By the command of Vasiṣṭha, the noble lady Adṛśyantī, descended from his line, set aside her grief and began to care for her child. Though she herself was young, with gentle, fawn-like eyes, she devoted herself to the boy’s well-being. One day, the child observed his mother seated quietly. She wore no auspicious ornaments, her face distressed, her virtue evident, and her eyes brimming with tears. Moved by concern, he spoke to her: “Mother, without your auspicious ornaments, your sinless body does not shine. Please, tell me today the reason for your sorrow, for you seem as dark as the night without the moon’s glow.” He pressed further, “Mother, why do you sit here, bereft of your ornaments, as if you have lost your husband? O beautiful one, you must tell me.” Hearing her son’s words, Adṛśyantī fell silent. She did not respond, neither with auspicious words nor otherwise. But the illustrious son of Śakti, Parāśara, spoke again, his voice earnest: “Mother, tell me, where is my mighty father? Speak, speak!” Her son’s questions overwhelmed Adṛśyantī. In great distress, she wept and finally revealed, “Your father was devoured by a Rākṣasa,” and, overcome by sorrow, she collapsed. The weight of this revelation spread through the hermitage. Vasiṣṭha, hearing his grandson’s words, fell to the ground, weeping compassionately. Arundhatī, the ascetics, and all the great sages present joined him in their grief. Parāśara, wise and deeply moved, listened to his mother’s words that his father had been devoured by a Rākṣasa. Tears filled his eyes as he spoke with resolve: “Having worshipped the Lord of gods, the ruler of the three worlds and all that moves and does not move, I will, in a moment, show you our father, mother—this is my vow.” Adṛśyantī, amazed by her son’s determination, smiled through her tears and said, “This is true.” She gazed at him lovingly and encouraged, “Son, son, perform the worship.” Vasiṣṭha, the eminent sage and revered grandfather, understood Parāśara’s resolve and spoke with compassion: “O best of sages, grandson, your resolve is noble. Yet listen—you must not bring about the destruction of the world.” He continued, “For the removal of the Rākṣasas, perform worship of the Lord of all. Son of Śakti, what fault would be yours if the three worlds were destroyed?” By Vasiṣṭha’s command, Parāśara, wise and steadfast, resolved to bring about the destruction of the Rākṣasas. He bowed respectfully to Adṛśyantī, Vasiṣṭha, and Arundhatī, and in the presence of the sages, fashioned a temporary liṅga of sand. With reverence, he worshipped the liṅga using the auspicious Śivasūkta, the Tryambaka hymn, recited the swift Rudra, and the Śiva-saṃkalpa. He also recited the Nīlarudra, the beautiful Rudra, the Vāmīya, the Pavamāna, and the Pañcabrahma hymns. He offered the Hotāra, the Liṅgasūkta, the Atharvaśiras, and the eightfold arghya to Rudra, performing each rite properly. Calling out in prayer, he pleaded, “O Lord Rudra, my mighty father was devoured by a Rākṣasa, together with his brothers, and with blood, O Śaṅkara.” He prayed earnestly, “O Lord, I wish to see my father together with his brothers.” Bowing again and again, he petitioned the liṅga. Overcome with emotion, Parāśara cried out, “O Rudra, Rudra, Rudra!” He wept and fell to the ground. Seeing his devotion, Lord Rudra, Śaṅkara, spoke to the goddess: “Behold the boy, O greatly fortunate one, his eyes filled with tears, absorbed in remembrance of me, devoted to my worship.” The great goddess, Parāśarā, saw him, her whole body overcome by sorrow, her eyes brimming with tears. Witnessing him engaged in worship, uttering “O Hara, O Rudra,” Umā, the consort of Śaṅkara, spoke to her lord, the ruler of all: “Grant him all that he desires; show your favor, O Supreme Lord.” Hearing Umā’s words, Śaṅkara, the Supreme Lord, the poison-eater, replied, “I will protect this twice-born boy, whose eyes are like blooming blue lotuses. I grant him the vision capable of beholding my form.” Having spoken, the blessed Nīlalohita, surrounded by his divine attendants, the Supreme Lord attended by Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Rudra, and others, granted his vision to the wise son of the sage. Upon seeing the Great God, Parāśara’s eyes overflowed with tears of joy. His heart elated, he respectfully fell at the feet of Śaṅkara. He then bowed at the feet of Bhavānī and the great-souled Nandī. “Today my life is fulfilled,” he said to Brahmā and the other gods. “He whose ornament is the crescent moon has come today for my protection. Who else in the world, god or demon, is equal to me?” At that very moment, Parāśara, devoted to Śakti, saw in the sky his father, together with his brothers. They appeared in a celestial chariot, shining like the sun, facing in all directions. Seeing them, Parāśara bowed and rejoiced. Then the god with the bull-banner, together with his wife and his hosts, addressed Vasiṣṭha’s son, eager to see his child: “O Śakti, behold your son, the boy whose eyes overflow with tears of joy, and, O best of Brāhmaṇas, your father Vasiṣṭha, who is not yet visible.” “See Arundhatī, greatly fortunate, auspicious, comparable to a goddess—your mother. O wise one, bow to both your mother and father.” By Śaṅkara’s command, Śakti quickly bowed to Hara, the god of gods, to Umā, and to Vasiṣṭha, the most excellent. Then, at the Lord of the universe’s command, the powerful one addressed his mother, Arundhatī, greatly fortunate, auspicious, and devoted. He spoke: “O child, O child, O best of Brāhmaṇas, O Parāśara, greatly radiant one, I was protected by you, father, while you were still in the womb, O great-souled one.” Thus, through devotion, worship, and divine grace, the sorrow of the family was lifted, and the vision of reunion and protection was granted by the Supreme Lord.