Having enjoyed the delightful pleasures of an entire Manvantara, he finally attained supreme knowledge, and, together with his wives, obtained liberation. Thus, O Brahmin, I have fully described the fruit that arises for one who gives up the body on the journey to the bank of the sacred Jāhnavī. In this journey to the Gaṅgā’s bank, the sages who see the truth—such as Nārada and others—prescribe no fixed time; whenever a person bathes in the Gaṅgā, O best of Brahmins, at that very moment he certainly obtains inexhaustible merit. It is certain that the Gaṅgā destroys all sins; yet if one repeatedly commits sin, the Gaṅgā does not purify him. Therefore, abandoning sinful intent, bathe in the Gaṅgā, the mother of the world, O people, if you desire the highest good. The merit humans gain from bathing in the Gaṅgā, O twice-born, is obtained only through actions that are extremely difficult to perform. Indeed, it is possible to count the raindrops or the dust particles of the earth, but, O twice-born, the virtues of Bhagirathi cannot be described or enumerated. Having considered all the scriptures, I declare to you: by bathing even once in the waters of the Gaṅgā, a person attains liberation. Even one who bathes in well-water, while meditating on the Gaṅgā—the sovereign of the gods, destroyer of suffering, sorrow, and fear—becomes freed from all heaps of sins, including the killing of cows or Brahmins, and, by the grace of the Gaṅgā, attains Vishnu’s abode, the giver of all happiness, O twice-born. Vyasa then spoke: O best of twice-born, those who have taken refuge in Narayana and are endowed with devotion never experience misfortune at any time. Again, I will declare the greatness of the Lord of Lakshmi; hearing this, all people attain the supreme state. Hearing the greatness of Vasudeva, the Vaishnavas are satisfied; but the heretics are not satisfied and suffer torment in hell. O best of twice-born, the supreme greatness of Vishnu should not be spoken of in the presence of heretics, but should be spoken before Vaishnavas. Previously, in the Treta Yuga, O Jaimini, there was a man named Urvishur, who was always devoted to sin and intent on reviling righteousness. He was a thief of Brahmins’ wealth, intent on adultery, eater of cow’s flesh, drinker of liquor, and addicted to the company of prostitutes. He was a killer of those who sought refuge, always a slanderer of others, a betrayer of trust, a destroyer of friends, and a tormentor of relatives. He was a liar, cruel, associated with heretics, one who ruined the livelihood of Brahmins, and a thief of deposits. Seeing him so wicked and devoted to sin, all his relatives, enraged, came to his house and said: “The reputation acquired by our ancestors in this pure lineage is being destroyed by you, O fool. Abandoning the path of righteousness, you always commit sin; you have become the destroyer of our family’s honor and the cause of suffering for your kin. Such is the astonishing creation of the Creator in you; in the ocean where the moon was born, even foam is produced. Ah, the power of wicked sons cannot be measured; in a moment, they destroy the reputation accumulated by many people. When a noble son is born, the lineage becomes excellent; but if a wicked son is born, even a noble lineage becomes degraded.” Vyasa said: Having spoken thus, all his relatives, angered and fearing disgrace, at once abandoned that most sinful man. Abandoned by his kin and reviled by everyone, deprived of all his wealth, he sorrowfully took to a life of banditry. As he engaged in merciless, violent acts as a bandit, all the people of the region seized him and reported him to the king. But that king, out of affection for his father, did not have that wicked man killed, but banished him from his own land. Then, taking refuge in the forest, he stood with many arrogant bandits, mercilessly waiting to rob travelers. Once, exhausted from wandering in the forest with the bandits, he went to the riverbank, O Jaimini, to bathe. There, that wicked-souled man saw many Brahmins, engaged in the service of the Lord, gathered on the riverbank. Then all those Brahmins, having worshipped Janardana, began to speak among themselves, full of great curiosity: “Today I have offered champaka flowers,” one said; another, “I have given betel leaves to Murari.” “Betel leaves should never be eaten in any birth; today I have given the finest plantain fruit to Hari,” said another. “For many births I have eaten plantain fruit,” someone else said, “I have given a pomegranate to Hari.” “Someone says, ‘I have given the finest mango to Hari.’” Hearing these words as they spoke among themselves— He thought to himself, “What shall I offer to Vishnu? Of all the things in the world that can be eaten, I have them. But I am unable to give up anything—what can I give to Murari? I always dwell in the forest, a thief, fearful of the king. I have never had the right to ride in a cart.” Vyasa said: Thus, again and again, that bandit spoke, O best of Brahmins. “I have given a cart to Hari, the bestower of the four aims of life.” Then all those Brahmins departed as they had come, O Brahmin.