At that time, Brahmā, the Grandfather of all the worlds, addressed me directly, saying, “You are the ruler of Samyamanī, the punisher of unrighteous men.” He instructed me to impose punishment according to the nature of each offense, especially emphasizing, “Whoever neglects his parents or insults his teacher—these two are great sinners and must be cast into hell by you.” Brahmā decreed that such sinners should suffer in all the hells for as many years as there are tens of thousands, and commanded, “For these two, O lord of the southern quarter, you must never show mercy.” Obeying Brahmā’s command, I, Yama, declared before the assembly, “I do not perform rites for one who insults his teacher or neglects his parents.” I pointed out a particular Brāhmaṇa, saying, “This Brāhmaṇa is a betrayer of his teacher. Because of that betrayal, he has met with untimely death and, by my command, has been brought here by my servants, fit to be seen.” I instructed my servants, “First cast him into the terrible Raurava hell for ten thousand years; then, having brought him out, cast him elsewhere again. For just so long, this sinner who has neglected his teacher shall remain in all the hells, each for the allotted time, swiftly.” Mukunda then spoke: “O Vedāyana, my teacher and lord, Yama’s servants, following his command, led me to the dreadful Raurava hell. They bound me with fetters and cast me down. There, I endured grievous and intense suffering, so severe that even a single moment felt like an age. For thirty days I remained there, bearing that pain; on the thirty-first day, I departed from that place. When I fell among the fragments of bones at this most excellent of sacred fords, the sin arising from neglect of my teacher was instantly destroyed. By the grace of this sacred place, I attained heaven and shall dwell happily there for as long as the fourteen Indras reign. In the city of Yama, the beings who dwell there are terrifying to sinners but enchanting to the righteous. They possess faces of lions, elephants, and boars, great fangs, swollen bellies, cat faces, tawny hair, radiant forms, and long hands. By the grace of this sacred ford, when I became free from sin, I saw those beings in Yama’s abode, possessing divine forms. All of them spoke truthfully, were endowed with humility and good conduct, adorned with divine ornaments, and clothed in celestial garments. Thus, O dear one, I have told you what you asked me; now permit me to go to the city of the Lord of the Immortals.” Nārada continued: Hearing Mukunda’s words, the ascetic listened and, righteous in soul, questioned his disciple again. Vedāyana said, “From childhood you have learned all from me with the affection of a teacher, together with the science of words and the Veda in its entirety, with all its steps. You have rendered the service due to me with devotion, O best of men; in you, O virtuous one, are found the qualities of the good, such as tranquility and self-restraint. How did the sin arising from neglect of your teacher come upon you? Tell me this, dear one, so that I may know the truth.” Mukunda replied, “I have not violated the command of the creators of the sacred thread for girls, nor of the Veda, nor of the giver of the sacred thread. I have served my father-in-law and mother-in-law as a servant would; nor have I ever disobeyed you, my teacher in the scriptures. Yet, he who is the family priest, the preceptor accomplished in the Veda and its end—some offense against him was committed by me; you ought to hear of it. If a son skilled in righteousness is born in our family, then a cow, or something equivalent, is to be given as a fee to the family priest. Having given that, the lineage is considered pure and established; but formerly, on the auspicious day when my own son was born, father, I did not perform the family rites, being of foolish mind. By neglecting them, I became one who caused the loss of my lineage. All this has been reported by me, how sin befell me due to the loss of my lineage; grant me permission, I will go to the abode of the gods.” Vedāyana then said, “Within the region of Indraprastha, this auspicious Kośalā exists; by her grace, memory of one’s previous birth is seen. By what merit have your bones fallen in this holy place? Tell, O Mukunda, if you possess memory of this.” Mukunda answered, “Once, a certain Brahmin came to my house in the evening; I gave him a place and food according to proper custom. He ate as he wished and slept on a fine bed; at midnight, a severe fever afflicted his whole body. Tormented in every limb, that Brahmin could not sleep; at dawn, with death approaching, he departed from life. I performed the prescribed rites for his cremation, O teacher; and his bones were properly cast into the Ganges. By that merit, my bones have fallen in this holy place, Kośalā, created by Brahmadeva, which bestows auspiciousness.” Nārada concluded, “Having spoken thus, that Brahmin, radiant as a god, immediately ascended to heaven in a celestial vehicle. I have narrated how he met death at the hands of a thief, yet attained heaven by the grace of this king of holy places.” Thus ends the two hundred and tenth chapter in the story of Mukunda, in the section on the glory of the Kalindi, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa of the revered Padma Mahāpurāṇa, which contains fifty-five thousand verses. Nārada continued: “O auspicious one, before you I have recounted the excellent story of Mukunda; now listen to the tale of Caṇḍaka, the barber. On the day Mukunda, the Brahmin, was slain by Caṇḍaka, O king, that event was heard by the townspeople. Having heard it, they reported it clearly before the king; the townspeople said: Caṇḍaka has killed Mukunda, the foremost Brahmin, O king.