He pressed a firm kiss upon her cheek, then upon her lips, red and radiant like ripe bimba fruit. With great affection, he adorned her with a garland of jewels, famed and coveted throughout all three worlds. He presented her with a pair of gleaming anklets, and returned to her what had once been taken from Svāhā. He offered jeweled rings for her fingers and bestowed upon her the most exquisite ornament of Rati, goddess of love. He arranged her abundant hair with care, weaving garlands through its tresses. He decorated her locks with three crescent-shaped ornaments and anointed them with fragrant sandalwood paste. Upon her forehead, he applied a blazing vermilion mark, shaped like a lamp’s flame, and joyfully colored her nails with brilliant red dye. Again and again, he declared to her, “O goddess, I am your servant.” Leaving behind the forest where he had practiced severe austerities, he journeyed to another royal dwelling. In every delightful place he visited—each secluded flower garden, the auspicious riverbank where the air was still and enchanting, in the freshness of spring filled with the sweet humming of bees, in divine gardens and forests, and in sandalwood groves—he rejoiced. He wandered through jasmine, mālatī, and lotus groves, and even to a secluded golden place upon a blessed golden mountain. There, on a bed of flowers and sandalwood, with the melodious calls of male cuckoos echoing, the passionate lover delighted in the company of his beloved Rāma. With abundant offerings, the path of Krishna flourished, and the love between the two grew ever deeper. He created enchanting places for their enjoyment, and again and again, they reveled together. For an entire Manvantara, the mighty king of kings ruled, governing over the Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and Rakshasas. He seized their domains of worship and offerings by force, leaving the gods powerless, as motionless and helpless as painted dolls. The gods, distressed, recounted all that had transpired and wept bitterly, time and again. The Creator himself brought news of these events to Chandrasekhara. He beheld then a supreme, exceedingly rare abode—a place that banishes old age and death. At its threshold, he saw gatekeepers seated upon jeweled thrones, all adorned with garlands from the forest, their forms dark and beautiful. Their faces were shaped like lotuses, their eyes enchanting and lotus-like, and they smiled as they welcomed him. At their command, he entered within. Together with the gatekeepers, the divine visitor entered the great assembly of Hari. There, everyone appeared in the form of Narayana, each adorned with the radiant Kaustubha gem. The hall itself was a marvel, constructed from the essence of precious jewels and shining with the brilliance of diamonds. Rows of ruby garlands and lines of pearls decorated the space, intricate designs and marvelous patterns adorned every surface. A hundred stairways, crafted by Syamantaka, led upward, and the entire hall was encircled by pillars of dazzling indranīla gems. Garlands and clusters of pārijāta blossoms radiated their beauty, and everywhere, fragrant breezes drifted, filling the exquisitely prepared hall with their sweet perfume.