Listen now to the sacred account of the excellent silver mountain, whose offering grants a soul passage to the wondrous realm of Soma. The supreme mountain fashioned from silver weighs ten thousand palas; the middling one is five thousand, and the lesser is half that. If a devotee cannot manage more than twenty palas, he may create the mountain according to his means, while the transverse mountains should be made with a quarter of the measure. Following the established rules, one should craft the silver mountain and its companions—Mandara and others—reverently, and worship the lords of the worlds with vessels of pure silver. The forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Arka are to be made, their bases of gold; for the other deities, silver is used, but all bases are to be gold. The remaining rituals proceed as before: the sacred homa, the night vigil, and, at dawn, the offering of the silver mountain to the teacher. The transverse mountains are given to the priests, along with worship, garments, and ornaments, all bestowed while reciting the mantra and holding darbha grass, free from envy. The mantra invokes the silver mountain’s favor: "Because you are dear to the ancestors, the lords of the earth, and to Śiva, protect us, O silver one, from the ocean of sorrow and transmigration." One who offers this excellent silver mountain as prescribed receives the merit of gifting ten thousand cows. In Soma’s realm, the wise soul dwells, honored by Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and Apsaras, until creation’s end. Now hear of the excellent mountain of sugar, whose donation pleases Viṣṇu, Arka, and Rudra eternally. The supreme sugar mountain requires eight loads; the middling, four; the inferior, two. Those with less wealth may offer a mountain of half or quarter load, fashioning the transverse mountains with a fourth part. Just as with the grain mountain, all should be prepared together with nectar. Atop Meru, three golden trees are placed: Mandara, Parijata, and the wish-fulfilling tree. These three grace the summits of all mountains. On each, especially the sugar mountain, two sandalwood trees are set—one east, one west. On Mandara, the deity of desire faces west; atop Gandhamadana, the god of wealth faces north. On the great mountain, the Veda’s swan faces east, and on the golden side, Surabhi faces south. As with the grain mountain, all rites of invocation are performed. The middle mountain is given to the teacher, and the four others to the priests, while mantras are recited. The sugar mountain, filled with sweetness, is the nectar of fortune; thus, O lord of mountains, always bring joy. The droplets that fell to earth as the gods drank nectar gave rise to you, O sugar mountain—protect us. Because sugar arose from the bow of the god of love, you embody that essence; protect us from the ocean of worldly existence. Whoever gives the sugar mountain as prescribed is freed from all sins and attains the highest state. Riding a radiant vehicle like the moon, stars, and sun, with his dependents, he journeys onward, impelled by Viṣṇu. After a hundred aeons, he becomes the lord of the seven continents, blessed with longevity and health for three thousand births. On all mountains, one should provide food according to ability, without envy. Everywhere, salt and alkaline foods may be eaten with permission, and all mountain offerings are given to Brahmins. Once, in a great age, there was a king of righteousness, a friend of Indra, who slew thousands of demons. By his radiance, the moon and sun lost their brilliance; he subdued hundreds of unconquered foes, and, though human, could take any form and remained undefeated. His wife, Bhānumatī, was the most beautiful in the three worlds, her divine form rivaling Lakṣmī and surpassing celestial maidens. She was his chief queen, more precious than life, shining among ten thousand women like Śrī herself. Surrounded by a hundred thousand kings, he was never parted from her. Once, seated in court, the king, filled with wonder, questioned the sage Vasiṣṭha: "O revered one, by what righteousness have I attained such fortune, and why does this supreme radiance dwell in my body?" Vasiṣṭha replied: "There was once a courtesan named Līlāvatī, devoted to Śiva, who, on the fourteenth day, gave her teacher a salt mountain adorned with golden trees and other prescribed items. At that time, a Śūdra goldsmith named Śauṇḍa, a servant in her house, crafted these items from gold. The trees and divine forms were made with great devotion and beauty, assembled without payment, for he knew it was a righteous act and never accepted reward. The golden trees were illuminated by his wife, while Līlāvatī served beside the mountain. Līlāvatī performed her duties to her teacher and other tasks without deceit, with great dedication, even as a courtesan. When her time came, freed from all sins by her deeds, she entered Śiva’s temple. The goldsmith, though poor, was virtuous; he never took payment from Līlāvatī. Now, he has become you—the king. You are the lord of the seven continents, shining like ten thousand suns, and your wife Bhānumatī, who illuminated the golden trees made by the goldsmith, is with you." Thus, the story of the silver and sugar mountains, their offerings, and the rewards bestowed upon the righteous is revealed, showing the path to transcendence and the blessing of divine fortune.