Hear now the story as it unfolds, O noble listener. Once, the ascetic addressed the assembly of women, saying: “By the curse of Nārada and the wise Keśava, you all, overcome by desire, have become courtesans. Listen attentively, O noble ladies, to what I shall now declare. In ancient times, during a great battle between the gods and the demons, countless gods, Dānavas, Asuras, Daityas, and Rākṣasas fell on the field. Among them, thousands of women—whether married or taken by force—wandered in distress. The Lord of the gods then addressed these women, O best of speakers, and decreed their fate. ‘From this day, dwell as courtesans in the palaces of kings and in the temples of the gods, following the duties proper to your station. Be devoted to worship and service. Regard kings and their sons as your masters, and as you are able, may prosperity be yours. Whoever comes to your house, having given the proper fee, should be served with care, except for those who are deceitful. On auspicious days devoted to the gods and ancestors, give cows, land, gold, and grain according to your means, and always heed the words of the Brahmins. Whatever other vows I instruct you in, perform them without hesitation. Those learned in the Veda declare that this is sufficient to cross worldly existence: when, on a solar day, the moon is in Puṣya or Punarvasu, a woman should bathe with all manner of herbs. By this, she becomes a witness even for the god of love, the wielder of five arrows. She should worship the lotus-eyed Lord with recitations of Kāma’s names, offering her homage thus: ‘I worship the feet for desire, the shanks for delusion, the genitals as Kāma’s treasury, and the perineum for delight—homage to you, beloved one. The navel is the ocean of pleasure, the left side and belly likewise; the heart belongs to the Lord of hearts, and the breasts are bringers of delight. The throat is for longing, Vaikuṇṭha for transcendence, the mouth for bliss; the left side is for the flower-bow, the right for the flower-arrow. The mind is for worship, the crown for sovereignty, the hair for playfulness; I worship the whole body as the embodiment of the Lord of gods. Homage to Śiva, the peaceful one, bearer of noose and goad, wielder of the mace, clad in yellow, holding conch and discus. Homage to Nārāyaṇa, the soul of Kāma; homage to all tranquility, affection, pleasure, and prosperity.’ Having worshipped the Lord of gods, the very essence of desire, with fragrances, garlands, incense, and offerings, the woman should proceed to the next rite. She should invite a Brahmin learned in the Vedas, whose limbs are unblemished, and worship him with fragrances, flowers, and other offerings. She should give him a prastha of rice from Śāli grain, along with a vessel of ghee, saying, ‘May Mādhava be pleased with this.’ She should provide him with whatever food he desires, thinking, ‘This is Kāma for the sake of pleasure.’ Whatever the foremost Brahmin wishes, the woman should do, dedicating herself with a smile and sweet words. Thus, on each Sunday, she should perform these rites and give a prastha of rice for thirteen months. When the thirteenth month arrives, she should present the Brahmin with a special bed, adorned with all accessories—a pillow, a fine sheet, a lamp, shoes, parasol, and seat. She should decorate it, together with her co-wife, with gold rings, fine garments, bracelets, incense, garlands, and ointments. She should place an image of Kāma and his consort upon a jar of jaggery, seated on a copper vessel covered with a cloth adorned with golden eyes. With bronze vessels and a sugarcane staff, she should also give a single milch cow, reciting the prescribed mantra: ‘Just as I never see any difference between Kāma and Keśava, so may I always attain all desires from Viṣṇu. Just as the lotus never leaves your body, O Keśava, so may my body remain with me, O Lord of the gods.’ Then, as the Brahmin receives the golden image, he should recite the Vedic question: ‘Who is this? For whom is this given?’ After circumambulating and respectfully dismissing the Brahmin, all the bedding, seats, and such should be brought to his house. From that time forward, any Brahmin who comes to the house for pleasure should be honored, especially on Sundays, and regarded accordingly. In this way, for thirteen months, the best of Brahmins should be satisfied as desired; if he is away, another may be engaged. With his permission, another handsome one may be accepted, as is fitting and without hindrance, for the sake of dear offspring. Whether by divine will, human means, or out of affection, the fifty-eight prescribed acts should be performed according to one’s ability and proper conduct. All this I have explained to you in detail; therefore, know that this is not unrighteousness for courtesans at any time. What was spoken to the Dānavī women by me, as declared by Indra, applies now to you as well. This rite, prescribed for auspicious women, removes all sins and grants endless rewards; do this, O beautiful-faced ones. A virtuous woman who performs this complete and unbroken rite, established in the world of Mādhava, is worshipped by all the hosts of gods and attains a place of bliss with Viṣṇu. Having thus spoken, the ascetic returned to his own abode, and those women, together with their companions, set about performing the vow as instructed.