Lakṣmī, the divine consort, spoke with gentle concern about the consequences of curses and their effects upon the sacred rivers and herself. “If, by the curse of Bhāratī, I must send a portion of myself to Bhārata,” she said, “then the sinners of that land will cast their sins upon me whenever they bathe and immerse themselves in my waters. In another portion, I will take birth as Tulasī, the virtuous daughter of Dharmadhvaja, and become, in the form of a tree, the presiding deity over it.” She continued, “If, by the curse of Sarasvatī, Gaṅgā is compelled to descend to Bhārata, or if, by the curse of Gaṅgā, Sarasvatī must go to Bhārata, then let Sarasvatī seek refuge in the abode of Brahmā, and let Gaṅgā find sanctuary in the temple of Śiva.” Having thus spoken, Lakṣmī, filled with humility and devotion, bowed down at the feet of her beloved, holding them reverently. Padmanābha, her Lord, drew her radiant presence to his chest and addressed her with assurance. Nārāyaṇa said, “I will bring about balance and equality. Listen carefully to the order of events as they will unfold. Let Bhāratī, too, send a portion of herself as a river to Bhārata. Gaṅgā, who will be brought down by the austerities of Bhagīratha, shall flow to Bhārata as well. There, she will attain the rare honor of adorning the crown of the moon-crested Lord Śiva. And you, O lotus-born Lakṣmī, send a portion of your own energy to Bhārata.” He foretold, “When five thousand years of Kali Yuga have passed, liberation will be granted. Calamity, which paradoxically is the cause of prosperity, will visit all embodied beings. Yet, for those who are devoted to worship with my mantra, who bathe and immerse themselves with faith, the holy places upon the earth are countless. Those who worship Me with mantra and devotion will traverse the land of Bhārata during its existence. Wherever my devotees reside and wash their feet, there too will be sanctity.” Nārāyaṇa then described the power of this sanctity, listing those considered great sinners: “A killer of women, a killer of cows, the ungrateful, a killer of Brahmins, one who violates the teacher’s bed, one who neglects the Ekadashi vow or omits twilight worship, even an atheist; one who lives by the sword or by ink, a runner, a Shudra who performs sacrifices, a betrayer of trust, a destroyer of friendship, one who gives false testimony, one overwhelmed by debt, a usurer, an adulterer, the husband of a promiscuous woman, a cook for Shudras, a temple priest, a village priest for sacrifices, one who destroys the sacred fig tree, one who reviles my devotees, one who does not support his mother, father, wife, brother, son, or daughter, or his mother-in-law and father-in-law, and one who steals offerings meant for the gods or for Brahmins—all these are great sinners, as are those who cremate the dead among the Shudras.” Lakṣmī marveled at this, saying, “By merely seeing or touching such people, even the lowest of men are instantly purified. Those who lack devotion to Hari and are filled with pride—by their immersion and bathing, all sacred places themselves are purified. The gods in Bhārata long for the sight and touch of such people, for the sacred places are not truly mine, nor are the gods mere figures of clay or stone.” At this point, Sauti, the narrator, observed that the foremost sage began to reveal a deeper, hidden truth. Śrī Nārāyaṇa declared, “This sacred principle has the very nature of virtue itself. It destroys sin, grants happiness, and bestows both worldly enjoyment and liberation. It is the very essence, to be kept secret, and must not be spoken among the wicked. When the excellent Viṣṇu mantra is received by someone’s ear from the mouth of the guru, then the true transformative power is realized.” Thus, the divine plan unfolded, revealing the mysterious workings of virtue, purification, and grace in the land of Bhārata.