Brahma, moved by compassion, granted a boon: "By my blessing, you shall become as dear to Radhika as her very life." Yet, Radhika herself decreed that their love must remain a secret, known only to the two of them. Having spoken thus, Brahma bestowed upon the goddess the sacred sixteen-syllable mantra and revealed to her the complete method of worship, including all the prescribed rites of preparation. Following Brahma’s guidance, the goddess faithfully performed these rites in the holy hermitage of Badarikā. For twelve divine years, she engaged in worship with unwavering devotion. When her austerities and the recitation of the mantra were perfected, she attained the boon she had so earnestly sought. Contentment filled her heart, and the fatigue of long penance faded away. Having eaten and drunk, fully satisfied, she lay down to rest. Nārāyaṇa then spoke: Endowed with fresh youth and beauty, the excellent woman was radiant, drawing praise from all. At that moment, the five-arrowed Kamadeva, god of love, released his five arrows at her. Instantly, her entire body erupted in goosebumps; she trembled, and her eyes grew red. For a moment, she was anxious; for another, she experienced a sweet, dreamy drowsiness. She drifted between wakefulness and despondency, wandering in distress, departing and returning to herself again and again. Her bed of flowers and sandalwood suddenly seemed filled with thorns; her dwelling lost its form, and her fine garment felt as though it were on fire. In a moment of drowsiness, Sati beheld a well-adorned man: his body was smeared with sandalwood and adorned with radiant jewels. He spoke lovingly to her and kissed her lips again and again. Suddenly, she saw Vasantaka coming and going. Regaining her senses, she lamented repeatedly, caught between longing and bewilderment. Meanwhile, Shankhachuda, the great yogi cherished by the Jaigishavyas, continually recited the auspicious protective hymn. By Brahma’s command, he too arrived at Badari. He was vibrant with youthful vigor, radiant like Kamadeva himself, and shone with the hue of white champaka flowers, adorned with splendid jeweled ornaments. Seated in a celestial chariot fashioned from gleaming gems, he wore garlands rich with parijata blossoms and smiled with enchanting beauty. When the goddess saw him nearby, she bashfully covered her face with her garment, lowering her gaze in embarrassment at the new union between them. Yet, she could not help but drink in the lotus of his face with her eyes, again and again. Reclining upon a bed of flowers and sandalwood, clothed in the finest garments, she was a vision of beauty: her hips full and firm, her breasts plump and prominent, her lips like ripe bimba fruit, and her nose exquisitely shaped. Radiant and charming, she was surrounded by her own luminous aura, with a shining vermilion mark always visible below the parting of her hair. Her palms glowed red like lotus petals, adorned with crescent-shaped nails. Her complexion was rosy and radiant as delicate red lac, her nails gleaming like a cluster of moons, outshining even the autumn moon in their beauty.