Within her heart, the cowherd maiden was overwhelmed by longing and anxiety. She thought, “If I am rejected, I will become a disgrace, a source of sorrow by my very presence. Yet, any woman who receives even a favorable glance from him is truly blessed. She is indeed fortunate, without doubt—how much more so the one whom he embraces! For he, who embodies the entire world, moves distinctly among all beings.” She gazed upon her own beauty and reflected, “This beauty, gathered here in me, has been revealed by the very source of the universe. The only worthy comparison is with Smara’s virtuous wife, or with the radiance of Kāma himself. Yet, this sorrow is not caused by my father or mother, but by rejection—if he does not accept me, or even speak a little to me—then death, born of grief, will overpower me as I remember him. Though I am blameless as a wife, I would quickly perish in such a state.” Her mind was captivated by his splendor: “The pure lotus is no brighter than the gems on his chest; as I gaze upon his face, my mind becomes absorbed in meditation. If you do not value the touch and union with his limbs, then, though you touch and move with him, your body is truly wasted. Or perhaps there is no fault in you, for you act according to chance; surely you have been robbed by Love—protect your own dear delight. By the form that surpasses even you, Love himself is manifest; by him, my mind, my precious jewel, and all my being have been firmly stolen.” She continued, “The beauty seen in his face—how could it be found in the moon, marked by a hare? No comparison is ever praised for one so flawless. A lotus cannot match the equality of his eyes; the conch of water is the only comparison for his conch-like ears. Even coral cannot surely compare to his lower lip; truly, nectar flows from within him, streaming forth without doubt. If I have performed any virtuous deed in hundreds of past lives, by its grace may this man, whom I desire, become my husband again.” While the cowherd maiden was absorbed in such thoughts, at that very moment, Brahmā quickly spoke to Hari for the sake of the sacrifice. “This blessed goddess is named Gāyatrī, O Lord,” he said. Hearing this, Viṣṇu replied to Brahmā, “Therefore, take her as your wife today, O Lord of the world, for I have given her to you. Marry her by the gāndharva rite, and do not delay in making your decision. Take her hand today, O god, without hesitation.” Thus, Brahmā, the grandsire, married Gāyatrī by the gāndharva rite. Having obtained her, Brahmā spoke to the chief officiating priest: “She has become my wife; settle her in my house.” The young girl, adorned with deer-horn ornaments and veiled in linen cloth, was then led to the house of wives by priests well-versed in the Vedas. With a staff of udumbara wood and covered in deerskin, Brahmā shone in his own splendor at that great sacrifice. Then, the sacrifice was begun by the Brahmins learned in the Vedas, together with Bhṛgu. They performed the ritual prescribed in the Vedas, and that sacrifice at Puṣkara lasted for a thousand ages. At this point, Bhīṣma inquired, “O best of twice-born, what wonder occurred at that sacrifice? How were Rudra and Viṣṇu present there, O best of gods? What did Gāyatrī, the daughter of the Ābhīra, do there while established as wife? And what did the virtuous knowers do, having understood this, O sage? Tell me this story as it happened and as it was done—by the Ābhīras and by the Brāhmaṇas; I am greatly curious about this.” Pulastya replied, “O king, I will tell you all the wonders that took place at that sacrifice; listen with focused mind. Rudra performed a great wonder, having entered the assembly; the god took on a censurable form there in the presence of the Brahmins. Viṣṇu did nothing, since he remained in a subordinate role; but the cowherd boys, knowing the loss of the cowherd maiden, did not approve. All those cowherd women likewise came to Brahmā; seeing her, girded with a belt and standing at the sacrificial boundary, her mother cried, ‘O son!’ and her father, ‘O daughter!’ All the relatives said, ‘O sister,’ and her friends, ‘O friend!’ They questioned her, ‘By whom have you been brought here, O beautiful one with red-lacquered feet? Who has removed your garment, and who has dressed you in a woolen shawl? By whom, O daughter, has this matted hair been adorned with a red thread?’ Hearing these words, Lord Hari himself spoke: ‘She has been brought here by us and appointed for the sake of a wife; the girl has been entrusted by Brahma—do not utter vain words here. She is virtuous and fortunate, a delight to the whole lineage; if she were not virtuous, how could she have come to the assembly? Knowing thus, O highly fortunate one, you should not grieve; this blessed girl of yours has attained the god Brahma. Even yogis absorbed in yoga, and Brahmins accomplished in the Vedas, do not attain that state which your daughter has reached, though they desire it. Knowing you to be righteous, of good conduct, and devoted to dharma, I have therefore given this girl to Virinchi. With this Abhira maiden you shall cross over to the great and divine worlds; and in your lineage too, for the accomplishment of the gods’ purpose.’ Hari continued, ‘I will perform an incarnation here; that will be my play, when Nanda and others descend to the earth. When they descend, I will dwell among them; all your daughters will remain with me. There will be no fault, no hatred, and no jealousy there; the cowherds will act, and men will have no fear.