The prince, when questioned, explained to the queen, “O beautiful one, my laughter arose from the speech of the ant, which was provoked by words of passion.” He assured her that there was no other reason for his laughter; it was not something ordinary or trivial. Hearing this, the queen, her smile pure but her words untrue, replied, “Today, I alone have laughed; now, because of you, I cannot go on living. How could a mortal possibly understand the language of ants unless aided by the gods? Surely, it is by you alone that I have been mocked here—what more is there to say?” The king, left speechless by this exchange, resolved to seek guidance from Hari, the Lord. He undertook a vow and remained pure for seven nights. On the seventh night, Hṛṣīkeśa appeared to him in a dream. The following morning, the king wandered through his city, his heart full of questions. In his dream, Viṣṇu had told him that an aged brāhmaṇa, who by divine instruction would know everything fully, would appear. With this in mind, the king left the city in the morning, accompanied by his ministers and his wife. As they traveled, they saw ahead an old brāhmaṇa approaching, who began to speak as he drew near. The brāhmaṇa declared, “We are those foremost brāhmaṇas among the Kurus in Jāṅgala, the servants in Dāśapura, the deer in Kālañjara, and the seven cakravāka birds in Mānasasaras; here, we have attained perfection.” Upon hearing these words, the king was overwhelmed with grief and fell to the ground. At that moment, both of his chief ministers suddenly remembered their past births. Among them was Bābhravya, the renowned author of the science of love, known among people as the learned Pañcāla, skilled in all branches of knowledge even in his youth. There was also Kaṇḍarīka, righteous and a promoter of Vedic wisdom, who too regained memory of his previous lives. Both, heavy with sorrow, fell before the king. They lamented, “Alas, we have fallen from yoga, bound by desire and action!” Again and again, these three, accomplished in yoga, mourned their fall. Yet, amazed, they praised the greatness of the śrāddha ritual. In gratitude, the king gave the aged brāhmaṇa wealth and many villages, and released him with honor. The king then installed his own son, who was marked by royal qualities, as the new ruler, bestowing upon him the name Viṣvaksena. All those assembled at Mānasasaras were the foremost of yogins. Among them were Brahmadatta and others, all present, devoted to their ancestors and free from envy. The king affirmed, “Whatever fruits are desired from renouncing the kingdom—all this, so be it.” He expressed his approval once more. He acknowledged, “By your grace, I have obtained all these results.” Thereafter, they all went to dwell in the forest, dedicating themselves to yoga. Through the aperture of Brahman and by the power of their asceticism, they attained the supreme state—gaining lifespan, wealth, knowledge, heaven, liberation, and happiness. Satisfied, the ancestors grant sons and kingdoms to those men who, O twice-born, recite the greatness of the ancestors and of Brahmadatta. Whoever causes this tale to be heard by the twice-born, or listens to it, or recites it, is honored in the world of Brahma for a full hundred crores of kalpas. A question then arose: at what time does the śrāddha ritual yield endless fruit? In which part of the day should it be performed? At which sacred places does śrāddha bring the most abundant results? It is said that whatever is offered at the time of afternoon, during the rising of Abhijit or Rauhiṇī, is declared imperishable. Now, O best of the twice-born, I shall name the sacred places that are auspicious and dear to the ancestors. Foremost among these is Gayā, the most excellent and sacred of all holy places, where the Lord of gods, the Grandfather himself, resides. There, the ancestors, desiring their share, once sang a sacred verse. It is said that many sons should be desired, for even if one alone goes to Gayā, or performs an Aśvamedha sacrifice, or releases a blue bull, it is meritorious. Likewise, Vārāṇasī is ever holy and dear to the ancestors, where the presence of Avimukta grants both enjoyment and liberation. Similarly, Vimaleśvara is sacred and dear to the ancestors, and Prayāga, the sacred place of the ancestors, bestows the fruit of all desires. At Vaṭeśvara, the blessed Lord, accompanied by Mādhava, always dwells in yogic sleep, and so too does Keśava reside there. Other holy sites include Daśāśvamedhika, Gaṅgādvāra, Nandā, Lalitā, and the sacred Māyāpurī. Mitrapada, the excellent Kedāra, and Gaṅgāsāgara—all are auspicious and contain all holy tirthas. The tirtha called Brahmasaras, the waters of the Śatadru, and the lake named Naimiṣa bestow the fruit of all tirthas. The origin of the Gaṅgā is in the Gomati, where the eternal one appeared; there too are Yajñavarāha and the Lord of gods, the bearer of the trident. There is the golden gate, where the eighteen-armed Hara stands, and where the rim of Hari's discus was once broken. This is the Naimiṣa forest, visited by all holy sites; there too is the vision of Varāha, the Lord of gods. Whoever goes there, purified in soul, attains the abode of Nārāyaṇa, having achieved great merit and the destruction of all sins. There, Nārasiṃha himself, Janārdana, abides; the tirtha called Ikṣumatī is always dear to the ancestors. At the confluence where the ancestors always dwell by the Ganga, Kurukshetra is supremely holy, endowed with all sacred fords. Similarly, the holy Sarayu, revered by all the gods, and the Iravati river as well, are abodes of ancestral fords. Thus, the story reveals the power of devotion, the greatness of śrāddha, and the sanctity of these sacred places, by whose grace one attains prosperity, liberation, and the blessings of the ancestors.