be worshipped and honored by all living beings, for he is the Lord. Whoever, with unwavering mind, recites this origin of fever with concentration, becomes free from disease, attains happiness, and achieves all desired objects. Whoever praises or hears this hymn, spoken by Daksha, encounters nothing inauspicious and gains long life. Just as Bhava is supreme among all the gods, so too is this hymn, created by Daksha, the foremost of hymns. Those who desire fame, heaven, sovereignty, wealth, or victory should recite it with devotion; those who seek knowledge should do so with effort. Anyone afflicted by disease, suffering, poverty, or fear, or even those engaged in royal duties, is freed from great fear by its recitation. With this very body, having received happiness in this world from Maheśvara and his Gaṇas, one becomes the lord of the Gaṇas. Neither Yakṣas nor Piśācas, nor Nāgas nor Vināyakas cause obstacles in the house where Bhava is praised. If a woman hears this with devotion and is absorbed in Bhava, she is honored in both her father’s and husband’s families. Whoever hears or repeatedly recites all this finds all their undertakings succeed without obstacles. Whatever is thought in the mind or uttered by speech is accomplished through the repeated recitation of this hymn. Having offered oblations to the god Saguha, the goddess, and Nandīśvara, with self-restraint and discipline, and having performed the rite, one should quickly take their names in order. Thus, a person obtains the wealth, pleasures, and enjoyments they desire. One who dies after this attains heaven, surrounded by a thousand women and endowed with every pleasure, even if they have committed all sins. Whoever recites the hymn composed by Daksha is freed from all sins, and after death, attains union with Shiva’s attendants, honored by gods and demons alike. That person shines, riding in a celestial chariot drawn by a bull, and remains established until the dissolution of creation, becoming a follower of Rudra. Thus spoke the venerable Vyasa, son of Parashara, the master. This secret is not known by anyone, nor should it be revealed to just anyone. Even those born in sinful lineages—Vaishyas, women, and Shudras—upon hearing this supreme secret, attain the realm of Rudra. And whoever recites it for Brahmins on sacred occasions, that twice-born surely attains Rudra’s realm—there is no doubt. Having heard this story, which destroys sin and arose from Rudra’s wrath, the foremost sages listened as Vyasa spoke, and the twice-born rejoiced. They heard of Parvati’s anger, the unbearable wrath of Shambhu, the birth of Virabhadra, and the origin of Bhadrakali. They heard of the destruction of Daksha’s sacrifice, the wondrous might of Shambhu, and again, the mercy of the great-souled Daksha. They heard of Rudra’s share of the sacrifice, and the fruit of Daksha’s ritual; again and again, they were delighted, pleased, and amazed. The twice-born then turned to Vyasa and asked him to continue the story, eager to hear more. Thus, questioned by them, Vyasa began to relate the tale of the sacred Ekamra field.