Journeying to the spring, the travelers beheld the mountains, their peaks swaying in the wind and adorned with a dazzling array of flowers, rivaling men in their splendor. The trees, crowned with garlands and tossed gently by the breeze, seemed to dance joyfully, much like men adorned with wreaths at festive gatherings. Vines entwined around their trunks, the trees appeared to dance with their beloveds, and in places, their own flowering creepers enveloped them in vibrant embrace. The blossoming jasmine vines at the tops of the trees glowed like clusters of stars in the autumn sky. Arranged thoughtfully, the trees shone like crowns, their green leaves tinged with golden hues, bearing fruit and flowers in abundance. The golden pollen of the flowers spread in all directions, as if displaying friendship in the company of the virtuous. Bees, intoxicated by nectar, flew from flower to flower, as if proclaiming the victory of the kadamba blossom. In the groves, male cuckoos were seen with their mates, and pairs of parrots, resembling the delicate sirisha flower, added to the beauty of the scene. Peacocks, united with their companions and displaying splendid tails, sang varied songs, their voices rising like honored brahmins reciting praises. Even at the forest’s edge, flocks of birds resounded with diverse calls, dancing and shining as if they were performers in a grand spectacle. All these creatures made the beautiful forest even more delightful, filling it always with groups of animals and perpetually joyful birds. This forest, equal to the celestial Nandana grove, increased the delight of the mind. The blessed Lotus-born Brahmā beheld that supreme form of the forest, gazing gently as if drinking in its beauty, seeing all the rows of trees reflected before him like an image in a mirror. Seeing the divine one arrive, the trees, with devotion, announced themselves to Brahmā, releasing an abundance of flowers as an offering. The Grandfather graciously accepted the flowers from the trees. He said, “Choose a boon, may you be blessed, O trees.” Thus addressed by the Blessed One, the trees, without hesitation, spoke with joined palms, bowing to Virinchin: “If you grant a boon, O Lord, lover of those who seek refuge—may you always dwell here, O Blessed One, in this forest; this is our highest wish. Grandfather, we bow to you. If you reside here, O Lord of gods, creator of the universe, grant the highest boon to all those who seek refuge, according to their wishes. Let no other boon, even among millions, be given to us; by your presence, may this place become the greatest of holy sites.” Brahmā replied, “This will be the supreme and most sacred of all places; always endowed with flowers and fruits, ever firm in youthful vigor. Able to move at will, with forms as desired, granting fruits of desired forms; fulfilling wishes of men, radiant with the success of austerities. Endowed with supreme prosperity, by my grace you shall become so.” Thus, Brahmā, the giver of boons, favored the trees. Having remained in the forest for a thousand years, Brahmā cast the lotus upon the earth. Its fall caused the ground to tremble down to the netherworld. The oceans, their waves agitated, abandoned their shores in distress; tigers and wild beasts were scattered as if struck by Indra’s thunderbolt. Thousands of mountain peaks were shattered; the aerial palaces of gods and siddhas, and the cities of gandharvas, were shaken and moved. They wandered, fell, and entered the earth; clouds shaped like pigeons fell from the sky, seen as clusters of wings. The hosts of luminaries were obscured, the suns grew fierce, and by that great sound, all beings were made mute, blind, and deaf. All three worlds, with their moving and unmoving beings, became agitated; the bodies and minds of all gods and demons were disturbed. They wondered, “What is this? What is this?”—but could not understand. Gathering their courage, they all looked toward Brahmā, yet they did not see him there. Where had Brahmā gone? Why was the earth trembling, and why did these ominous signs appear? Then Viṣṇu went to the place where the gods had assembled. After bowing down, the dwellers of heaven spoke: “O Lord, tell us what this is—these omens and portents; by what force of time has the three worlds been shaken? It seems the end of a cosmic cycle has come, the ocean of order has been breached; even the four elephants of the directions have become unsteady—what is the cause? Why is the earth enveloped by the waters of the seven seas? O Lord, there is no cause for the sound—no purpose for it. Such a sound, as is remembered, has never been before nor will be again; by this fierce noise, the three worlds have been thrown into confusion. Whether this sound is auspicious or inauspicious for the gods of the three worlds, O Lord, if you know, please tell us what it is.” Thus addressed, Viṣṇu, endowed with supreme power, replied: “Do not fear, all you Maruts; listen now to the reason for this. Having ascertained with certainty, I will explain this properly: the blessed Brahmā, lotus-handed, the grandsire of the worlds, is established in a holy region of the earth, intent on performing a sacrifice, in a most beautiful forest at the foot of the mountains. From his hand, a lotus fell to the earth; it was that great sound which caused you all to be shaken.