The great god, his heart filled with joy and satisfaction, spoke to me with affection. “Child, child, O Hari,” he said, “protect this entire universe, both the moving and unmoving beings.” Though he is beyond all attributes and untouched by worldly qualities, he possesses the powers of creation, preservation, and dissolution. This blessed one will become your son, eternal by nature. He continued, “I shall appear as your son, born from wrath, holding the mighty trident.” After blessing me, the god vanished right then and there. O Brahman, by merging into that sacred liṅga, one attains the supreme form of Brahman. This truth is realized by those who know yoga; it is not understood by gods or demons. Through this, the subtle and inconceivable is perceived by those endowed with knowledge. I offered salutations to Mahādeva, to Rudra, to the god of gods, to the one with the liṅga. Homage to the formidable, the peaceful, the steadfast, the cause of all. I honored Śaṅkara, Maheśa, the lord of mountains, and Śiva. “You will soon cross over this ocean of worldly existence,” he assured me. In my mind, I approached the god Īśāna, who faces all directions. I went to the desired place of the god of gods, the wielder of the trident. Whoever hears or recites this account is freed from all sins. O best of Brahmins, a person is freed from sin by Vāsudeva. Thus spoke the great yogi, the lord Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana. In time, she gave birth to Sāmba, a noble and excellent son. Both sons were endowed with virtues, and were other bodies of Kṛṣṇa himself. Having effortlessly conquered Indra and defeated the great demon Bāṇa, Nārāyaṇa, with supreme wisdom, resolved to return to his own abode. The eternal one, his task accomplished, came to Dvārakā to be seen. He sat upon the seats together with the wise Rāma. “All deeds have been accomplished; be pleased, O best of sages,” he declared. In this age, all people will indeed follow after sin. Yet by this, the best of twice-born are freed from the sins born of Kali. Let the sins of those devoted to the Supreme Person perish. By the procedures prescribed in the Vedas, they will reach that state. In the Kali age, they will have devotion to Nārāyaṇa. But those who hate Maheśvara will not go there. Those who revile Pinākin will quickly perish. He who slanders the god Īśāna goes to countless hells, whether by deed, mind, or speech—even with effort—against his devotees. In the Kali age, such people must be carefully avoided by devotees. Cursed by Gautama on earth, they are not to be spoken to by the best of twice-born. Having uttered ‘Om’, the excellent ones quickly went to their own abodes. Having withdrawn his entire lineage, he went to that supreme state. It is not possible to speak of it in detail. What more do you wish to hear? Freed from all sins, one is honored in the world of heaven.