The sight of her beloved fulfilled the deepest longing in Queen Vṛndā’s heart. Yet, overcome by grief and sighing with burning sorrow, she spoke in anguish. “For me, death has come, sent as a messenger by love, because of you.” Her friend, hearing these words, replied gently, “You are my very life.” Confused and uncertain what to do, Vṛndā resolved to act. She went into the forest and approached a great lake. There, setting aside her sorrow, she purified her body with the cool water. Seated in the lotus posture on the bank, she stilled her mind, withdrawing it from all distractions. Determined to free herself from the pain of her recent union with Viṣṇu, she began to dry out her body through severe austerity and fasting, accompanied by her faithful friend. At that moment, a host of apsarases descended from the world of the Gandharvas and approached Vṛndā. “O blessed one,” they urged, “do not abandon your body—go to heaven! This Gandharva weapon, which brings victory over the three worlds and the highest favor of Śrīpati, was obtained here, O Vṛndā. How can you forsake the body that has fulfilled its purpose? Know that your beloved was struck down by the foremost of trident-bearers; the reward for merit is the ornaments of heaven. O brave and blessed one, quickly go to the abode of the immortals.” Hearing the sacred words and the message of the ocean-born beloved, Vṛndā laughed softly. “Brought from heaven as a pearl among the wives of the gods, I was once the vessel of happiness for my unconquered beloved. Now, separated from him, I am blameless. May I reunite with my beloved, who has attained immortality, in the next life.” With these words, Vṛndā and her friend dismissed the apsarases. Bound by love, such celestial beings come and go, ever present in the eternal dance of fate. Then, through the practice of yoga, Vṛndā burned away all worldly qualities with the fire of knowledge. Withdrawing her mind from the senses, she attained the supreme state. Witnessing Vṛndā’s transcendence, the apsarases rejoiced in the sky, showering her with a rain of fragrant flowers. Gathering dry wood, they placed Vṛndā’s body upon the pyre, and, lighting the fire, the messenger of love entered the flames. They burned the remains, reducing them to ashes, and cast them into the sacred Mandākinī river. On that very spot, where Vṛndā relinquished her mortal form and attained the path of Brahman, the holy land of Vṛndāvana arose near Govardhana. The goddesses, having returned to heaven, sang the virtues of the wives of the lords of the gods. Hearing this, all the celestials and their retinues rejoiced, destroying the dreadful fear caused by the powerful enemy demon. The air resounded with the beating of mighty drums as auspiciousness spread everywhere. Then Śrī Mahādeva spoke: “Hear, O foremost sage among the gods, of Haridvāra—the place of great merit where the Ganges flows. There is declared the supreme holy site. The gods dwell there, as do sages and Manus, and Keśava himself is eternally present. Long ago, O child, that sacred place came into being; even seeing it from afar removes all sin. There the Ganges, exceedingly beautiful and especially sacred, arose—the water from Viṣṇu’s feet, born from his touch. “O learned one, Bhagiratha brought the Ganges there by his efforts, uplifting his ancestors by this great act. Nārada then asked, ‘Who is this Bhagiratha, of great austerity, O god, whom you describe, by whom this holy site was brought for the benefit of the worlds? The holy site of the Ganges, of great merit, destroys all sins; all people declare it the highest of holy places. Whoever utters “Ganga, Ganga,” even from hundreds of yojanas away, is freed from all sins and attains the world of Viṣṇu. How was it brought, and for what purpose? Tell me, O virtuous one.’ “Mahādeva replied, ‘I will tell you in order, step by step, how the Ganges was brought to the splendid Haridvāra. First, there was Hariśchandra, the protector of truth in the three worlds. His son was Rohita, devoted to Viṣṇu, and Rohita’s son was Vṛka, steadfast in righteousness. Vṛka’s son was Subāhu, and Subāhu’s son was Gara, who was not exceedingly virtuous. Once, by the force of time, Gara became sorrowful for some reason, and his kingdom was threatened for the sake of righteousness. Taking his family, he went to the Bhārgava hermitage, where he was protected by Bhārgava’s compassion. ‘There, his son Sagara was born, O twice-born one, and grew up in the holy hermitage under Bhārgava’s care. All the proper rites, including the investiture with the sacred thread, weapon training, and Vedic study, were performed for this Kṣatriya prince. Then, having obtained the Agni missile from Bhārgava, King Sagara set forth and defeated the Tāla-jaṅghas and the Haihayas, traversing the earth. He also vanquished the Śakas and the Pāradas. ‘Nārada then asked, “Now, O Śaṅkara, tell in detail the greatness of Sagara.” Mahādeva replied, “He was a great king of the solar dynasty, renowned and exceedingly powerful. Yet, when calamity befell his family, his kingdom was taken away by the Haihayas, Tāla-jaṅghas, Śakas, Yavanas, Pāradas, Kāmbojas, and Pahlavas. These five groups, O Brāhmaṇa, united for the sake of the Haihayas, and thus King Sagara was deprived of his kingdom and went to the forest. ‘Followed by his sorrowful and pregnant wife, Sagara did not abandon his life. His virtuous wife, devoted to vows, had previously chosen Bhārgava as her guide in hopes of bearing a son. After performing her husband’s funeral rites in the forest, she lamented for him, but Aurva, restraining her, announced that her unborn son would be righteous, virtuous, and dear. Hearing this, she refrained from dying, and after two months, the child grew in Aurva’s hermitage.