Compassion is the true mark of the noble-hearted among all beings on earth. Those who are truly well-born have hearts that remain tender with kindness, extending even to those who may have wronged them. Once, the great king Maṇikuṇḍala, while still ruling his kingdom, journeyed into the forest. There, he encountered the brāhmaṇa Gautama, his friend. Maṇikuṇḍala had recently lost his wealth to the schemes of wicked gamblers, yet when he saw Gautama, he welcomed and honored him, for he was learned in righteousness. The king spoke to Gautama about the power of righteousness, and as an act of purification, he bathed him in the sacred waters of the Gaṅgā, for the removal of all sins. In the company of Gautama, his kinsmen, the vaiśyas of his own land, the brāhmaṇa's relatives, and elders led by Kauśika, Maṇikuṇḍala performed sacrifices and worshipped the gods in the presence of the lord of yogis. Having completed these holy acts, the king attained heaven. From that time on, the place where these events occurred became known as "the reviver of the dead," a sacred site of vision and the lord of yogis. Simply remembering this holy place brings merit, calms the mind, and destroys all evil thoughts. There is another holy place called Urvaśī, which bestows the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice upon those who bathe there, give gifts, and worship Mahādeva and Vāsudeva. At this sacred site, where the great gods Maheśvara and Hari reside, there once ruled a mighty universal sovereign named Pramati. King Pramati, having conquered all his enemies, swiftly ascended to Indra's realm, accompanied by the gods. There, O Nārada, he beheld Indra, the lord of the gods, together with the Maruts. Pramati, foremost among warriors, seized Indra, who held a noose in his hand. As Indra laughed, Hari spoke to Pramati, saying, "O wise one, enough of playing with the Maruts in the temple of the gods! Having conquered all directions and reached heaven, come, play with me." Hearing this, Pramati agreed and turned to Indra, asking, "What forfeit do you consider suitable?" Indra replied, "Urvaśī herself is our stake, to be won by all through sacrifices." Pramati, proud, accepted Urvaśī as the forfeit and asked Indra to give his right hand for the wager, so they could play. The two approached the gaming board, and Pramati emerged victorious, winning Urvaśī, the celestial maiden. Angrily, he demanded another forfeit from Indra, saying that Indra could play again later. Indra then offered his divine, victorious chariot with Vajra, fit for the gods, as the next stake. Pramati, taking the nooses and jeweled ornaments, laughed and declared his victory to Indra. At that moment, Nārada, the knower of dice, arrived, as did Viśvāvasu, the lord of the Gandharvas. They invited Pramati to play using the Gandharva art of dice. Pramati agreed and again declared victory after winning. In his foolishness, he spoke harshly to Indra, boasting, "Whether in battle or in play, you can never win, O Mahendra. Therefore, always be devoted to us. Tell me, by what means did you become the lord of the gods?" Puffed up with pride, Pramati then ordered Urvaśī, "Go, become a servant." Urvaśī replied, "As I behave among the gods, so shall I behave with you, with all my heart; you should not reproach me." Yet Pramati insisted, "There are many women like you. Why are you ashamed, O good lady? Go, become a servant." After this, Pramati turned to Citraseṇa, the powerful son of Viśvāvasu and lord of the Gandharvas, and challenged him to a game, staking everything—his kingdom, his life, and Citraseṇa's as well. Both agreed and played eagerly, but Citraseṇa won. The Gandharvas then bound Pramati with great bonds, and Citraseṇa took everything, especially Urvaśī, as the prize. Pramati's kingdom, treasury, army, and all his wealth became Citraseṇa's. Pramati's young son, Sumati, spoke bravely to the wise priest Viśvāmitra, also known as Madhucchandas, asking, "What sin did my father commit? Where is he now, bound? How will he return? How will he be freed from his bonds?" Hearing these words, Madhucchandas reflected and replied, "Your father sits bound in the world of the gods. Deprived of his kingdom by many deceptions and faults, he has fallen. Whoever enters the assembly of gamblers partakes of suffering. Gambling, drinking, meat-eating, and such bring ruin, O prince. Only the sinful are born with sinful natures, and each of these leads to misfortune, sin, and hell. Through chariots, seats, speech, and other means, those who follow deceit corrupt even noble families—how much more so the gamblers themselves? The wife of a gambler suffers constantly, and the gambler himself, sinful, suffers when he sees a woman. Seeing her, joyless, he who acts wickedly always laments: 'Alas, in this cycle of existence, there is no sinner equal to me.