The assembly of gods was filled with sorrow and wonder. They turned to the Divine Mother, their voices heavy with grief and bewilderment. "O Mother," they implored, "is this your indifference toward us? The destruction of Hari’s head is a cause of great astonishment. You, who are so skilled in cutting the thread of birth, have brought us to a state of profound sorrow." Full of confusion, the gods continued, "O Goddess, perhaps some fault has arisen among us, or maybe Viṣṇu committed some sin in a previous birth, leading to this calamity. Or was it some pride born of battle in Viṣṇu himself? O Mother, we cannot fathom the purpose behind your mysterious play." They lamented, "Of what use are our victories over demons, or the sacred places in beautiful lands, when those who have performed great austerities and received your boons have vanished? Now, with Vishnu’s head gone, has he disappeared entirely, or is there some mysterious delight in seeing Vasudeva bereft of his head?" Their plea grew more desperate: "Why are you angry, O Daughter of the Ocean? Why do you look upon her—the First One—who is now left without a protector? Forgive the offense of your own portion; revive him and bring joy back to me." Reminding her of their devotion, the gods said, "These gods, renowned for their power, always bow to you and are foremost in action. O Goddess, lift up the Lord of all and rescue us from this ocean of sorrow." With growing anxiety, they confessed, "Mother, we do not know where Hari’s head has gone. Truly, today we see no other hope for his life. Just as nectar gives life and power, so too, O Goddess, you are the source of life for the world." Hearing these heartfelt praises, the Supreme Goddess—beyond all qualities, the great Lady, the supreme Māyā, known through the Vedas and their branches and the Sāmagas—became pleased. Suddenly, a bodiless voice resounded from the sky, addressing the gods with words that brought happiness and joy to all. "Do not be anxious, O gods," it declared. "Let the immortals remain at ease. I have been praised with the Vedas as desired—I am satisfied, without doubt." The voice continued, "Any man in the world of humans who always praises me with this hymn, with devotion, will obtain all his desires. Whoever listens to this hymn of mine with devotion, three times a day, will be freed from suffering and become happy. This is declared in the Vedas and is indeed equal to the Vedas." Then, the divine voice promised to reveal the cause behind Hari’s loss of his head, for nothing in this world happens without a reason. The story unfolded: Once, Viṣṇu was seated beside his beloved, the beautiful daughter of the ocean. As he gazed upon her lovely face, he smiled. Mahalakshmi, his consort, noticed this and wondered, "Why does the Lord laugh at me? For what reason does Hari see my face as deformed?" She pondered, "How could there be laughter without a cause? Perhaps he has taken another, more beautiful wife, treating me as a co-wife." Overcome by anger and dominated by the quality of darkness, she was suddenly possessed by a fierce tamasic power, all for the fulfillment of the gods’ purpose. Enraged by this tamasic force, Mahalakshmi spoke harshly and slowly, "Let your head fall!" This curse, uttered in a moment of feminine impulsiveness and without reflection, would bring her only sorrow. In her mind, she thought, "The pain of having a co-wife is greater than widowhood." Thus, under the influence of tamas, she spoke those fateful words. It is said that falsehood, recklessness, deceit, foolishness, excessive greed, impurity, and cruelty are faults naturally found in women. The voice assured the gods, "Today I will restore Vāsudeva with his head, just as before. By the effect of the curse, his head was submerged in the salt ocean." Yet, the voice added, "O best of the gods, there is another reason for these events; a great task awaits you all, without doubt." The goddess then recounted a tale from long ago. "There was a renowned demon named Hayagrīva, mighty-armed, who performed severe austerities on the bank of the Sarasvatī. Reciting my one-syllabled mantra, the seed of all magic, he remained without food, self-controlled, and free from all enjoyments. Meditating on me as the dark power, adorned with all ornaments, he performed extremely severe austerities for a thousand years." The Goddess continued, "Then I assumed a dark form and appeared before him, manifesting just as he had envisioned in his meditation. Standing there upon a lion, I spoke to him with compassion, 'Ask for a boon, O highly fortunate one; I will grant you, O steadfast one.'" Hayagrīva, filled with love and devotion, circumambulated the Goddess and prostrated himself before her. With eyes brimming with tears of joy, he praised her: "Salutations to the Goddess, the great enchantress, who creates, sustains, and dissolves the universe; skillful in blessing devotees, granter of desires and liberation, auspicious one. You are the cause of earth, water, fire, air, and ether; you are the cause of the forms of the Gandharvas, and of touch and sound. The nose, tongue, eyes, skin, ears—the senses—and the organs of action, O great goddess, all arise from you." The Goddess, pleased, said, "Tell me what boon you desire; whatever you wish, I will grant it. I am pleased with your devotion and your wondrous austerity." Hayagrīva replied, "Mother, let death not come to me; let it be so. May I be immortal, a yogi, and unconquerable by gods and demons." But the Goddess explained, "For one who is born, death is certain; for one who has died, birth is certain. Such is the order in the world—how can it be otherwise? Therefore, O best of demons, having resolved thus about death, choose another boon you desire, after considering in your mind." Hayagrīva then asked, "O Mother of the world, let my death come only from one named Hayagrīva, and from no other. Fulfill this wish that is in my heart." The Goddess granted his request: "Go home, O greatly fortunate one, and rule your kingdom as you please. Except for Hayagrīva, surely death will not come to you." Having bestowed this boon, the Goddess vanished from sight. Hayagrīva, filled with supreme joy, returned to his own home. Thus, the gods listened in awe as the Goddess revealed the deeper causes behind Viṣṇu’s fate and the unfolding of divine purpose in the world.