O best of sages, listen as I recount the wondrous tale of how the illustrious Dadhīca, the great ascetic, came to possess the invincible state of the thunderbolt by the grace of Mahādeva. Long ago, there lived a radiant king named Kṣupa, famed as the son of Brahmā. He was resplendent in his brilliance and became a dear friend to Dadhīca, the lord of sages. Over time, a dispute arose between the two, a matter that became the talk of all: which was superior—the best among kṣatriyas or the foremost of brāhmins? To prove his point, King Kṣupa, by his power, assumed the forms of the eight guardians of the world: Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Soma, and Dhanada. Proclaiming his supremacy, he declared, “I am the Lord—there is no doubt—and must never be disrespected.” He further asserted that the great deity from whom he descended was even greater, and so he was always to be regarded as descended from Cyavana, never to be disregarded but always worshipped. Hearing this, the sage regarded the tree accordingly, in the manner prescribed. Then, Dadhīca, Cyāvani, and Ugra—all brāhmins of great dignity—struck the tree on its head. Dadhīca struck it with his left fist, but King Kṣupa, wielding the thunderbolt, struck Dadhīca with great force. In ages past, in the world of Brahmā, Kṣupa had been born from Brahmā’s hunger and was given the thunderbolt for a purpose, commanded by the Lord who wields it. By his own will, he became a man and took up the role of a ruler. Thus, that mighty king overcame the foremost of brāhmins. Just as the illustrious wielder of the thunderbolt, mighty and dark, fell to the ground, so too was the eminent brāhmin Dadhīca struck down by the thunderbolt. In his distress, Dadhīca remembered the sage Bhārgava—Śukra—who began to heal him from the thunderbolt’s blow. By the power of yoga, the best among embodied beings, Bhārgava, came and restored Dadhīca’s body to its former state. Then Bhārgava spoke: “O Dadhīca, greatly fortunate one, by worshipping the god of gods, the consort of Umā, worshipped by Brahmā and others, you shall become invulnerable by the grace of Tryambaka. This revival from death has been granted to me, O brāhmin. There is no fear of death for devotees of Śambhu. This power of revival from death, belonging to Śiva, I now declare to you.” “We worship Tryambaka, the lord, the father of the three worlds, the great lord of the three qualities, of the three principles, the three fires, the threefold nature, and the three Vedas—the great god, fragrant, who increases nourishment. In all beings and everywhere, in the three qualities, in nature, in the senses, in the gods, and in all hosts of beings, in flowers as fragrance, the supreme lord is present, and nourishment is the nature of man, O best of brāhmins. From the highest to the particular, in every distinction, he is the father of Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and the sages, and also the father of Indra and the gods; therefore, he is the increaser of nourishment. That god, immortal Rudra, is attained by action and by austerity, by study, by yoga, by meditation. By this truth, may one be freed from the noose of death, O Bhava, by your own will.” “Since he grants both bondage and liberation, like a cucumber from its stalk, the mantra for revival from death has been obtained by me from Śaṅkara. By reciting, offering, and consecrating in this way, then drinking the water day and night while meditating before the linga, there is no fear of death, O twice-born.” Hearing these words, Dadhīca worshipped Śaṅkara with great austerity and, through his devotion, obtained firmness like a diamond, invulnerability, and freedom from subjugation. Thus, having worshipped the lord of the gods, the eminent sage Dadhīca attained a body unbreakable as diamond and surpassed all others in firmness. Emboldened, Dadhīca struck the king at the base of his head. In return, Kṣupa attacked Dadhīca with the thunderbolt, aiming at his chest. Yet, the thunderbolt could not destroy the great-souled Dadhīca, for the power of the supreme lord and his diamond-bound body protected him. Witnessing Dadhīca’s invulnerability and freedom from defeat, King Kṣupa turned his mind to worship Hari Mukunda, the lotus-eyed, the younger brother of Indra. Through his worship, the blessed Purushottama appeared before him, accompanied by Shri and Bhumi, bearing conch, discus, and mace. The lord stood crowned, holding a lotus, adorned with all ornaments, clad in yellow garments, and surrounded by gods and demons. Garuda-bannered Viṣṇu granted Kṣupa a divine vision. Beholding Janārdana in that divine form, Kṣupa bowed and praised him with chosen words: “You are the beginning, you are the endless, you are the origin, O Janārdana. You are the person, the lord of the world, Viṣṇu, ruler of all; you are Brahmā, the universal form, the grandsire. You alone are the primal truth, the supreme light, O Janārdana, supreme soul, supreme abode, lord of Shri, lord of the earth, master.” “Rudra arises from your wrath, enveloped in darkness; by your grace, Brahmā, the creator of the world, arises with passion. By your grace, Viṣṇu himself, with purity, is Purushottama. O Hari, Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, form of the universe, embodiment of time, the great elements, the subtle elements, and the senses are all established by you, O universal form, O great lord. O great god, lord of the world, grandsire, teacher of the world, be gracious, O lord of gods, be gracious, O supreme lord.” Thus, the tale reveals the power of devotion, the glory of the gods, and the wondrous blessings bestowed upon those who worship with faith and humility.