In ancient times, a wondrous transformation took place. The body, once mortal, became a sacred river, celebrated throughout the worlds as the Gaṇḍakī. From the mass of hair emerged holy trees, destined to be revered everywhere. These trees would provide flowers and leaves, cherished in the worship of the gods across the three realms—heaven, earth, and the netherworld—as well as in Vaikuṇṭha, the divine abode, and even in the presence of the Lord Himself. On Goloka, by the banks of the Virajā, amidst the celestial dance, and in the earthly Vṛndāvana, these sacred groves flourished. There, mādhavī, ketakī, kunda, mallikā, and mālatī flowers bloomed in abundance. At the very root of the tulasī tree, in the holiest of places, the gods themselves found their abiding place. Whoever bathed in these sacred waters was as if purified by all holy rivers and initiated into every sacrifice. No amount of nectar, even from a thousand pots, could bring such satisfaction to Hari as an offering made here. The merit one would gain by gifting ten thousand cows was equaled by the water from a single tulasī leaf, especially when received at the moment of death. Those who, with devotion, regularly partake of tulasī water, who offer tulasī leaves and worship the Lord, who hold tulasī in their hands or adorn their bodies with it, who wear garlands made from the wood of tulasī—such people are especially blessed. Yet, if one, having taken tulasī in hand, fails to keep a promise, or swears falsely by tulasī, they are marked by that act. At the time of death, even a drop of water from tulasī brings immense benefit. On auspicious days—full moon, new moon, the twelfth day, or during the sun’s transit—and even during inauspicious or impure times, at night or in impurity, the power of tulasī remains. If a tulasī leaf is pure but has been kept for three nights, or has fallen to the ground or into water, and is then offered to Viṣṇu, it still carries great merit. The goddess who presides over the tulasī tree, ever pure in Goloka, continues to delight in secret pastimes with Kṛṣṇa. The goddess who presides over the river bestows immense merit upon the land of Bhārata. And you, O most virtuous one, will ever dwell in my presence in Vaikuṇṭha. I, too, shall take the form of a mountain near the bank of the Gaṇḍakī river. There, vajra-beetles and worms with diamond-like fangs reside. Among them are many wondrous forms: some with a single entrance and four wheels, adorned with garlands of forest flowers; others with one entrance and four wheels, their color like a fresh raincloud; some with two entrances, four wheels, and marked by the print of a cow’s hoof; others, very small, with two wheels, shining like new rainclouds or decorated with forest flower garlands; some are large and round, without garlands; some are circular, with two wheels and marked by arrow wounds; others have seven wheels, equipped with a parasol and staff; some are thick, with two or seven wheels, and shine like a fresh raincloud; others are wheel-shaped, with two wheels, adorned with auspicious marks, radiant as rainclouds. Among them is Sudarshana, with a single wheel, a hidden wheel, and bearing a mace. There is one whose mouth is exceedingly wide, with two wheels, appearing fierce and formidable. Thus, in this sacred realm, the river, the trees, the goddess, and the divine forms all manifest, sanctifying the worlds and granting blessings to the devoted.