Just as the mighty wielder of the thunderbolt, Indra, once fell to the earth, so too did the eminent sage Dadhīca collapse, struck down by that same thunderbolt’s force. In his distress and pain, Dadhīca remembered the sage Bhārgava—Śukra—and called upon him for help. Responding with compassion, Śukra used his yogic power to heal Dadhīca, restoring his body to its former state. Bhārgava, the best among embodied beings, arrived through the power of yoga and revived Dadhīca, making him whole once again. He addressed Dadhīca, saying, “O greatly fortunate one, you have worshipped the god of gods, the consort of Umā—Śiva—who is venerated by Brahmā and all the celestials, the stainless lord of lords. By the grace of Tryambaka, become invulnerable, O sage among brahmins. This revival from death has been granted to me, and now to you, through Śiva’s blessing. “There is no fear of death for those devoted to Śambhu. This gift of revival from death belongs to Śiva, and I now impart it to you. We worship Tryambaka, the lord, the father of the three worlds and the three regions, the great lord of the three qualities. He is the master of the three principles, the three sacred fires, the threefold nature, and the three Vedas. He is the fragrant, nourishing great god. “In all beings, in all qualities, in nature, in the senses, among the gods and all creatures, he resides. In flowers, subtle as fragrance itself, the supreme lord is present; nourishment is the very nature of man, O best of brahmins. From the greatest to the smallest, in every distinction, he is the father of Viṣṇu, of Brahmā, and of the sages. He is also the father of Indra and the gods, and thus the increaser of nourishment. That immortal Rudra is attained through action and austerity. “Through study, yoga, and meditation, we worship him. By this truth, may we be freed from the noose of death, O Bhava, by your own will. Since he grants both bondage and liberation—just as a cucumber is released from its stalk—the mantra for revival from death has been received from Śaṅkara. By reciting, offering, and consecrating in this manner, and by drinking the sanctified water day and night while meditating before the linga, there is no fear of death, O twice-born one.” Hearing these words, Dadhīca worshipped Śaṅkara with intense austerity. As a result, he attained firmness like a diamond, invulnerability, and freedom from subjugation. Thus, after his devoted worship of the lord of the gods, the eminent sage Dadhīca became invulnerable, his body as hard as diamond, surpassing all others in strength. Emboldened, Dadhīca struck the king Kṣupa at the base of his head. In retaliation, Kṣupa attacked Dadhīca with the thunderbolt, striking him in the chest. Yet the thunderbolt could not harm the great-souled Dadhīca, whose body, empowered by the supreme lord, was bound with the strength of diamond. Astonished by Dadhīca’s invulnerability and freedom from harm, Kṣupa then turned to worship Hari Mukunda, the lotus-eyed lord, Indra’s younger brother. Through his worship, the blessed Purushottama—Viṣṇu—appeared before him, accompanied by Śrī and Bhūmi, bearing the conch, discus, and mace. The lord stood crowned, holding a lotus, adorned with all ornaments, clad in yellow garments, surrounded by gods and demons alike. The Garuda-bannered lord granted Kṣupa a divine vision, and beholding Janārdana in this splendid form, Kṣupa bowed and offered praises: “You are the beginning and the endless, 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, the supreme soul, the supreme abode, O lord of Śrī and master of earth. “Rudra arises from your wrath, enveloped in darkness; by your grace, Brahmā, the creator of the world, is born with passion. By your grace, you yourself, O Viṣṇu, are Purushottama, pure and all-pervading—Hari, Nārāyaṇa, the form of the universe, the embodiment of time. “The great elements, the subtle elements, and the senses are all established by you, O universal form, O great lord. O grandsire, teacher of the world, be gracious! O Vaikuṇṭha, O Śauri, all-knowing Vasudeva, mighty-armed, I have come for refuge to you. “O Sankarṣaṇa, greatly fortunate, O Pradyumna, O Purushottama, O Aniruddha, O great Viṣṇu, always Viṣṇu, I bow to you. Your divine seat is unmanifest; in the middle stands the all-pervading one, joined with a thousand hoods, the embodiment of darkness, the bearer of the earth. Below are dharma, knowledge, and dispassion; the seat’s very feet are your sovereignty. “The seven netherworlds are your feet, the earth your hips, the seven oceans your garments, and the directions your mighty arms. The sky is your head, your navel is space, the wind your breath, the moon and sun your eyes, your hair the blue lotus and other flowers. The stars and planets, and the sky itself, are your neck ornaments. How can I praise you, O supreme person, Lord of gods, who is worthy of all worship? “Whatever divine act I have done with faith, whatever has been heard or recited—if anything is amiss, O Lord, forgive it, O Nārāyaṇa. Salutations to you. This hymn to Viṣṇu destroys all sins; whoever recites or hears it, even if only briefly, or causes the twice-born to hear it with devotion, attains the world of Viṣṇu.” Thus, in this sacred exchange of devotion, power, and divine grace, the glory of the supreme beings was revealed, and the devotees, through worship and faith, attained blessings beyond mortal comprehension.