O sage, listen to the sacred account of Shiva, the supreme light who is the cause of the manifest world. It is to him alone that one should strive with utmost devotion, for in the Gautami river and in the Dandaka forest, Shiva destroys all heaps of sin. When the sage heard these words, he was filled with supreme delight, for Shiva grants both enjoyment and liberation to people, whether with form or without. He is capable of assuming the forms of creation and preservation, he is the giver and the destroyer, and by him all things are brought to completion. The Vedas teach that Brahma is the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Rudra the destroyer—each aspect a form of Shiva. Then, Āpastamba, having gone to the sacred Ganga, bathed and observed vows, and praised the god Shankara with a hymn. He declared: “As fire is hidden in wood, fragrance in flowers, oil in seeds, and gold in metals, so is Shiva present in all beings. To that Somanatha I take refuge. He who playfully created this universe, the sustainer and creator of the three worlds, of universal form, transcending existence and non-existence—to that Lord of Soma I take refuge. Remembering him, one is untouched by curses of poverty, disease, and other misfortunes; those who take refuge in him attain their desired ends. By him, considering the threefold Vedic law, Brahma and the others were established at first, and by him the body was made twofold. To him are directed oblations purified by mantra, offerings, and worship; by him the gods partake of the offerings. Beyond him there is nothing more excellent, subtler, or greater among the great. By his command, this wondrous, diverse, and inconceivable universe proceeds in a single course. In him are all powers, lordship over all, the greatness of being creator and giver, affection, fame, happiness, and the primordial law. He is always the refuge, always worthy of worship by all, always dear to those who seek refuge, always auspicious, the form of all. To that Lord of Soma I take refuge.” Pleased by this devotion, the blessed Lord spoke to sage Narada, and for his own sake and for the sake of others, Āpastamba addressed Shiva. Shiva said to the sage, “Those who, having bathed, behold the divine Lord, the ruler of the worlds, may attain all desires.” From that time onward, that sacred place has been called Āpastamba, capable of dispelling the multitude of beginningless darkness born of ignorance. Now, hear about Yama's Tīrtha, a place known to increase the satisfaction of ancestors and remove all sins. There occurred an ancient story called Sarameti, the divine dog. Sarameti had two illustrious sons, dogs who always followed people, subsisting on wind, four-eyed, and beloved of Yama. She guarded the cattle appointed for sacrifice by the gods, and those who followed her were the Rākṣasas, Daityas, and Dānavas. These wise ones, seeking to tempt Sarameti, the guardian bitch, used many words and gifts to persuade her. The cattle, appointed for auspicious sacrifice, were stolen by sinful Rākṣasas. Bound by ropes and struck with blows, Sarameti was led away, and she gradually spoke to the gods, explaining the loss of the sacrificial cattle. Hearing her words, Bṛhaspati quickly addressed the gods, saying, “This one appears altered in form; I perceive her sin. By her intention, the cattle were led away, not for any other reason. Her bodily actions reveal her guilt, even though she appears virtuous.” At the teacher's command, Indra struck Sarameti with his foot, and from the blow, milk flowed from her mouth. Indra then accused her: “You drank the milk, O bitch, and gave it to the Rākṣasas; therefore, my cattle have been taken away.” Sarameti pleaded, “O Lord, I have committed no offense, nor has anyone else; there is neither offense nor neglect on my part, O ruler of the gods. Why then are you angry, O Lord? Your enemies are indeed powerful.” After meditating, Bṛhaspati, the teacher of the gods, discerned her actions and said, “It is true, O Śakra, this one is wicked, siding with the enemies.” Then Śakra cursed her: “You, O bitch, become most sinful in the world of mortals, sinful and ignorant, a doer of evil.” By Indra's curse, she was born among humans, and became exceedingly dreadful due to sin. The lord of the gods, striving to recover the cows taken by the rākṣasas, reported the matter to Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu then made effort to slay the daityas, danavas, and rākṣasas who had stolen the cows, taking up his great bow, Śārṅga, renowned in the worlds as the destroyer of daityas. Janārdana himself, worshipped by the gods and conqueror of enemies, confronted the powerful daityas, danavas, and rākṣasas in the Daṇḍaka forest. There, Viṣṇu slew those rākṣasas who had taken away the cows, and thus he became known as Śārṅgapāṇi in that place. Fighting with the sons of Diti and the rākṣasas, Viṣṇu caused them, out of fear, to flee toward the southern direction. Mounting Garuḍa, Viṣṇu pursued them and struck them with arrows from Śārṅga, swift as the mind. On the northern bank of the Gaṅgā, Viṣṇu struck them with arrows, and the enemies of the gods were destroyed by his mighty power. Thus, O sage, the sacred deeds of Shiva and Viṣṇu unfolded, dispelling sin and darkness, and establishing the holy places where devotees may seek refuge and attain their desires.