O King, it is said that this sacred place is the very ground where Agastya was born, emerging from the sanctity of its waters; here too, Pulastya, through his austerities, was blessed with a son. Kubera, the greatly fortunate and friend of the Lord of Uma, took birth at this very spot. To the sage Kratu, thousands of Vālakhilya sons were granted here, all due to the power of this holy land. By the grace of this place, all who lived in celibacy were blessed with sons; even the great sage Vasiṣṭha received noble sons such as Rajā and others. Thus, O best of kings, the supreme greatness of this region is proclaimed. And yet, there are countless other sacred sites—Kapila’s hermitage, Kedara, Prabhasa, and many more—whose glory cannot be fully described, even in tens of thousands of years, not even by the wisest among us. Having spoken of these wonders, the illustrious sage Nārada, foremost among ascetics, departed through the sky, ever singing the praises of Nārāyaṇa. King Śibi of the Uśīnara lineage, having heard from the sages about the unmatched glory of Indraprastha, felt truly fulfilled. There, after bathing in Indraprastha according to the proper rites, King Śibi performed all the prescribed ceremonies and returned to his own city. Thus, O mighty one, have I described to you the greatness of Indraprastha, that purifier of souls and sacred place on the banks of the Yamunā. Yet, in the age of Kali, those bereft of faith will not honor this place, though Indraprastha is the very crest-jewel of all sacred sites. The merit gained from hearing the eighteen Purāṇas and the Mahābhārata arises from the sanctity of Indraprastha. The fruit one receives by bathing at dawn during the auspicious month of Māgha is also attained simply by faithfully hearing of this greatness. O king, whoever listens with faith to these accounts, his ancestors, gods, and sages are all satisfied by him. The merit earned from difficult vows such as Kṛcchra, Atikṛcchra, Pārāka, and Cāndrāyaṇa is gained by hearing of this greatness with devotion. The fruit of all great sacrifices, including the Aśvamedha, is likewise attained by such faithful hearing. Sūta said: Thus, O Śaunaka, King Yudhiṣṭhira, having heard from Saubhari the glory of Indraprastha, journeyed to Hastināpura. After dismissing his noble brothers, led by Duryodhana, he went to holy Indraprastha with the intention of performing the Rājasūya sacrifice. Coming from Dvārakā, the king worshipped Govinda, his family deity, through the Rājasūya. This sacred place grants liberation to all; even one who curses it receives benefit. Knowing this, Hari himself slew Śiśupāla there. By dying at that very sacred place, Śiśupāla too attained union with Kṛṣṇa, the bestower of all blessings. At the spot where Śiśupāla was slain and the duel took place, Bhīma, with his mighty mace, created a great and spacious pond. This Bhīma-kuṇḍa became renowned as a purifier of the earth, situated on the southern bank of the Kālindī, about half a cow-pen’s distance from the river. The merit gained by bathing in the Kālindī at Indraprastha is certainly obtained at this pond; there can be no doubt. Whoever dwells in that sacred field for a year, performing circumambulation and other rites, has his faults forgiven. The one who circumambulates it each year remains untouched by the faults and sins associated with the field. Those who neglect circumambulation do not attain the field’s perfection, so all who seek merit should circumambulate this holy place. Reciting the name of Hari with undistracted mind as one circumambulates, at every step one gains the merit of gifting a Kapila cow. Whoever, on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Caitra, circumambulates Śakraprastha, is freed from all sins. Thus ends the chapter describing the seven holy places—Kāśī, Gokarṇa, Śiva, Kāñcī, and Bhīma-kuṇḍa at Indraprastha—within the section on the greatness of the Kālindī in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the Padma Mahāpurāṇa. Now, Śaṅkara spoke: Whether in service or in worship, one devoted to mantra must rely on a proper mantra. A mantra received from a non-Vaiṣṇava brings no supreme attainment. If one has previously received a mantra from a non-Vaiṣṇava, one should properly receive the two principal mantras again from a Vaiṣṇava guru, according to the prescribed method. Even if someone has studied a thousand branches of the Veda, has been initiated in all sacrifices, or is born in a great family, a non-Vaiṣṇava is not to be considered a guru. But the Vaiṣṇava who properly imparts the two mantras is the true ācārya, the one who cuts the bonds of worldly existence. Having taken refuge in the ācārya, the twice-born should serve him for a year; after understanding the disciple’s conduct, the guru should teach him the mantra. After performing purificatory rites such as tāpa, the guru should then pronounce the mantra and properly perform tāpa, puṇḍra, and naming. Afterwards, the guru should teach the mantra to the disciple whose mind is pure. The branding with the disc, performed according to rule, is called tāpa. The upright mark is called puṇḍra, and the Vaiṣṇava name is so designated. Then, according to the proper method, the guru should teach the mantra to the disciple. The eight-syllabled nyāsa mantra or another Vaiṣṇava mantra should be imparted, for among Vaiṣṇavas, nyāsa is considered supreme. Therefore, only the rite of nyāsa is declared as superior for them; the Brāhmaṇa devoted to the knowledge of nyāsa is said to be the best. There is no mantra higher than nyāsa; this is the truth. Know that nyāsa is twofold, and surrender is its alternate form. Thus, the greatness of Indraprastha and the supreme path of Vaiṣṇava initiation have been revealed, their sanctity shining forth for those who listen with faith and devotion.