Hearing the words of Bhṛgu, the goddess Gāyatrī, the devoted wife of Brahmā, took her seat at Brahmā’s right side. The sacred consecration ritual began, performed exactly as prescribed by tradition. In the midst of this auspicious ceremony, the goddess Svā suddenly arrived at the sacrificial ground, O King. As Svā beheld Gāyatrī being consecrated alongside Brahmā, jealousy and anger welled up within her at the sight of her co-wife. Overcome by these emotions, Svā spoke harshly: “Where the unworthy are honored and the worthy neglected, three calamities will surely follow: famine, death, and fear. You have seated this younger wife of mine in my rightful place; therefore, all of you shall become dull-witted and assume various forms. And as she has sat on my seat to the right, let her always be unseen by people and take the form of a river.” Upon hearing this curse, Gāyatrī trembled in distress. Though the gods tried to restrain her, she rose and, in turn, pronounced a curse upon Svā: “Just as Brahmā is your husband, so he is mine as well. Since you have cursed me without cause, you too shall become a river.” Nārada then described how the gods, led by Śiva and Viṣṇu, cried out in alarm. They feared that the three worlds would be plunged into ruin by these mutual curses. The gods pleaded, “O goddess, by your words we all—Brahmā and the rest—have been cursed. If we all become dull-witted and flow as rivers, what will become of the worlds? Surely, everything will be lost. Since this lack of discernment has occurred, please withdraw the curse.” Svarā replied, “Because the Lord of the Gaṇas was not worshipped at the commencement of the sacrifice, O best of gods, this obstacle—born of my anger—has arisen. My words never become untrue; therefore, you all, each with your own portion, shall become dull and flow as rivers. We two co-wives, also with our own divine portions, shall become rivers here, flowing westward, O gods.” Nārada continued: Upon hearing this, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara, O king, became dull-witted and assumed the forms of rivers by their own portions. Viṣṇu became the river Kṛṣṇā, Maheśvara the river Veṇī, and Brahmā became the river Kakudminī-Gaṅgā—each manifesting separately. The wise gods, having made their own and their fathers’ portions dull, became excellent rivers, descending from the peaks of Mount Sahya. With their divine portions, the foremost rivers flowed eastward, while Gāyatrī and Svarā, at that time, flowed westward. By their yogic power, these two rivers became known as Sāvitrī. There, Brahmā established both Hari (Viṣṇu) and Hara (Śiva) at the sacrifice. The two gods, of great and surpassing strength, thus became rivers by name. O king, their greatness is beyond description. Brahmā and the other gods departed with their own portions, and the rivers remain to this day. Whoever hears or devoutly recites the origin of the Kṛṣṇā river, the supreme remover of sin, attains the merit of all sacred rites and receives the same fruit as from seeing or bathing in her holy waters. Thus concludes the one hundred and eleventh chapter of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa, within the section on the greatness of Kārtika, in the dialogue with Satyabhāmā, entitled “Description of the Greatness of Kṛṣṇā and Veṇī.” Later, Īśvara spoke to the best of devotees: “Listen, O wise one, to the greatness of bathing in the month of Māgha. In this world, there is no devotee of Viṣṇu equal to you. By beholding Hari at Cakratīrtha or Keśava at Mathurā, one attains the same fruit as by bathing in Māgha. He who bathes in Māgha with controlled senses, a peaceful mind, and good conduct, is freed from the cycle of worldly existence.” Śrī Kṛṣṇa then said, “In your presence, I shall tell you the greatness of Śūkara, by the mere knowledge of which my presence is always attained.” Sūta continued, “Having spoken thus, the blessed Kṛṣṇa praised Śūkara in many ways to Satyā. Now, O ascetics, I shall relate that teaching.” Śrī Kṛṣṇa declared: “At Śūkāra, the temple of Hari, which is five yojanas wide, even a donkey who dwells there becomes four-armed. The measures of Śūkara are three thousand hands, three hundred hands, and three hands. O Devi, whoever performs austerity elsewhere for sixty thousand years attains that same fruit in just half a day at Śūkara. When the sun is eclipsed by Rāhu at Kurukṣetra, the fruit of giving a tulāpuruṣa is declared. That merit is said to be tenfold at Kāśī, a hundredfold at Veṇī, and a thousandfold at the confluence of the Gaṅgā and the ocean. But at Śūkara in Hari’s temple, the merit is infinite. Elsewhere, giving a hundred thousand with proper observance in Kārtika yields great fruit, but by giving just one at Śūkara, the same result is attained. So too at Śūkara, at Veṇī, and at the Gaṅgā-ocean confluence.” “By bathing just once, a person removes the sin of killing a Brahmin. In ancient times, King Alarka obtained dominion over the seven continents after hearing the greatness of the Śūkara field, O Six-faced One. On the twelfth day of the bright fortnight in Mārgasīrṣa, go, my son.” Kārttikeya then asked, “O Lord, I wish to hear about the supreme vow among vows, its procedure, and the proper fruit of fasting for a month. How many times should this vow be performed? Explain in detail, O sinless one, for this vow brings happiness and prosperity.” Śrī Rudra replied, “O virtuous one, I shall tell you everything you have asked. Listen with devotion as I speak. As Viṣṇu is foremost among the gods, as the sun is among ascetics, as Meru is among mountains, and as Garuḍa is among birds…” Thus, the narrative continues, revealing the supreme greatness of sacred rivers, holy vows, and the fruits of devotion and ritual as taught by the divine.