When you rose up, prepared to seize me in that very moment, I saw you and instantly vanished, slipping into the depths of the hole before you could catch me. As I entered, my foot happened to touch the wick of a lamp. The flame leapt up, the vessel of oil tipped, and by that chance, I found great fortune. It was I, O king of kings, who kindled that lamp by my actions, and as a result, I have attained supreme beauty and charm. You are now my husband, and with you I have gained a kingdom, sons, and every form of happiness. Even the exceedingly rare knowledge that has come to me—all of this arose from my observance of the lamp vow. Therefore, this lamp vow, so unsurpassed in its merit, should be performed by us with utmost devotion and effort. From this act, I have obtained the fruits of kingship and prosperity, remembrance of past births, and the destruction of all sins. Thus, let the lamp vow be undertaken with every effort, preceded by proper rites and mantras, for its merit endures as long as the moon, the sun, and the stars shine in the sky. Upon hearing these words, the king, filled with faith and devotion, performed the lamp vow along with his beloved at the holy place of Pushkara. There, the two of them completed the vow and attained the highest liberation—a state difficult even for gods and demons to reach. Those on earth who hear of the greatness of the lamp are freed from all sins and go to the abode of Hari. And those men or women who perform the vow with devotion are also freed from sin and reach the eternal Brahman. Diseases of the eyes, born from the influence of sin, are destroyed; all afflictions and illnesses vanish instantly. There is no poverty, no sorrow, no delusion, nor confusion. Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, abides in such a house, birth after birth, O Vaḍava. At another time, Mahadeva spoke: When Shatakratu had completed his gifts and offerings, Maghavan, his mind made up, turned to Brihaspati with a question. “O venerable one,” he asked, “by what gift does one everywhere attain happiness—happiness that is inexhaustible and supremely precious? Please tell me that, O great ascetic.” Thus addressed by Indra, the lord of the gods, Brihaspati, wise and smiling, replied, “The gift of gold, the gift of cows, and the gift of land, O Vāsava—he who gives these is freed from every sin. When one gives the earth, it is as if one has given gold, silver, cloth, jewels, and gems—all these are encompassed in the gift of land. “Giving land that has been plowed, sown with seeds, and covered in crops, one is honored in heaven for as long as the sun gives light. Whatever sins a person may have committed in the struggle for livelihood are purified even by gifting as much land as can be covered by a cow’s hide. Here, a rod is ten hands long, and thirty rods make a measure; ten such measures equal the area of a cow’s hide, which is the sacred mark of the Brahma cow’s hide. Where a thousand cows and their bulls stand unrestrained, and calves are born to them, that is called a cow’s hide, according to tradition. “One should give land to a Brahmin who is virtuous, austere, and self-controlled. For as long as the earth is bounded by the ocean, the reward of the giver is endless. Just as a drop of oil spreads on water, so does the merit of land-giving spread from crop to crop. As seeds sown in the earth sprout and flourish, so too do the desires of those who give land generously. “Those who give food are always happy; those who give clothes become beautiful; and he who donates land becomes a universal benefactor. Just as a cow nourishes her calf by letting down her milk, so, O thousand-eyed one, the earth nourishes the giver of land. The rewards for giving land are many: a conch, a blessed seat, an umbrella, excellent horses, and noble elephants—these await in heaven, O Purandara. “The sun, Varuna, fire, Brahma, 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, saying, ‘One born in the family of a land-giver will become our protector.’ “Three gifts are said to be supreme: cows, earth, and Sarasvati; these lift souls from hell through recitation, sowing, and milking. These gifts rescue from misfortune, as learned Brahmins declare. Those who give clothes go clothed; those who do not, go naked. Those who give food depart this world satisfied; those who do not, go hungry. All ancestors, fearful of hell, long for such gifts. “The son who goes to Gaya becomes our protector; many sons are desirable, if even one goes to Gaya. One may perform the Ashvamedha sacrifice or release a blue bull—the bull may be red in color or pale at the tip of its tail. A white bull with hooves and horns is called blue; the blue bull with a pale tail tip is the one who draws up water. By him, the ancestors are satisfied for sixty thousand years, and whatever mud is on the horn, the family remains uplifted. “The ancestors of such a person partake of the radiant world of Soma; this was the case for kings Dilīpa, Nṛga, and Nahuṣa. For other kings, none have attained this. The earth has been given by many kings, including Sagara and others. Whoever owns the earth at any time, to him belongs the fruit at that time, whether he be a slayer of a Brahmin, a woman, a child, or one fallen.” Thus, the merits of devotion and generosity—whether through the lamp vow or the gift of land—bring blessings beyond measure, uplifting not only the giver but their ancestors and descendants for ages to come.