When Bṛhaspati, the revered guru of the Daityas, had been respectfully welcomed, seated, and allowed to rest, he was asked about the purpose of his visit. True to the ancient code of hospitality, which teaches that even an enemy who comes to one’s home should not be turned away with hostility, Bṛhaspati recounted in full the sorrowful tale of how his wife had been abducted. Upon hearing Bṛhaspati’s words, the poet—who was Nārada—became angry. The sage was incensed, for he saw this as a grave offense committed by his own disciple, Candra, the Moon. With righteous indignation, Nārada declared, “I shall not eat, nor drink, nor rest, nor even speak, O brother, until your beloved wife, wronged by another, is restored to you. Bring her back, honor her, and let Candra be cursed for betraying his teacher. Only then, mighty lord of the planets, will I break my fast. Listen to my words.” Having thus addressed Jīva, the preceptor of the Daityas departed. He devoted himself to the worship of Śiva with great determination and, through his devotion, attained supreme power. Blessed by Śiva, who is worshipped by all, he received various boons. Indeed, when graced by Śiva, what can embodied beings not achieve? With these powers, Śukra accompanied Jīva to the Moon’s abode. There, with a thunderous voice, he pronounced a curse upon the Moon: “Listen, O Moon! Out of sinful pride, you have committed a deed worse than sin itself. Therefore, be afflicted with leprosy!” The sage’s curse took effect immediately, and the Moon was marked by the sign of a deer. Truly, who can escape ruin after betraying a teacher, a master, or a friend? Stricken by the curse, the Moon abandoned Tārā, and the sage took her back. Śukra then summoned the gods, the seers, and the hosts of ancestors, seeking a way to resolve the matter of Tārā’s purity. He questioned the sacred rivers, their presiding deities, and the devoted herbs, searching for a remedy. At that moment, a divine revelation came to the gods: “If Tārā bathes with devotion in the Gautamī river, she will be purified.” This supreme secret, it was said, should not be revealed to anyone else, for in every situation, Gautamī is the refuge of all beings. Accordingly, Tārā, together with her husband, performed the prescribed bath in the Gautamī. As she emerged, a shower of flowers fell from the heavens and cries of victory rang out. The gods, humans, and the righteous kings once more restored the wife of Brahmā to her rightful place, returning her purified. Thus, the wife of Brahmā was restored, sanctified by the gods, and harmony was reestablished. That place, O great sage, became a sacred ford, its sanctity renowned. Because the wife of Brahmā had been purified there, that ford became a destroyer of all sins, a fulfiller of desires, and a source of joy and welfare for gods and their allies. In particular, Bṛhaspati, Śukra, and Tārā attained supreme bliss, and the guru then addressed the Gaṅgā: “O Gautamī, you are ever worthy of worship, the giver of liberation to all. Especially when I am in Siṃha, you purify the three worlds. You will become the greatest of rivers, endowed with all sacred fords. All holy places in heaven, earth, and the netherworld will come to bathe in you, O Mother, when I am in Siṃha.” He proclaimed, “The ford named Ānanda bestows blessedness, fame, long life, health, prosperity, good fortune, and wealth. Here, Gautama declared five thousand sacred fords; by remembering or reciting their names, one’s desires are always fulfilled. Here, where Śiva himself dwells and Nandī moves along the riverbank, the place is known as Nandītaṭa, and the ford is called Ānanda, for it increases all joy.” This place is also called Bhavatirtha, for Bhava—Śiva himself, the soul of all beings, whose nature is existence, consciousness, and bliss—abides there, pervading the universe. Now, listen to another auspicious and meritorious tale. There was a glorious king of the Solar dynasty, a mighty upholder of the Kshatriya order, named Pracinabarhi. Accomplished in all duties, he ruled for thirty-five million years. He observed a noble vow: “When I lose my youth, whether by separation from my beloved wife, sons, or treasured possessions, then I shall renounce the kingdom—there is no doubt. Such conduct is fitting for the wise, the noble-born, and men of discernment.” Even while ruling, he remained detached, dwelling in solitude, for he knew that true separation from loved ones is rare. Under his rule, there was no affliction, disease, famine, or quarrel among relatives; no one was ever parted from another. Desiring a son, the wise king performed a great sacrifice. The blessed Lord, pleased with his devotion, granted him a boon. At the Gautamī riverbank, Maheshvara himself appeared to the king, who, together with his wife, requested a son from Bhava. Pleased, Bhava said, “Behold my third eye.” The king beheld it, and from its radiance, a son was born—Mahima, renowned as the composer of the celebrated Mahimna Stotra. When Tripurāntaka is pleased, what can be unattainable, even for Hari, Brahmā, and the gods? Having received a son, the king requested that the tirtha be supremely sanctified, so that those afflicted by great sins, diseases, and calamities might find relief there. For the fulfillment of every desire, Bhava granted the tirtha preeminence, and thus it came to be called Bhavatirtha. There, by bathing and giving gifts, one’s desires are fulfilled. By Bhava’s grace, Pracinabarhi obtained his son Mahima, who was born on the Gautamī’s bank. That sacred place, called Bhavatirtha, is blessed with seventy holy bathing spots, each bestowing all blessings.