When a moment of tension arose, one of the assembled asked, “O best of the twice-born, what has happened? Where has your affection gone? What words have I spoken that have caused you distress?” The Brahmin, steadying himself, replied, “My father is the sage Dhritavrata, and I have been his son from the beginning; my mother is this earth herself, who has come to me by divine will.” Hearing these words, the earth-mother was overcome with sorrow. Both mother and son grieved together, and when dawn broke with the clear light of the sun, the Brahmin went to report all that had transpired to Gālava, the tiger among sages. He spoke with humility, “O Brahman, it was you who once protected and initiated Dhritavrata’s son, and you who gave this earth, my mother, to me. What am I to do now? By what means can I be freed from this weight of guilt?” Gālava listened and replied with compassion, “Do not grieve. I always see your twofold form, and it is indeed something extraordinary. I have heard your story and understood it well; whatever needs to be done for you, all comes to fulfillment at the sacred Ganges. By the power of this holy place and the grace of the goddess here, you are purified every day, child. There is no need for further worry. “Each morning, I see your forms, bearing the burden of sin, and each night I see you again in your most excellent form. I witness you arriving yoked with sin, and departing free of it; it is by the goddess’s grace that you are now purified. Therefore, nothing remains for you to do. This is your mother, O Brahmin, and the one known as Bandhakī. She, too, having passed through intense remorse, is now freed from sin. Affection among beings is only natural, my child. “Know that through association with the virtuous, great merit arises, and liberation is granted by the divine. Your mother was deeply repentant, and it was due to her previously performed merit. After bathing at this sacred place, both mother and son were purified, O Nārada. Indeed, by bathing here, both became free from sin, beyond all doubt. From that day, this holy place became renowned as the remover of sin. “It is known as the destroyer of sin, as Gālava’s tirtha. Here, whether sins are great or small, or even secondary, all are destroyed—this place cleanses sin and bestows great merit.” The narrative then shifts to another sacred story. “Where Rāma, son of Daśaratha, along with Sītā, satisfied the ancestors, that place, O Brahmin, is known as the ancestral tirtha. There, by bathing, giving, and offering libations to the ancestors, all attain imperishable merit—there is no doubt of this. It is also where Rāma honored the great sage Viśvāmitra, the king among kings, together with the sages who perceive the truth. “That sacred place of Viśvāmitra, cherished by sages and bestowing great virtue, I will now describe as recited by those versed in the Vedas. Once, a terrible drought afflicted the people. The wise Viśvāmitra, accompanied by his disciples, went to the Gautamī river. Seeing his disciples, sons, and wife emaciated and distressed by hunger, the illustrious Kauśika spoke to his disciples, ‘In whatever way, whatever thing, wherever, however—bring food to eat, but do not delay; go now and bring it at once.’ “At their guru’s command, the hungry disciples hurried off. Wandering here and there, they found a dead dog. Quickly, they brought it to their teacher. He accepted it, saying, ‘Let it be well,’ and received it with his hand. He instructed, ‘Cut up the dog’s flesh, wash it with water, cook it, and, reciting mantras, offer it into the fire as prescribed. After satisfying the gods, sages, ancestors, guests, and teachers, we shall eat what remains.’ “The disciples did as Viśvāmitra said. As the dog’s flesh was cooking, Agni, the divine messenger, approached the abode of the gods and reported everything: that the sages, in their distress, were preparing to eat the dog’s flesh. At this, Indra became a hawk, and, flying in the sky, snatched the pot, which was full and covered with meat. “When the disciples saw this, they reported to their teacher, ‘O best of sages, the pot has been taken by a hawk with misguided intent.’ The blessed one grew angry and, wishing to curse Hari, but the lord of the gods, knowing this, made the pot overflow with honey. Hari placed the pot among the meteors, filled with honey. Seeing this, Viśvāmitra’s anger flared, and he spoke, ‘Give us only the dog’s flesh, the best nectar for us; if not, I will reduce you to ashes.’ Indra, frightened, replied, ‘Offer honey as prescribed and drink it with your sons; what use is this impure dog’s flesh, O great sage?’ “But Viśvāmitra said, ‘No, what is the use of a single portion eaten? All beings are suffering—what is the point of that honey, O Hari? If it were nectar for all, I would eat the pure nectar; otherwise, let the gods and ancestors eat this dog’s flesh. Afterwards, I will eat that flesh—there is no falsehood in me.’ “Alarmed, the thousand-eyed Indra summoned the clouds at once. He rained down nectar-like water, and the beings, endowed with nectar, were then purified by that holy nectar, properly offered by Hari.” Thus, these sacred places and stories reveal the power of repentance, the grace of the divine, and the sanctity of holy rivers and tirthas, where sin is washed away and merit is attained for all who come with faith.