For the fulfillment of the sacred rites of the Veda and Smṛti, and for the purpose of the wedding, I have come here. She, the goddess, is indeed the sustainer of the worlds and the very creator for both you and me. This entire universe stands firm because of the many forms of the god Rudra—from him arise earth, fire, moon, sun, wind, and ether. Yet, by the word of the Mountain and myself, she must be given to him; though she is unborn, and of white, black, and red hues, she is verily Nature itself, O Lord. This alliance with the King of Mountains is most auspicious for you as well. You were born in the lotus, and I arose from the lotus at the navel in this kalpa. Then Janārdana, Lord of the gods, spoke: “Indeed, you are the guru not only for this proud Mountain but for me as well.” At that moment, all the gods and sages, together with the wise Lord of gods—Śaṅkara and Padmanābha—stood up and bowed reverently to the goddess. The lotus-eyed one, Viṣṇu, washed the feet of the god with his own hands. He then sprinkled the water upon his own head, as well as upon the heads of Brahmā and the Mountain. Declaring, “She is my younger sister, Menā’s daughter, and is to be given in marriage to you,” he offered her, with water, to the Lord of gods. Hari also offered himself, with water, to the god. Then all the foremost sages, learned in the meaning of all the Vedas, proclaimed, “The giver, the receiver, the fruit, and the substance—considering all, this god Hara is surely the universe itself by his māyā.” Having said this, they bowed to him, their bodies bristling with joy. Celestial beings, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas showered flowers from the heavens. Divine drums resounded, the Apsarases danced, and the embodied Vedas themselves bowed to that great Lord. Together with Brahmā and the sages, the Lord of gods, the husband of Umā, gazed upon the bashful daughter of the snowy mountain, standing before the god. Insatiable in his admiration, he beheld her flawless form, and she, too, gazed at the bull-bannered god. She said to Hari, “I grant you a boon,” and he, in turn, addressed Śaṅkara: “May devotion to you flourish.” In response, he granted him the name Brahmā. Then Brahmā spoke again, making his request to the Lord: “I offer oblations into the fire, being established in the role of preceptor. If you grant me permission, let the unperformed rite now be done.” Śaṅkara, Lord of gods and the universe, replied, “O best of gods, whatever you desire, do as you wish.” “I will perform all that you command, O Lord of gods, Grandfather,” Brahmā replied. Then, with a joyful heart, Brahmā, the Grandfather of the worlds, joined the hands of the goddess and the supreme Lord. Fire himself appeared there, hands joined in reverence. With the Vedic mantras, embodied and present, and according to the prescribed rite, Brahmā offered parched grains into the fire, step by step. Viṣṇu brought the Brāhmaṇas and honored them with various gifts, and the god Fire was circumambulated three times. Then, as the joined hands were released, all the gods, along with the celestial and human beings, rejoiced inwardly. The venerable Brahmā then bowed to the god of gods, the consort of Umā, and offered water for washing the feet and for sipping to Śambhu. He also presented the madhuparka and a cow, and after bowing again to Śiva, Brahmā stood with the gods, Indra at their head. All the sages, beginning with Bhṛgu, as well as the Sun and others, worshipped the Bull-bannered One with offerings of unbroken rice, sesame, and parched grain, and praised him. Śiva, having completed the rites as spoken by the gods and having placed the fire within himself, was thus united with her—Rudra, for the welfare of all the worlds. Whoever recites or hears the story of the marriage of Bhava, or has it recited to pure twice-borns learned in the Veda and its branches, with a pure smile—he attains the favor of Gaṇeśa and rejoices together with Bhava. Wherever this is proclaimed by the learned, there Bhava himself abides. Therefore, O twice-borns, having worshipped properly, one should recite this, and not otherwise, at the weddings of the best of Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas. This entire, unsurpassed account of the marriage of Bhava should be proclaimed; then the Bull-bannered One was wedded to the goddess, the daughter of Himavat. Surrounded by his attendants, with Nandin and all the hosts of gods, the greatly radiant one went to the divine city of Vārāṇasī. Bhavānī, her face beaming with joy, bowed to the Bull-bannered One, who sat happily in Avimukta, and asked about the greatness of that field. Then the moon-crested one spoke of the supreme greatness of the field, saying, “The greatness of Avimukta cannot be described in detail. O queen of the gods, honored by hosts of sages, how can I describe Avimukta, the source of the fruits of liberation? There, even the sinful attain liberation at death in a single birth; elsewhere, sin committed is destroyed only in Vārāṇasī. Sin committed in Vārāṇasī leads to the hells of Piśācas and Narakas; but for men, even after committing thousands of sins, becoming a piśāca is preferable. Not even attaining the status of a thousand Indras in heaven is equal to Kāśī city, where the god of the three worlds and the all-pervading Lord reside. Where Oṃkāreśa, the wearer of hides, abides, there is no rebirth for the dead.” Having thus briefly spoken of the greatness of the field, the moon-crested one showed the garden, and, leaving the lords of the gaṇas, there the Lord was born as Vināyaka, the elephant-faced one. This was for the purpose of being an obstacle to the demons and removing obstacles for the gods. Thus, the supreme essence of this story has been told to you.