With fierce resolve, the goddess confronted Indra, known as Maghavan, and declared before all beings, “Now, together with Viṣṇu, I will burn you by force—let my ascetic power be witnessed by all!” Overpowered by her formidable energy, both Indra and Viṣṇu found themselves bound, unable to break free. In their distress, Viṣṇu turned to Indra and asked, “How shall we escape together from this calamity?” Indra, overwhelmed by the goddess’s extraordinary power, replied urgently, “Strike her down before she destroys us, Lord. I am overcome by her might—act quickly, do not delay!” Seeing their peril and the difficulty of slaying a woman, Viṣṇu hesitated, pondering the consequences. Yet, compelled by fear and the urgency of the moment, he seized his discus to avert disaster. Driven by haste and dread, and fully aware of the goddess’s cruel intent, Viṣṇu, though reluctant, raised his weapon in anger and, out of necessity, severed her head. Witnessing this dreadful act—the slaying of a woman—Bhṛgu, the great sage and lord among seers, was seized by righteous fury. He pronounced a curse upon Viṣṇu for the killing of a wife, saying, “Though you know righteousness, you have slain a woman who should not be killed. Therefore, you shall be born seven times among men upon this earth.” Thus, by Bhṛgu’s curse, it was ordained that whenever righteousness wanes and the world is in peril, Viṣṇu would be born among humans, again and again, for the world’s welfare. Having spoken thus, Bhṛgu recited a sacred formula over Viṣṇu, swiftly took up the severed head, and rejoined it to the body. He declared, “O goddess, though you were slain by Viṣṇu, I will restore you to life.” With truth as his foundation, he proclaimed, “If I have truly known or practiced righteousness in full, by that truth may you live; if I speak the truth, let you be revived.” Sprinkling her with cool, pure water, Bhṛgu intoned, “Live!” And at his words, the goddess was brought back to life, as if awakening from a deep sleep. All beings witnessing this marvel cried out, “Excellent! Excellent!” in every direction, astonished by the wonder performed by Bhṛgu. Thus, the goddess was restored to life before the eyes of the gods—a miracle wrought by the unshaken sage. Yet, though his wife was revived, Indra found no peace. He feared Kāvya, the sage, and, unable to rest, he sought counsel with his daughter Jayantī. Reflecting wisely, Indra addressed her: “Kāvya is performing a terrible vow against his enemies, and because of this, O daughter, I am greatly troubled by the wise Bhṛgu. Go, fulfill your duty with pleasant acts that relieve his fatigue—serve him with care and devotion, so his mind may be delighted. Honor Kāvya so that the twice-born sage is pleased. You have been given to him; strive earnestly for my sake.” Obediently, Jayantī accepted her father’s command and went to where Kāvya stood, engaged in fierce austerities. She saw him drinking smoke, facing downward, struck by a yakṣa, and continually drenched with water. Despite his trials, Kāvya remained steadfast, absorbed in deep meditation, his body weakened but his glory undiminished. Jayantī did as her father had instructed. With sweet and gentle words, she praised Kāvya, serving him at the right times with soothing massages and comforts for his body, and observing the disciplines appropriate to his vow. For many years she attended him with unwavering devotion. When the dreadful vow of smoke was completed after a thousand years, Kāvya, pleased with her service, offered Jayantī a boon of her choice. He declared, “This vow has been performed by you alone, by no other. Therefore, through your austerity, wisdom, learning, and strength, and by your energy, you alone will surpass all the gods. Whatever you desire, O Brāhmaṇa, O son of Bhṛgu, is yours. You will attain all that, and it shall not be revealed to anyone. Thus, you will become supreme over all, O best of the twice-born.” Having granted these boons to Bhārgava, Bhava—the great Lord—further bestowed upon him lordship over all beings, mastery over wealth, and invulnerability. Overjoyed by these gifts, Kāvyā offered a divine hymn of praise to Maheśvara, the blue-red one, standing sideways in reverence. He offered salutations: “Homage to Śitikaṇṭha, the radiant youngest, the one who licks, the sage of the Kāvyas, the year, the lord of Soma. Salutations to the matted-haired, the fierce, the tawny-eyed, the granter of boons, the praised one, the holy, the god of gods, the swift. Salutations to the turbaned, the beautiful-faced, the manifold-formed, the creator, the one whose seed is wealth, to Rudra, to the austere, to the one of variegated garments. Salutations to the short, the loose-haired, the commander, the red one, the sage, the royal tree, the one who delights in serpents. Salutations to the thousand-headed, the thousand-eyed, the generous, the boon-giver, the one of auspicious form, the white one, the person. Salutations to the lord of mountains, to the sun, to the strong, to the drinker of clarified butter, the well-satisfied, the well-clad, the archer, the Bhārgava. Salutations to the sword-bearer, the star, the beautiful-eyed, the ascetic, the copper-colored, the terrible, the fierce, and the auspicious. Salutations to the great god, to Śarva, to the all-formed and auspicious, to the golden one, the most excellent, the eldest, and the middle. Salutations to the lord of the dwelling, to Pināka-bearer, to the liberator, the solitary, the deer-hunter, the skilled, the steadfast, the terrible. Salutations to the many-eyed, the bearer, the three-eyed lord, the skull-bearer, the heroic, the death, the three-eyed one. Salutations to the tawny, the spotted, the reddish-brown, the red, the Pināka-bearer, the swift, the variegated, the red. Salutations to the drum, the one-footed, the unborn, the giver of wisdom, the forest-dweller, the householder, the ascetic, the celibate.” Thus, Kāvyā, filled with gratitude and devotion, praised the great Lord with all his heart.