His wife, blessed with enduring good fortune and a fondness for salt water, emerged from the Himalayas, mingling with the waters of the Sharavati. It was at this sacred confluence that Shankhacuda journeyed, and there he beheld Chandrashekhara, the radiant lord. Shankhacuda saw the great deity standing in a yogic posture, his hands forming divine gestures, his face adorned with a gentle smile. He was magnificent: holding both trident and spear, clad in a tiger skin, and surpassing all in excellence. His form was wondrous, with three eyes, five faces, and a serpent draped as his sacred thread. This lord, who liberates his devotees from the bonds of death, was tranquil and beloved by Gauri, ever delightful. Easily pleased, his gracious countenance bestowed favor upon those who approached him in devotion. He is the sustainer of the universe, its greatest, and the very cause of its dissolution. The giver of knowledge, the seed and bliss of knowledge, he is eternal. Filled with devotion, Shankhacuda bowed his head along with all the others present. At that moment, Kali, Skanda, and Shankara each granted him their blessings. They engaged in mutual conversation, and the great god, serene and blessed, spoke to him. Sri Mahadeva began: “Marichi was his son, a devotee of Vishnu and righteous in conduct. Kashyapa too was his son, virtuous and a progenitor of many. Among them was Danu, virtuous and prosperous by his good fortune. Among them also was Vipracitti, renowned for strength and valor. Vipracitti recited the supreme mantra at Pushkara for a hundred thousand years, and in time, he obtained you as a son—one wholly devoted to Krishna. Now, due to Rādhikā’s curse, the lord of the Dānavas resides in Bhārata. Even the states of sharing the same world, opulence, form, nearness, or oneness with Hari—Brahmahood or immortality—were considered insignificant by the devotee of Vishnu. What value is there for you, a devotee of Krishna, in wandering among the domains of the gods? Remain happily in your own sovereignty; let the gods keep their own positions. Whatever sins there are, even those as grave as killing a Brahmin—if, O king of kings, you grieve the loss of your own wealth—remember, even Brahma disappears when cosmic dissolution occurs. Knowledge, intellect, asceticism, and memory are established in the world. The most complete dharma is always based on truth and supported by truth. In the previous age, only one part of Kali existed, and its decline happened gradually. The radiance of the sun in summer is not the same as in winter; with time, it rises, just as childhood comes gradually. During the day, the sun becomes obscured, especially on dense, cloudy days. The full moon shines brightest on the night of the full moon, but its fullness does not remain—it wanes day by day. Yet, after the new moon, it regains its fullness, increasing day by day. On a day eclipsed by Rahu, in gloomy weather, when the sky is thickly clouded, the moon appears faded. But in the future, the moon will regain its strength; now, its splendor has fallen to the netherworld. In time, she was submerged in water, disappeared, and fell into misfortune. All moving and unmoving beings perish and arise again in due course.