Surrounded on all sides by snow-filled caves and towering mountain enclosures, there lay a hermitage so remote that men could never reach it. Yet, by the grace of the god of gods, the great king Pururavas—whose devotion had long been unwavering—found his way to this sacred place. As he approached, the hermitage revealed itself: a haven soothing all fatigue, enchanting to the senses, adorned with hundreds of delightful flowers, each beautifully arranged by the sage Atri himself. Auspicious and promising good fortune, the hermitage welcomed the king of Madra. Within this realm, two vast mountain peaks rose, their snowy expanses gleaming, and between them a third peak soared even higher. This third peak, formed of eternally heated stone and always free from clouds, stood beneath the trees in the western direction. There, amidst winding jasmine creepers, the king discovered a beautiful cave. Filled with curiosity, he entered. The cave was dense with darkness, narrow as a nalva reed. Yet as he pressed on beyond its length, the cave began to shine with the brilliance of its own ornaments. The place was exceedingly lofty, deep, and winding, untouched by sunlight or moonlight. Yet, astonishingly, it was always illuminated, day and night, as if it were perpetually daytime. The cave stretched for more than a krosha, and within it lay a splendid lake. All around the lake, platforms were attached to the mountain, adorned with trees made of gold, silver, and coral. The lake itself was filled with lotuses whose petals were padmaraga gems, their filaments clustered in diamonds, fragrant and accompanied by leaves of emerald and sapphire. The centers of these lotuses were of gold, though the ground beneath the lake was not filled with diamonds, but covered with a variety of precious gems. This wondrous abode teemed with aquatic creatures—cowries, oysters, conches, crocodiles, fish, and fierce turtles. Scattered throughout were pieces of emerald and thousands of diamonds, along with padmaraga, indranila, great sapphires, spinel gems, and karkoṭaka stones. There were pieces of copper, portions of shesha, the chief rājāvarta, and beautiful-eyed gems. Sun and moon gems, those of the deepest blue hue, radiant syamantaka gems, and gems of the gods and serpents were all present, along with crystal, garnet, yellow sapphire, and emerald dust. Sapphires, sugandhika, royal gems, chief diamonds, and the brahma gem sparkled throughout. Pearls adorned those who bore the form of stars. The lake’s water was pleasantly warm, dispelling the chill of bathing, and nestled within the stone of vaidurya, the lake was beautiful to behold. Its measure was two hundred bows in length, square in shape, delightful, and born from the austerities of the three sages. Upon a charming island within the lake, there was a region resembling the entrance to a cave, entirely golden. Nearby, a lovely lotus-pond rested upon a stone terrace, its pure, cool drinking water adorned with aquatic flowers. This enchanting pond, square like the sky, held water that was sweet, light, cool, and fragrant. It neither parched the throat nor filled the belly, yet it brought supreme satisfaction and great comfort to the body. In the midst of this paradise stood a palace, created by the austerities of the three sages. At its entrance was a golden bridge, splendid and adorned with every jewel. The palace itself shone like moonbeams, crafted of silver, with delightful stairs of vaidurya and railings of pure coral. Great pillars of sapphire supported platforms set with emeralds, and a network of diamond rays sparkled beautifully, pleasing to behold. Within this radiant palace, the Blessed Lord, Janardana—the God of gods—reclined upon the coils of the serpent king, Shesha, adorned with all ornaments. One knee was bent, and the foot of the Lord, wielder of the discus, rested upon the hood of the serpent king, as did his other foot. One foot lay upon the lap of Lakshmi, who soothed the coils of Shesha, while the Lord’s arm, adorned with armlets, rested upon the serpent king’s coils. One arm was placed behind his head, the other extended. His bent knee was adorned with a jeweled bracelet, and another arm, slightly bent, rested near his navel. Of his third and fourth arms, one held a garland of parijata flowers, following the line of his nose. Lakshmi, with hands like lotus petals, massaged the Lord’s foot. He was adorned with a garland, crown, necklace, and armlets, as well as bracelets and rings. His beautiful, radiant head rested upon the jeweled hood of the serpent king. This place, whose true nature was unknown, had been established by Atri and was always honored by accomplished sages, adorned with garlands of lineage flowers. The Lord’s body was anointed with divine fragrances, perfumed with celestial incense, and always offered delightful, excellent fruits by perfected beings. Thus, King Pururavas beheld the sacred, resplendent abode and the divine presence within, a vision of supreme beauty and grace, the fruit of devotion and the mercy of the God of gods.