Before her appeared a wondrous and awe-inspiring vision: a divine being with six faces, sixteen powerful arms, and twenty-four radiant eyes. This was none other than the god of gods, manifesting in a terrifying form as the destroyer of all. Yet, upon his face there played a gentle, gracious smile, and in one of his hands he held a rosary, bestowing blessings as the boon-giver. As the chaste and devoted Mālāvatī gazed upon this scene, she saw assembled before her hosts of diseases—difficult to overcome and fearsome in aspect. Among them stood one with large feet, dark in color, yet righteous and noble—the son of the sun, Yama himself. He was the knower of the judgment between righteousness and unrighteousness, the very embodiment of supreme dharma. Undaunted by these awesome presences, Mālāvatī addressed Yama first. “O Lord,” she asked, “how do you take my husband before his time?” Yama replied with compassion, “O virtuous one, I do not disturb the life of anyone without the command of the Supreme Lord. I am Time, the maiden of death, and the diseases—each difficult to overcome. The daughter of Death, skilled in discernment, approaches every being from the moment of conception.” Still grieving, Mālāvatī turned to the daughter of Death. “How do you take my beloved from me while I am still alive, O dear one?” The daughter of Death answered, “It is not possible to abandon him, even if much austerity has been performed. Among all virtuous women, there is one who is radiant and exceptional. O beautiful one, at that time, all calamities are pacified here. But driven by Time, I, my sons, and diseases indeed act. Ask Time, the great soul and knower of dharma, in the assembly of righteousness.” With deep reverence, Mālāvatī bowed and addressed the Personification of Time, “O Lord, portion of Nārāyaṇa, I bow to you and to the Supreme. How do you take my beloved from me while I am still alive, O master?” Time replied, “We constantly wander, upholding the commands of the Lord, from whom Nature, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and all others are created. Wise yogis meditate upon the lotus feet of that One. Out of fear of Him, the wind blows; out of fear of Him, the sun shines. Śaṅkara, the destroyer of all worlds, acts by His command. By His command, all the planets revolve in their zodiacal circles. By His command, trees bear flowers and fruits. By His command, streams of water flow and the earth, the support of all, exists. Suddenly, the world is deluded by the constant power of His māyā, whose end even the Vedas do not know, nor those who comprehend the nature of things. His name is served by Brahmā and Viṣṇu, the great and vast ones. He is the Lord of all, the time of time, the death of death, the supreme beyond the supreme. The treasury of compassion, He will grant the desired lord of all wishes.” Having spoken thus, the Personification of Time fell silent, O Shaunaka. Then a Brahmin addressed Mālāvatī, “What doubt do you have now? Ask, O auspicious maiden.” Hearing these words, Mālāvatī, ever virtuous, felt delighted and replied, “All the various causes are explained in the Vedas. From which disease, difficult to restrain and bringing misfortune, does not arise? Whatever is asked or inquired, whether known or unknown—” As she spoke, Janārdana, in the form of a Brahmin, listened. Then the Brahmin said, “The seed of the Veda and its limbs is the seed, the Lord Shri Krishna.” Thus, in this sacred assembly, the mystery of fate, time, and the Supreme Lord was revealed to Mālāvatī, who sought answers with unwavering devotion.