When the gods wished to bring Fire into the waters, Fire spoke to the immortals and asked, “How shall I go there, to the waters? If you wish me to enter the great water, you must bring me yourselves.” The gods, considering this, asked Fire in return, “How will you, O Fire, reach there?” Fire replied, “Let a virtuous maiden carry me. Place me in a golden vessel, and let her bear me wherever my path may lead.” Hearing these words, the gods turned to Sarasvatī, the maiden, and said, “Lead this Fire swiftly, carrying it upon your head, to Varuṇa’s abode.” Sarasvatī replied, “Alone, I am not able to bear it; but if joined by four others, I could swiftly carry Fire to Varuṇa’s abode.” Taking her words to heart, the gods approached Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Narmadā, and Tapatī, and asked them to accompany Sarasvatī. Thus, together, the five maidens placed Fire in a golden vessel, bore it upon Sarasvatī’s head, and journeyed to the dwelling of Varuṇa. Arriving at the sacred place where Somanātha, the lord of the gods, resides in Prabhāsa adorned with the moon, they set down the vessel. There, the five rivers—led by Sarasvatī—brought forth the Fire, and the great Agni took residence, slowly drinking the waters. Then, all the hosts of gods approached Śiva, the best among the gods, and asked, “Tell us, O Lord, what is the purifier of bones for us and for our cows?” Śiva replied, “By carefully bathing in the Gaṅgā, both gods and cows are freed from sins—of this, there is no doubt.” The bones that came from the bodies of sages, once washed there, became pure by that very washing. That holy place, where the gods were freed from sin, became a destroyer of sins; bathing and giving gifts there removes even the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa. The tīrtha where the purification of cows takes place is called Gotīrtha; by bathing there, a wise person obtains the fruit of a cow-sacrifice. And where the blessed Brāhmaṇa bones were, O Nārada, that place is known as Pitṛtīrtha, which increases the joy of the ancestors. Ashes, bones, hair, or nails of any living being, if brought to that holy place, remain there as long as the moon, sun, and stars endure. Even one who has performed evil deeds attains residence in heaven; thus, from the holy place of Cakreśvara, three tīrthas arose. Then, O Nārada, the gods and cows were purified and addressed Śambhu, saying, “Let us return to our own abodes, for here the Sun is established. While the Sun remains here, all the gods are established.” They continued, “O Lord of the worlds, may it be permitted for us to go; for the Sun is indeed the eternal self of this world, both moving and unmoving. The Sun, composed of divinity, is established here by us, where the Gaṅgā, the sustainer of the world, is, and where Tryambaka himself is present. Where Tryambaka is, there is the abode and establishment of the gods.” With Śiva’s blessing, the gods took leave of the sage Pippalāda and returned to their own dwellings; in due course, the pippala trees themselves ascended to the imperishable heaven. The illustrious sage Pippalāda, lord of the field, established the worship of Śaṃkara at the very place of the pippala trees. This sage, son of Dadhīci, full of fierce energy, took as his wife the daughter of Gautama and, having sons, wealth, and fame, together with friends, the steadfast one attained heaven. From that time onward, the holy place became known as Pippaleśvara, the reward of all sacrifices, meritorious, and by remembering it, sins are destroyed. How much more so by bathing and giving gifts there, and by seeing Āditya; Cakreśvara and Pippaleśa are names of the god of gods. By knowing this supreme secret, one attains all desires, for the establishment of the Sun is in the abode of the gods, and that place is dear even to the gods themselves. Whoever recites, hears, or remembers this most holy narrative becomes long-lived, wealthy, righteous, and at the end, remembering Śambhu, always attains him. Now, hear of the holy place known as Nāgatīrtha, famed for granting all desires, where the Lord of Serpents abides. In the city of Pratiṣṭhāna, there was a king named Śūrasena, illustrious, wise, and a descendant of the lunar dynasty, an ocean of virtues. Desiring a son, the king and his beloved wife made great efforts, and after a long time, a son was born to them—a serpent of terrifying form. King Śūrasena kept his son hidden; no one among the people knew that the king’s son was a serpent. Whether an insider or an outsider, not even the nurse, the ministers, or the priest knew—only his mother and father. Seeing his dreadful serpent son, the best of kings and his wife were always distressed, thinking that childlessness would have been preferable to having a serpent for a son. Yet, this great serpent always spoke like a human. He said to his father, “Perform for me the cūḍā ceremony as well.” He also insisted that the initiation and study of the Veda be performed, for until one studies the Veda, a twice-born is equal to a Śūdra. Hearing these words, Śūrasena was deeply troubled, but he brought a brāhmaṇa and performed the ceremonies. The serpent, having studied the Veda, then said to his father, “Arrange a marriage for me, O King; I desire a wife. Otherwise, your duties will not be fulfilled—this is my conviction.” He continued, “If, after begetting sons and performing all sacraments according to Vedic rule, a father does not arrange their marriage, there is no atonement for his fall into hell.” Astonished, the father spoke to his son, who bore the form of a serpent.