When one must touch the body—O Rudra—while still clothed, it is proper to enter water, for in this way, purification is attained, as the wise of old have practiced. Therefore, because you have incurred the sin of slaying a Brahmin, you must undertake a vow for purification; when that vow is fulfilled, you shall again receive many boons. Having spoken thus, Brahmā departed. Rudra, not yet fully understanding, turned his mind inward and contemplated Viṣṇu through the path of meditation. Before him, the great bestower of boons appeared—Viṣṇu himself, the god of gods, eternal, accompanied by Lakṣmī. In deep reverence, Rudra, the three-eyed lord of gods, bowed down in eightfold prostration. After bowing, he praised the divine bearer of conch, discus, and mace, saying: “I praise the Supreme, the highest of the high, the immortal, the ancient, the one beyond all, Viṣṇu of infinite power. I ever remember the most excellent Person, Nārāyaṇa, matchless and ancient, the one beyond all, the firstborn, swift and profound, chief among those of deep intellect. I bow to Hari, Lord of lords, the supreme, the highest abode and beyond, source and end of all, the vast Person, ruler of both the transcendent and the immanent. I praise Nārāyaṇa, of pure nature, subtle and beyond all, creator of this world, ever established, chief among persons, peaceful, the supreme refuge—may he be my shelter. I praise Nārāyaṇa, stainless, ancient, the highest of the high, Viṣṇu, boundless and limitless, primeval lord of those upholding righteousness, foremost in steadfastness, patience, and peace, lord of the earth. I ever praise the auspicious one, of great majesty, with a thousand heads and countless feet, endless arms, whose eyes are the sun and moon, both perishable and imperishable, who rests upon the ocean of milk. I praise Nārāyaṇa, the supreme, lord of lords, highest of the high, inaccessible to the gods, abiding in the threefold creation, with three sacrificial fires as eyes, marked by three principles, three dissolutions, the three-eyed one. I bow to Nārāyaṇa, immeasurable, white in the Krita age, red in the Dvāpara, black in the Kali; I bow to him who created the Brahmins from his mouth. From his arms came the Kṣatriyas, from his thighs the Vaiśyas, and from the tips of his feet the Śūdras; I bow to that universal form, ancient, highest of the high, the one who crosses beyond, the immeasurable. I honor the lotus-eyed one, subtle form, great form, form of knowledge, the formless, the armor of all the gods. I honor the supreme lord, with a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, mighty arms, pervading the universe and abiding everywhere. I honor the refuge, the shelter, god Viṣṇu, the victorious, the eternal, dark as a raincloud, wielder of the Śārṅga bow. I honor Hari, pure, all-pervading, eternal, of the nature of space, everlasting, free from existence and non-existence, the all-pervading. Here I see nothing apart from you, O Acyuta; all this, moving and unmoving, I perceive as pervaded by you.” As Rudra, the supreme lord, spoke thus in praise, the eternal, supreme among the supreme, appeared before him in person. Viṣṇu, holding the discus in his hand and seated on Garuḍa, shone forth like the sun rising above the mountain, and said, “Choose a boon, for I have come as the giver of boons.” Thus addressed, Rudra replied, “O lord of the gods, let me become completely purified; for this sin, no other remedy is seen but your grace. Overcome by the sin of killing a Brahmin, my body has become black, the smell of death clings to my limbs, and my ornaments are of iron. How can I be restored, O Janārdana, to my former state? What must I do, O great god, to regain my previous body? By your grace, let it be so—tell me, Acyuta, how this may come to pass.” Viṣṇu replied, “The sin of Brahmin-killing is supreme, terrible, and brings all suffering. One should not even conceive of this sin in the mind; by your words, O god, your resolve is clear. Now, mighty-armed one, do as Brahmā instructed: rub ashes over your entire body three times a day. Place bones in your topknot, on your ears, and in your hand; doing so, O Rudra, you will not experience suffering.” Having thus instructed him, the blessed Lord Viṣṇu disappeared, accompanied by Lakṣmī, and Rudra did not recognize him. Then, the Lord of gods, holding a skull in his hand, wandered over the earth, accompanied by the great mountains Himavat, Maināka, and Meru. He traversed Kailāsa, the entire Vindhya range, the great Nīla mountain, Kanchi, Kāśī, Tāmraliipta, as well as Magadha and Avila. He went to Vatsagulma, Gokarṇa, the northern Kurus, Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, and the land of Hiraṇyaka. He journeyed to Kāmarūpa, Prabhāsa, and the great mountain Mahendra; yet, afflicted by the sin of Brahmin-killing, he found no refuge. Ashamed, always seeing the skull in his hand, he shook his hands again and again, repeatedly trying to cast it away. But when, despite all his efforts, the skull would not fall, understanding dawned within him: “I will undertake this vow. By my very path, O twice-born, all will go everywhere.” Thus, after long meditation, the god wandered the earth. At last, reaching Puṣkara, he entered the supreme forest, filled with many trees and creepers, vibrant with the cries of animals. The air was scented with the fragrance of blossoms, and the earth was adorned with flowers as if thoughtfully arranged. There were many kinds of fragrant juices, and both ripe and unripe fruits; he entered the grove, filled with the scent of blossoms. There, Rudra resolved, “Here, as I worship with devotion, Brahmā will grant me a boon; by Brahmā’s grace, the desired knowledge of Puṣkara will be attained. It destroys sin, subdues the wicked, and increases nourishment, prosperity, and strength.” Thus, Rudra of immeasurable brilliance continued his meditation.