My son, know this: by my command, the sacred river Gautamī, wherever she may flow, grants liberation to all who bathe in her waters. Such is her power that anyone who merely hears of her sanctity attains the rewards equal to performing a thousand aśvamedha sacrifices and a hundred vājapeya rituals. O Nārada, let it be known that in any house where this Purāṇa—spoken by Brahmā—is preserved, the residents need not fear the dark age of Kali. This supreme Purāṇa is meant to be told to those who are faithful, peaceful, devotees of Viṣṇu, and great souls. Its recitation brings both enjoyment and liberation, destroys sin, and fulfills those who simply listen to it. Whoever writes this holy book and offers it to a brāhmaṇa, freed from all sins, will not be reborn. At this point, the listeners, their hearts still unsatisfied, addressed the sage: “We are not yet content, hearing the wondrous stories of the Lord. Please, speak again of the supreme secret in its entirety. You have not yet fully described the infinite Vāsudeva. We long to hear more, O revered one—tell us in detail.” The sage replied, “O best of sages, I will declare to you now the very essence—the highest truth—about the greatness of infinite Vāsudeva, a secret rare upon this earth. “In the beginning of the kalpa, O brāhmaṇas, I, Brahmā, born from the unmanifest, summoned Viśvakarman, the foremost among divine craftsmen, and spoke to him: ‘O chief of artisans, create on earth an image of Vasudeva made of stone.’ “Following my command, Viśvakarman fashioned a pure and resplendent image, holding the conch, discus, and mace. This image bore all auspicious marks, with eyes like blooming lotuses, adorned with the Śrīvatsa mark, radiant with power, and surpassing all other images. Its chest was draped with a garland of forest flowers, crowned and adorned with armlets, clothed in yellow garments, with broad shoulders and shining earrings. “In ancient days, I established this divine image at the proper time, installing it with secret mantras. At that time, Shakra, king of the gods, together with the celestial beings, ascended the excellent elephant and journeyed to my abode. There, they worshipped the image with ritual baths and offerings. Shakra honored the image and then returned to his own city. “For a long time, Shakra worshipped the image with restrained speech, body, and mind. Through this devotion, he overcame the cruel Asuras, beginning with Vritra and led by Namuchi. Having defeated the terrible Dānavas, he enjoyed dominion over the three worlds. “When the Treta age arrived, the lord of the Rākṣasas appeared—he was the mighty and powerful Dasagriva, known as Rāvaṇa. For ten thousand years, he performed severe austerities, conquering his senses and forgoing food. Pleased by his penance, I granted him a boon: he became invulnerable to all gods, Daityas, Nāgas, Rākṣasas, and immune to the fiercest weapons, curses, and even the servants of Yama. “With this boon, Rāvaṇa defeated the Yakṣas and their hosts, conquered the lord of wealth, and set out to challenge Shakra. In a terrible battle with the gods, he overcame the king of the gods and thus became known as Indrajit. His son, Meghanada, seized Amaravati, the splendid city of the gods. “Rāvaṇa, endowed with immense strength, entered the king of the gods’ palace and beheld the image of Vasudeva—dark as collyrium, adorned with all auspicious marks, the Śrīvatsa, lotus-like eyes, chest garlanded with forest flowers, crowned and adorned with armlets, holding conch, discus, and mace, dressed in yellow garments, four-armed, and resplendent with every ornament, the bestower of all rewards. “Leaving behind heaps of jewels and treasures, Rāvaṇa swiftly sent this auspicious image to Laṅkā in the celestial chariot Puṣpaka. “Vibhīṣaṇa, the righteous and illustrious guardian of the city—Rāvaṇa’s younger brother and counselor, devoted to Nārāyaṇa—stood there. Seeing the divine image, which had descended from the abode of the gods, Vibhīṣaṇa’s body thrilled with wonder and joy. “With a heart overflowing, he bowed to the deity and exclaimed, ‘Today my birth is fruitful, today my austerity is fulfilled!’ Prostrating himself repeatedly, he approached his elder brother with joined palms and said, ‘O king, please grant me this image as a favor. By worshipping it, O Lord of the Universe, one crosses the unfathomable ocean of worldly existence.’ “Hearing these words, Rāvaṇa replied, ‘Take the image, hero; what use have I for it? Having worshipped the self-born deity, I have conquered the three worlds. This wondrous god is the origin of all beings.’ “Vibhīṣaṇa, of great intellect, then worshipped the auspicious image of Janārdana for one hundred and eight years. By this devotion, he attained freedom from old age and death, was endowed with mystical powers such as minuteness, and enjoyed the kingdom of Laṅkā and all pleasures as he wished.