When Kṛtavīrya sought answers, the Sun himself spoke, revealing a practice that is always the destroyer of all evils and the remover of all impurity. The Sun reassured the king, saying, “Enough of great suffering—your son will live a long life. This is the true remover of impurity.” The Sun then described, for the welfare of all worlds, the sacred saptamī-snāpana, especially praised for children who have died in the seventh month or on the bright seventh day, O Nārada. To perform this rite, one must first harness the auspicious strength of planets and stars, and have the prescribed recitations performed by a learned Brahmin. Care should be taken to avoid the child’s birth star and lunar day, and this guidance applies equally to the elderly, the sick, and others for whom the rite is prescribed. The ritual begins on earth purified with cow dung, where a single fire is kindled. Red rice grains mixed with cow’s milk are prepared as an offering to Surya and Rudra, accompanied by their proper mantras. The seven-verse hymn to Surya is recited, and oblations of clarified butter are offered with the Rudra hymn, so that both Surya and Rudra are honored. Fuel sticks from arka and palasha trees are used, and oblations of barley and black sesame seeds are made—eight hundred offerings in total. With sacred utterances and more clarified butter, another eight hundred offerings are completed. Afterwards, the wise must perform a ceremonial bath. A Veda-learned Brahmin, holding darbha grass, carefully places four auspicious pots at the corners. Then, a fifth pot, adorned with curd and unbroken grains, is placed in the center—pure and consecrated with the seven-verse hymn. This central pot is filled with water from a solar holy place, set with gems, containing all medicinal herbs and mixed with the five sacred products of the cow. It is surrounded by five kinds of gems, fruits, flowers, and garments. Earth is collected from seven auspicious places—an elephant’s path, a horse’s path, a chariot’s path, an anthill, a river confluence, a pond, and a cow pen—and placed in all the pots. From the four gem-filled pots, the Brahmin takes the central one and recites solar mantras over it. Then, with seven women of unblemished body, worshipped with garlands, garments, and ornaments according to their means, and together with Brahmins, the child is sprinkled with this sanctified earth. Blessings are invoked: “May this child live long, and may the radiant woman bear living sons. May the Sun and Moon, with all the planets and stars, protect the child. May Indra, the guardians of the worlds, Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshvara, and all the hosts of gods ever be his protectors. May Mitra, Shani, Agni, and those planetary deities that afflict children cause no harm to the child, nor to his mother or father.” Then, dressed in white, the seven women—guardians of children—are worshipped with devotion by the women present, and the teacher is honored once again. A golden image is fashioned, placed upon a copper vessel, and the image of Dharmaraja is presented to the teacher. Brahmins are worshipped with garments, gold, heaps of gems, and generous offerings of food, clarified butter, and rice pudding. After the meal, the teacher recites the blessing: “May this child have a long, happy life of a hundred years.” Any misfortune belonging to the child is cast into the submarine fire, invoking Brahma, Rudra, Vasu, Skanda, Vishnu, Indra, and Agni. The guru is worshipped with prayers: “May all grant boons and always protect from evil.” According to one’s means, a tawny cow is given, and with one’s son, one bows to Ravi and Shankara, offering the cooked food. Then, partaking of what remains of the offering, all say, “Homage to the Sun.” This rite is especially praised in times of wonder, distress, or bad dreams. This practice should always be performed, except on the doer’s birthday or birth star, for the sake of peace. When done on the bright seventh lunar day, it never fails. By always following this procedure, a person becomes long-lived and may even rule the earth for ten thousand years. The seventh-day bath is meritorious, pure, and life-giving. Having explained all this, the Sun vanished before the assembly of the twice-born. Thus, the supreme seventh-day bath has been described—a remover of all evils and of the highest benefit for children. Seek health from the Sun, wealth from Fire, knowledge from the Lord, and liberation from Janardana. This rite destroys great sins, brings the highest benefit, and increases progeny. Even one who listens to this with undistracted mind attains success. Long ago, in the Rāthantara kalpa, Brahmā himself, the great-souled Creator, questioned Mahādeva—the wielder of Pināka—on Mount Mandara. “O Lord of Immortals,” Brahmā asked, “how may men attain health, endless prosperity, or liberation with little austerity? O Mahādeva, nothing is unknown to you. By your grace, O Adhokṣaja, tell us what great results come from little austerity.” Thus addressed, the soul of the universe, creator of worlds, and husband of Umā spoke words pleasing to the mind. He revealed: “From this Rāthantara kalpa, after the twenty-third has passed, the Varāha kalpa will arise. In its auspicious manvantara, when the seventh, called Vaivasvata, is born—the maker of the seven worlds—the twenty-eighth Dvāpara yuga will come. At its end, the great god Vāsudeva, Janārdana, will take threefold form to relieve the earth’s burden. Then, the sage Dvaipāyana, Rāma son of Rohiṇī, and Keśava—destroyer of the pride of Kaṃsa and others, remover of suffering—will appear. The city called Dvāravatī, now known as Kuśasthalī, endowed with divine qualities, will be the abode of the wielder of Śārṅga. By my command, Tvaṣṭā will build it for the Lord of the world.” Thus, the sacred traditions and future glories were revealed, offering hope, protection, and guidance for all beings.