When work fails to succeed, one should not be disturbed, for when one’s own duty remains incomplete, what misfortune might not arise? With this understanding, I recounted to those two—the story of the illustrious Dhanvantari, son of Āyuṣ, renowned for his noble mind. In that tale, an obstacle born of darkness had arisen, only to be destroyed by Viṣṇu. I described to them the events set in motion by deeds from previous births and the consequences that followed. Hearing this, both listeners were filled with wonder and addressed me again, asking, “O best of gods, by what means can the obstacle caused by that fault be removed?” After meditating once more, I replied, “Listen carefully to the cause of the fault, the reason for all accomplishment, and the way to cross the vast ocean of suffering. There is a refuge for those whose hearts are afflicted, liberation even for the living. Let them go to the goddess Gautamī and there offer praise to Hari and Śaṅkara. There is no other way for purification.” Without delay, those two, leaving all else behind, went to Gautamī. At the proper time, after bathing, both gods joyfully began to praise her. They offered salutations: “Homage to Matsya, to Kūrma, to Varāha—again and again we bow! Salutations to Nṛsiṃha, the mighty god, to Vāmana—we bow again and again! Salutations to you, O Hayagrīva, O Trivikrama! Salutations to you in the form of Buddha, in the form of Rāma, and as Kalkin. Salutations to you, the endless, the infallible Lord, to Jāmadagnya; to you who appear as Varuṇa, Indra, and Yama—salutations to you! Salutations to the supreme Lord, who takes the form of the three worlds, who bears Sarasvatī on his lips; you who are all-knowing—salutations to you! “O sinless one, endowed with fortune and bearing Lakṣmī upon your chest, you possess many arms, thighs, feet, ears, eyes, and heads. Many, attaining you who are blissful, themselves become happy. As long as people do not take refuge in you, O Hari, ocean of compassion, they remain deprived of fortune, afflicted by impurity and misery. Those who desire liberation declare you to be the subtle, supreme, infinite light—the very essence of Om, transcending nature, of the form of consciousness, entirely composed of bliss. “Here, even those without desire worship you, O Lord, with great sacrifices of five kinds. Having fulfilled all desires, they cross the ocean of worldly existence and enter your divine realm. With an attitude of equality toward all beings, perceiving the six waves, and possessing a peaceful mind, they abandon the fruits of action through knowledge, and through meditation, O Śambhu, they enter into you. “Neither caste nor duties, nor Vedic scriptures, nor meditation or samādhi—none of these are the means; we bow with devotion to Rudra, Śiva, Śaṅkara, the peaceful-minded god Soma. Even a fool, O Śambhu, by devotion to your feet, may attain your form of liberation—in knowledge, in sacrifices, in austerities, in meditation, in offerings, and in great fruits. This supreme fruit is attained: devotion to Soma-īśvara day and night, which is always dear to every living being, the fruit both seen and heard. “This devotion to you is the ladder to heaven and liberation, O abode of the universe, for attaining the fruit of reaching your feet; yet the wise do not consider it merely a ladder. Therefore, O compassionate one, may I have devotion to you. There is truly no other means of serving your form. Seeing your own greatness, O Lord, show favor even to us sinners. “You are both gross and subtle, beginningless and eternal, father and mother, both the unreal and the real. Thus praised by the Vedas and the Purāṇas, I bow to Soma-īśvara, the Lord.” Pleased by these praises, Hari and Hara, the two lords of the gods, spoke together: “Ask for whatever your heart desires, any boon, even one most difficult to obtain.” Indra then addressed the Lord of the gods: “My kingdom is repeatedly gained and lost; may that misfortune come to an end. May I be firm in my kingdom, may all that is mine be unshakable. If you, O Lords of the gods, are truly pleased, may everything always remain steady.” “So be it,” they replied joyfully, approving Hari’s words. Seeing the two with smiling faces, Indra and his companion attained supreme grace from the lords—those whose nature is without decline, without support, and without change, the refuge of all worlds, bestowers of enjoyment and liberation. At that sacred place, Gautamī—the great tīrtha that fulfills desires—one should bathe with reverence, reciting this mantra. Let Bṛhaspati perform the anointing of Mahendra for auspiciousness, remembering both Hari and Hara, for the attainment of stability in prosperity. Whatever good deeds have been done, in this or previous births—may all come to fulfillment. O Godāvarī, salutations to you! Whoever, remembering thus, bathes in the Gautamī, by our grace, his righteousness becomes complete; he is freed from faults committed in previous births and becomes virtuous. Thus agreeing, the delighted Indra and Bṛhaspati performed the great abhiṣeka of Indra, with the Guru of the gods officiating. By that act, the river became auspicious and was called Maṅgalā; her confluence is holy, bestowing auspiciousness like that of the Gaṅgā. Praised by Indra, Viṣṇu, the embodiment of the universe, appeared directly; Śakra obtained the earth, equal to the three worlds, from the Lord of the universe. By that name, he is renowned there as Govinda; and the earth, equal to the three worlds, was obtained by the wielder of the thunderbolt. There, Hari granted it, and Govinda became Hari; the sovereignty over the three worlds was attained by Hari from Hari. By whom stability was established, from Maheśvara, the god of gods—there, Bṛhaspati, the guru of the gods, praised Maheśvara. For the stability of the kingdom of the great-souled king of the gods, the god Siddheśvara, worshipped by the gods, manifested there as a liṅga.