Once upon a time, the lord of the earth, Manu, deeply desired the blessings of the goddess who bestows great fortune. With reverence, he fashioned her image from clay and performed sacred rites to honor her. In secrecy, Manu worshipped the goddess, reciting the powerful Vagbhava mantra. He fasted, controlled his breath, and grew emaciated through his strict observances and vows. His devotion was unwavering—he stood on one foot, firmly rooted to the earth, day and night, for a hundred years. Through such immense austerity, Manu conquered desire and anger, attaining steadfastness of mind. He meditated deeply on the feet of the goddess within his heart. Moved by his dedication, the goddess, who embodies the universe itself, appeared before him. She spoke divine words: “Choose a boon, O king.” Her speech filled Manu’s heart with joy. He chose those rare boons that resided deep within his soul—boons seldom attained even by immortals. With humility, Manu praised the goddess: “Victory to you, O goddess, wide-eyed, victory to you who dwell within all. O venerable, worshipful, nourisher of the world, most auspicious among the auspicious; by the glance of your eye, the lotus-born creates the universe. Vaikuntha protects, Hara destroys in an instant, and the lord of Śacī rules the three worlds by your command. The lord of the departed instructs living beings with punishment; the lord of aquatic beings, holding the noose, protects even those like me. Kubera, imperishable lord of treasures, acts; the fire-eater, Nairṛta, Vāyu, Īśāna, and Śeṣa—all are born from your portion, empowered by your energy.” Manu continued, “If a boon is to be granted to me now, O auspicious one, let obstacles in my work of creation be destroyed. Let those who worship the Vagbhava mantra attain swift success in their tasks. May those who recite or cause others to hear this dialogue, O goddess, easily attain enjoyment and liberation in the world. Grant them remembrance of past births, eloquence, and excellence. May there be attainment of knowledge, success in the path of action, and abundance of sons and grandsons. Let all this come to pass, as I have spoken.” Then, the account of Vindhya begins. The blessed goddess replied, “O king, mighty-armed ruler of the earth, all that you have asked for shall indeed come to be; I grant you what you have desired, O lord of men. I am pleased, O destroyer of demons, whose power is unfailing; through your recitation of the Vagbhava mantra and your austerity, it is certain. May your kingdom be free from obstacles, may your sons continue your lineage; and, dear one, with firm devotion to me, at the end of life you shall attain the highest state.” Having granted these boons to the great-souled Manu, the goddess departed for Mount Vindhya while Manu looked on. At that time, the Vindhya mountain, which had been restrained by the sage born from the water-pot, began to rise up, reaching for the sky, intending to block the path of the sun. The goddess, dwelling in Vindhya, the boon-bestowing sister of Vishnu, became worthy of worship by all the worlds. The sages, eager for knowledge, asked Suta, “Who is this Vindhya mountain, O Suta? For what reason did he rise up to touch the sky? And why did he seek to block the sun’s path? How did the son of Mitra and Varuna make that lofty mountain remain in its place? Tell us everything in detail. For we are never satisfied, O noble one, drinking the nectar that flows from your lips; the thirst for hearing the stories and forms of the Goddess only grows.” Suta began his tale: There was a mountain named Vindhya, honored among all the mountains that bear the earth, abundant with great forests and mighty trees. Its slopes were covered with flowering creepers and bushes, and it teemed with deer, wild boar, buffalo, tigers, and leopards. Monkeys, hares, bears, and jackals roamed everywhere, always joyful, well-nourished, and full of energy. The mountain was filled with rivers and streams, and frequented by gods, gandharvas, kinnaras, apsaras, kimpurushas, and trees that grant every desire. Once, as he wandered the earth, the divine sage Nārada, greatly delighted, came of his own will to that splendid Vindhya mountain. Seeing the sage, the mountain quickly rose up in haste and, with reverence, offered water for washing his feet, an arghya, and a splendid seat. When Nārada was comfortably seated and pleased, the mountain spoke: “O divine sage, tell me from where you have come, and for what excellent purpose. By your arrival, my abode has become priceless; and your crossing, O divine one, is surely for the sake of the gods’ safety from the sun. Tell me, O Nārada, about that unprecedented state of mind.” Nārada replied, “My coming, O enemy of Indra, took place then on Mount Meru. There I saw the worlds of Indra, Agni, Yama, and Varuṇa; the dwellings of all the guardians of the worlds, all around. I saw the Vindhya mountains, which grant various enjoyments.” Having said this, the son of Brahmā fell into deep thought. Seeing the sage sighing, the lord of mountains asked again, “Tell me, O divine sage, what is the cause of your sigh?” Hearing these words, Nārada, radiant and gentle, said, “Listen, child, to the reason for my sigh. Himavat, the preceptor of Gaurī, is indeed the father-in-law of Śiva; because of his relation to the Lord of Beings, he is honored among the mountains. In the same way, Kailāsa, the abode of Śiva, the great Lord, is revered among the mountains of the earth, destroying heaps of sin in the world. Niṣadha, Nīla, and Gandhamādana mountains, too, are all honored in their own places among the mountains.” Thus, the story unfolds, revealing the glory of Manu’s devotion, the goddess’s blessings, and the rising of the Vindhya mountain, whose tale is sought by eager sages and retold by Suta with reverence and delight.