May Chandrachuda, He who wears the crescent moon, protect my throat; may the Bull-bannered One, Śiva, guard my shoulders. May the Lord of the Universe shield all my limbs, in every direction, at all times. Thus has the wondrous Bana armor been described to you—a sacred protection for body and soul. The merit one gains from bathing at every holy ford is surpassed by the fruit of this knowledge. Yet, if a person, ignorant of this armor, worships me, his mind is clouded and dull, unable to grasp the true benefit. Then Sauti spoke: The king of mantras, a wish-fulfilling tree, was once given by the sage Vasiṣṭha. It is this: “Om, obeisance to Śiva; I bow to the very essence of the gods, to the Lord of the gods, blue and red in hue. He is the embodiment of knowledge and bliss, the very form and seed of knowledge, eternal. He is the form and seed of austerity, the wealth and treasure of asceticism, the supreme one. He is the cause of both enjoyment and liberation, the means to cross the vast ocean of hell. Śiva’s form is as pure as snow, sandalwood, jasmine, the moon, the water-lily, and the lotus. He takes many forms, adapting to the diversity of creation. He is the wind, the moon, the sun—a great and mighty Lord. He is the very life of his devotees, ever eager to bestow grace. He is boundless, beyond speech and mind, armed with trident and spear, smiling, adorned with the crescent moon. Having spoken this king of hymns, Bana, ever self-controlled, recited it daily. This great hymn was once given by Vasiṣṭha to a Gandharva, O sage. Whoever recites this hymn with devotion attains great merit. A man without a son, if he listens for one year, will be blessed with a son. One suffering from leprosy or great pain is cured by listening for a year. Even one bound in prison finds no contentment unless he listens with devotion. He who has lost his kingdom regains it if he listens with devotion for a month. A faithful person afflicted with consumption is healed by listening for a year. O twice-born, whoever always listens with devotion to this king of hymns is never separated from his relatives, O descendant of Bharata. One who is disciplined and listens with devotion for a month, even a fool lacking intelligence, or one afflicted by pain or poverty, will enjoy happiness in this world and attain rare fame. Such a person becomes an exalted attendant and serves Śaṅkara in His divine realm. Sūta continued: Thereafter, he spent the remainder of his days with them in the secluded forest. The king of the Gandharvas rejoiced with his sons, wives, and companions. His reign flourished, rivaling the splendor of Kubera’s own abode. In time, on the enchanting banks of the Gaṅgā, the king of the Gandharvas, a devoted servant of Śiva, by Śiva’s grace and his son’s service to Viṣṇu, honored his parents. The Gandharva Upabarhaṇa, wise and virtuous, eventually surrendered his life due to a curse from Brahmā. Mālāvatī, his devoted wife, entered the fire at Puṣkara, on the sacred land of Bhārata. In the wife of Sṛñjaya, born of Manu’s lineage, the Gandharva Upabarhaṇa was reborn and became my husband.