Accompanied by grand entourages of elephants, horses, chariots, and priests, the royal couple arrived at the sacred place. After bathing, they entered into meditation and performed offerings to their ancestors and to the gods, fulfilling their duties with reverence. In that sanctified spot, radiant with beautiful rows of lamps everywhere, they worshipped the Lord of gods, the lotus-eyed and imperishable Nārāyaṇa. Within the temple, the king’s gaze fell upon a depiction of a cat. At that moment, memories of his previous, ordinary birth stirred within him. Smiling as he looked upon the lotus-like face of his beloved Rūpasundarī, she noticed and asked, “Husband, seeing my face, what is the reason for your smile?” Gladdened at heart, the king began to recount the story of his past deeds. “Once, O goddess,” he said, “I was a cat in the house of a brāhmaṇa. There, I ate hundreds of thousands of mice. Yet, because I guarded a lamp before Nārāyaṇa—even if only by pretense—I received the fruit of that act: I attained Viṣṇu’s world and now have obtained this kingdom.” Rūpasundarī then replied, “I too remember my previous, humble birth. I was a small mouse in the house of a brāhmaṇa. During Kārttika, on the sacred night of Prabodhinī, when the lamp had grown dim, I emerged from my hole to take the tip of the wick. I saw the god Nārāyaṇa being worshipped with flowers, while the brāhmaṇa was overcome by sleep. I pulled the wick, and at that very moment, you rose to seize me. Seeing you, I vanished into my hole. As I entered, my foot touched the lamp’s wick, which suddenly flared up, tipping the oil vessel. By this, I became fortunate. Through my action, O king of kings, the lamp was kindled, and now I have attained supreme beauty and charm.” She continued, “You are my husband, and with you I have gained a kingdom, sons, happiness, and even the exceedingly rare memory of past births—all this arose from the observance of the lamp vow. Therefore, with all effort, the unsurpassed lamp vow should be performed, especially by us, with supreme devotion. From this vow, we have obtained the fruits of kingship and prosperity, remembrance of previous lives, and the destruction of all sins. Thus, with all effort, and preceded by proper rites and mantras, the lamp vow should be performed by all; its merit endures as long as the moon, sun, and stars shine.” Hearing these words, the king, filled with faith and devotion, performed the lamp vow together with his beloved. At the holy place of Pushkara, the two observed the vow and thereby attained the supreme liberation, a state difficult even for gods and demons to achieve. It is said that those on earth who hear of the greatness of the lamp are freed from all sins and reach the abode of Hari. Men and women who perform this vow with devoted intent are freed from sin and attain the eternal Brahman. Diseases of the eyes caused by sin are destroyed; all afflictions and illnesses vanish instantly. There is no poverty, sorrow, delusion, or confusion; Lakshmi herself abides in their house, birth after birth. At another time, Mahādeva spoke of how Shatakratu, having completed his gifts and fees, formed a resolve and questioned Brihaspati. “Venerable one,” he asked, “by what gift does one everywhere attain happiness that is inexhaustible and supremely precious? Please tell me this, O great ascetic.” Thus addressed by Indra, the lord of the gods and their priest, Brihaspati smiled and replied, “The gift of gold, the gift of cows, and the gift of land, O Vāsava—he who gives these is freed from all sins. Gold, silver, cloth, jewels, and gems—all these are encompassed when one gives the earth itself. Having given land that is plowed, sown with seeds, and covered in crops, one is honored in heaven for as long as the sun gives light.” “Whatever sin a person may commit in the course of earning a livelihood is purified even by giving as much land as a cow’s hide. Here, a rod is ten hands long, and thirty rods make a measure; ten such measures equal a cow’s hide, which is the sacred mark for gifting land to a brāhmaṇa. Where a thousand cows with bulls stand unrestrained, and calves are born to them, that is called a cow’s hide, according to tradition.” “One should give to a brāhmaṇa who is virtuous, austere, and self-controlled; for as long as the earth remains bounded by the ocean, the giver’s reward is endless. Just as a drop of oil spreads when it falls on water, so does the merit of land-giving spread from crop to crop. And just as seeds sown in the earth sprout, so do desires flourish for those who are accompanied by the gift of land.” “Those who give food are always happy; those who give clothes become beautiful; but the one who donates land becomes a universal benefactor. Just as a cow nourishes her calf by releasing milk, O thousand-eyed one, so the earth nourishes the giver of land. The rewards of land-giving are heavenly: a conch, a blessed seat, an umbrella, excellent horses, and noble elephants. The sun, Varuṇa, fire, Brahmā, Soma, the sacrificial fire, and the blessed wielder of the trident all rejoice in the giver of land. The ancestors clap and praise, the forefathers extol; one born in the family of a land-giver becomes our protector.” Thus, the sacred stories of lamp worship and the supreme merit of giving land were revealed, illuminating the paths of devotion and generosity for all who hear and follow them.