Once, the sage Nārada, ever humble and free from pride, approached the great Lord Hara—the destroyer of Kāma and even of his own limbs—as he sat in majesty upon the heights of Mount Kailāsa. With reverence, Nārada addressed the God of gods, the leader of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Indra, and asked, “O Lord, who is adorned with auspiciousness, health, beauty, long life, fortune, and prosperity—how does a man become a true devotee of you or of Viṣṇu? And how, O God, may a woman, even if widowed but endowed with virtue and good fortune, gradually attain liberation? Please declare any vow that may accomplish this.” Hearing these words, Śiva replied with approval, “O Brāhmaṇa, you have inquired for the welfare of all worlds. Listen, then, to the vow that brings peace, as heard in tradition. The vow known as Nakṣatrapuruṣa, of the very nature of Nārāyaṇa, should be performed, beginning with the feet and proceeding upwards, with the recitation of Viṣṇu’s names in proper order. “At the beginning of the lunar mansions, entering the month of Caitra, one should arrange for a Brāhmaṇa to recite and worship the image of Vāsudeva. At the Mūla constellation, bow to Viśvadhara at the feet; to Gulphāvananta at the ankles. At Rohiṇī, worship the shanks as Varada; at the two Jānu or at Aśvikuṃāra, honor the knees. “At the conjunction of Pūrvā and Uttarāṣāḍhā, worship the thighs with the invocation, ‘Obeisance to Śiva.’ At the pair of Pūrvā and Uttarā Phalgunī, worship the loins with ‘Obeisance to Pañcaśara.’ The waist, O Nārada, is to be worshipped with ‘Obeisance to Śārṅgadhara Viṣṇu,’ and at Kṛttikā and the two Bhādrapadas, worship the sides with ‘Obeisance to Keśiniṣūdana.’ “The two flanks are to be worshipped at Revati with ‘Obeisance to Dāmodara.’ At Anurādhā, worship the chest with ‘Obeisance to Mādhava.’ The back is to be worshipped at Dhaniṣṭhā as the destroyer of multitudes of sins. At Viśākhā, worship the arms with ‘Obeisance to the Lord bearing the conch, discus, sword, and mace.’ “At Hasta, worship the hands with ‘Obeisance to Madhusūdana’; at Punarvasu, worship the front parts of the fingers with ‘Obeisance to the Lord of the Sāmans.’ On the day of the serpent constellation, worship the nails of the Matsya form; honor the feet of the Kurma form and seek refuge in them. During the Jyeṣṭha stars, worship the neck of Hari. “In the ears, offer salutations to Varāha and worship them; by hearing, Janārdana is properly honored. In the Pushya constellation, worship the mouth for the slayer of demons, and offer salutations to Narasiṃha, who is also to be worshipped. “Salutations again and again to Vāmana, the cause of all; during the Swāti stars, worship the tips of the teeth. Honor the mouth of Hari, beloved of Bhrigu, especially during the Varuṇa mansion. Salutations to Rāma; during the Maghā stars, worship the nose for the delight of the Raghu lineage. At the best part of Mṛgaśira, honor the eyes; salutations to you, Rāma, with restless eyes. “Salutations to Buddha, the peaceful one; worship the forehead during Citrā as most worthy for Murāri. The head is to be worshipped during Bharani for Viṣṇu; salutations to Viśveśvara, in the form of Kalki. During Ārdrā, worship the hair of Puruṣottama; salutations to Hari. On days of fasting and at the proper constellation, the foremost twice-born should worship with devotion. “At the completion of the vow, to the one endowed with all virtues—whose form, speech, and conduct are like those of Sama singers—one should offer a golden image, broad, long-armed, adorned with pearls, moonstones, and diamonds. One should give to the foremost twice-born a representation of Hari in a full water pot, along with cloth, cows, a bed, and all necessary utensils and items. “Whatever there is to give, let it be given to the twice-born for one’s own benefit. O Hiranyagarbha, Achyuta, Rudra-formed, fulfill all our desires. One should also offer to Puruṣottama, together with Lakṣmī and his wife, a golden bed, reciting the mantra, free from knots and defects. “Just as no misfortune comes to the devotees of Viṣṇu, so too does beauty, health, and supreme devotion to Keśava arise. Just as your bed is never bereft of Lakṣmī, O Janārdana, may my bed never be empty, O Kṛṣṇa, birth after birth. “Thus, having offered all—cloth, garlands, ointments—to the knower of the constellation person, one should then respectfully dismiss the Brāhmaṇa. Having fasted during all constellations, one may eat oil and salt, and food according to one’s capacity, being free from deceit regarding wealth. “By worshipping the constellation person in this prescribed manner, one attains all desires and is honored in Viṣṇu’s world. Whatever sin may have been committed, even the gravest such as killing a Brāhmaṇa, whether by oneself or by ancestors, is destroyed. Whoever recites or hears this vow with devotion should perform it, for it destroys the impurities of the Kali age and bestows all the fruits of Murāri’s glory.” Nārada then asked, “For those unable to fast, desiring the same result, whether due to lack of practice or illness, what is the best vow to be undertaken?” Śiva replied, “For those unable to fast, eating at night is permitted in this vow; even so, one attains great and inexhaustible merit. This is called the Ādityaśayana vow, with proper worship of Śaṅkara, as declared by the knowers of the Purāṇas for certain lunar constellations. “When the seventh lunar day falls on Hasta, and it is the day of the Sun, or when the Sun transits, that date is auspicious for all desires. One should worship Umā and Maheśvara with the names of the Sun; by offering worship to the Sun on a Śivaliṅga, one should perform the pūjā accordingly. “There is never any distinction between Umāpati and Ravi; therefore, O best of sages, one should worship Śambhu at home. To the hand, offer obeisance to Sūrya; to the feet, to Arka; to the ankle region in Citrā; to the shanks in Svātī, to Puruṣottama; to the knees in Viśākhā, to Dhātṛ. “Likewise, in Anurādhā, offer obeisance and worship to both thighs of Sahasrabhānu; in Jyeṣṭhā, to Anaṅga at the secret part; to Indra and Soma at the base of the hips. In the conjunction of Pūrvā and Uttarāṣāḍhā, offer obeisance to Tvaṣṭṛ at the navel, to Saptataraṅgama; to Tīkṣṇāṃśu at Śravaṇa, at the belly; and to Vikartana at the back in Dhaniṣṭhā. “The eye region is to be worshipped as the destroyer of darkness in the lunar mansion of Jalādhipa; in Pūrvā and Uttarābhādrapadā, the arms are to be worshipped as belonging to Caṇḍakara. Both hands are to be worshipped as the lord of the Sāmans; in Revatī, the nails are to be worshipped; in Aśvinī, offer obeisance to the bearer of the seven-horse chariot.” Thus, Lord Śiva revealed to Nārada the sacred methods by which men and women, through devotion and prescribed vows, may attain the highest merit, freedom from sin, and the supreme world of Viṣṇu.