With devotion and reverence, the sacred rites were performed: oblations of ghee were offered, accompanied by gifts, and these were given to a Brahmin in accordance with the prescribed rules, all for the satisfaction of the venerable sages. After listening to the holy story and circumambulating as tradition commands, incense, lamps, food, and water for washing the hands were each offered separately, honoring the ritual’s every detail. In humble prayer, it was said, “May the sages ever be fulfilled by my observance of this vow. May they accept the worship I offer; salutations to the sages.” Then, the names of the great rishis were invoked: “Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Prācetasa, Vasiṣṭha, Marīci, and Atri—may you accept these offerings; salutations to you all.” Thus, this worship was to be performed with delightful incense and radiant lamps. By the power of these acts, it was taught, liberation arises for the ancestors. Though the results of previous actions and the influence of worldly passions give rise to faults, when this vow is observed, liberation is assured, without doubt. It was for the sake of liberation and the benefit of the ancestors that this vow was performed; and so, those ancestors departed on the path of emancipation, blessed and devoted to auspiciousness. The virtuous Ṛṣipaṃcamī vow was thus extolled for the Brahmin, and those noble souls who perform it are to be regarded as truly fortunate. Those who undertake the excellent Ṛṣivratam, after enjoying abundant pleasures in this world, ultimately attain the abode of Viṣṇu. Thus concludes the seventy-seventh chapter, “The Ṛṣipaṃcamī Vow,” from the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, Uttarakhaṇḍa, in the discourse between Umāpati and Nārada, within the collection of fifty-five thousand verses. Then, Parvati, ever devoted to the pursuit of truth, addressed the wise Lord: “O wise one, speak again of the greatness of the Gaṅgā. Hearing of her, all the sages become free from passion, again and again. O Lord of all, what is the nature of her greatness? I have heard of her origin before, but not of her full glory. You are the first among beings, the eternal deity—please tell me.” Mahādeva replied: “Once, the sages, wise as Bṛhaspati and mighty as Indra, came to see Bhīṣma, as he lay upon his bed of arrows. Among them were Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Bhṛgu, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Aṅgirā, Gautama, Agastya, Sumati, and the self-controlled one. Also present were Viśvāmitra, Sthūlaśirā, the all-knowing lord of the Pramathas, Raibhya, Bṛhaspati, Vyāsa, Pāvana, Kaśyapa, and Dhruva; Durvāsā, Jamadagni, Mārkaṇḍeya, Gālava, Uśanas, Bharadvāja, Kratu, and Āstīka; Sthūlākṣa, Sarvalokākṣa, Kaṇva, Medhātithi, Kuśa, Nārada, Parvata, Sudhanvā, and Cyavana the twice-born; as well as Matibhū, Bhuvana, Dhaumya, Śatānanda, Kṛtavraṇa, Jāmadagnya Rāma, Ṛcīka, and others. Dharmaputra Yudhiṣṭhira, together with his brothers, greeted these illustrious sages with proper salutations and worshipped them according to the sacred rites. The great ascetics, honored thus, sat comfortably, radiant with the fruits of their austerities, and together with Bhīṣma, engaged in discussions rooted in divine dharma. At the close of their discourse, the sages, their minds purified, bowed to Bhīṣma, and Yudhiṣṭhira asked him, “Which regions are the most holy, which mountains, and which hermitages? Which should always be revered by those who seek dharma? Please tell me, O grandfather.” Bhīṣma replied, “O best of men, in response to your question, an ancient tale is recounted—the conversation between a sage who lived by gleaning and a perfected being, O Yudhiṣṭhira. Once, a siddha, having travelled the whole earth, came to the house of the great-souled Shibi, who lived by gleaning. Shibi was ever self-controlled, a knower of the self, skilled in both knowledge and practice, free from attachment and aversion, adept in both knowledge and action. He was foremost among Vaishnavas, steadfast in the duties of Viṣṇu, never speaking ill of other Vaishnavas, and always devoted to righteousness. Constantly engaged in yoga, bearing the conch and discus, he was ever devoted to Śrī Kanta, performing worship three times a day. Learned in the Vedas and their branches, he discerned righteousness from unrighteousness, recited the Vedas daily, and honored guests unfailingly. He was firmly established among those who lived by gleaning, his mind fixed on holy places, meditating on all that was sung by the self-born in the four Vedas. Truly, he embodied the form of Viṣṇu, knew all forms of meditation and songs from the Vedas, and was ever clear in matters of righteousness and wealth, his mind fixed on the imperishable. At one time, Shibi received the siddha with due hospitality. After proper greetings, Shibi asked him about the welfare of various regions. The gleaner inquired, ‘Which lands, which peoples, which mountains, and which hermitages, O best of the twice-born, are holy? Out of affection, please reveal them to me.’ The siddha replied, ‘Those lands, those peoples, those mountains, and those hermitages are holy in whose midst the triple-flowing, best of rivers—the Gaṅgā—always abides. By austerity, by celibacy, by sacrifices, or by giving, a creature does not attain that state which is attained by serving the Gaṅgā. The satisfaction that arises in self-disciplined men who have bathed in the waters of the Gaṅgā cannot be produced even by a hundred sacrifices. Just as the rising sun dispels the deepest darkness, so too does one who bathes in Gaṅgā’s waters shine, having cast off all sin. As a heap of cotton is destroyed when it meets fire, so too is all sin destroyed by immersion in the Gaṅgā. Whoever drinks Gaṅgā water heated by the sun’s rays is freed even from the sin of killing a cow and becomes purer than fire itself. And a man who, with even one foot, bathes in the Gaṅgā surpasses the merit of a thousand Chandrayana vows.