Having fulfilled his duties as a householder, a self-controlled person, after worshipping the Lord of Sacrifice through proper rituals, should then set out for the forest. There, having honored the excellent gods with sacrifices, he is to embrace the renounced life. True liberation, however, is not attained by rituals alone, but by worshipping the thousand-rayed one—the sun—through deep austerity. The very seed of worship by which the Blessed Lord, the divine Rudra, is honored, is austerity itself. Rudra, the fierce Lord, is not satisfied by sacrifices alone, but by intense penance and self-discipline. Indeed, he is the Lord of Austerity, embodying all the deities, and only through great austerity is he truly worshipped. This eternal God of gods, the supreme yogi, is pleased by the sincere practice of austerity. In the scriptures, no true dharma is found without the foundation of tapas, or ascetic practice. Having honored and dismissed his companions, the sage then addressed Tridhanvan. The great vital being, the Person, who dwells within the sun, and who encompasses the whole earth with its fourfold varṇa system, set out for the forest, sinless and pure, to engage in supreme austerity. Sustaining himself only on roots, tubers, and fruits, he worshipped the gods with offerings of ascetic food. With his mind, he recited the Sāvitrī, the goddess who is the mother of the Vedas. At that place, Hiraṇyagarbha—the golden one, soul of the universe—himself appeared. Bowing his head at the sage’s feet, Hiraṇyagarbha addressed him by name in reverence, offering praise: “To you, of golden form, thousand-eyed, creator, I offer my salutations. Salutations to you, embodiment of knowledge, who is attained through Sāṃkhya and Yoga. Salutations to the primeval person, the ancient one, teacher of yogis.” Then Hiraṇyagarbha spoke: “Choose a boon, auspicious one; I am the giver of boons.” The sage replied, “May my lifespan be extended by another hundred years, with a little extra.” Pleased, Hiraṇyagarbha touched him with his hands, granting the boon, and vanished at that very moment. Peaceful and composed, the sage continued his practice, bathing thrice daily and subsisting on roots, bulbs, and fruits. Then, in the midst of the sun’s orb, a great yogi appeared—a vision so wondrous that even Brahmā, the self-born one, without beginning or end, was struck with awe. In a moment, Brahmā beheld that supreme Lord, the Person, and saw Hara, whose body was both male and female, shining with the cool radiance of the moon. Hara was adorned in red garments, red in hue, with red garlands and ointments. Bowing his head, Brahmā offered prayers to Rudra with the Sāvitrī hymn: “Salutations to Rudra, who is composed of the three Vedas, who is the very form of time, and the cause of all.” Rudra then said, “Hear these secret names of mine, O sinless one. O king, always offer salutations to me with these, remaining pure. Recite them with unwavering mind, your heart absorbed in me, O King. Whoever recites Rudra until the end of life attains the supreme state.” Once again, Rudra granted the king a lifespan of one hundred years. Then, in a moment, Rudra vanished, leaving behind a sense of wonder. Covered in sacred ashes, bathing thrice daily, peaceful and composed, the sage continued his practice. In due course, the practice of yoga arose within him, leading toward the supreme essence of time.