At the sacred site of Puṣkara, a grand sacrifice was commenced by the Brahmins well-versed in the Vedas, with the sage Bhṛgu among them. They performed the ritual exactly as prescribed in the scriptures, and that mighty sacrifice continued for a thousand ages. At this point, Bhīṣma, ever eager for knowledge, inquired, “O best of the twice-born, what wondrous events occurred at that sacrifice? How did Rudra and Viṣṇu make their presence known there, O foremost of gods? And what did Gāyatrī, the daughter of the Ābhīra, do while established as wife? What did the wise and virtuous knowers perceive and do, understanding these events? Please, O sage, narrate to me faithfully how it all unfolded, as performed by the Ābhīras and the Brāhmaṇas. My curiosity is immense.” Pulastya replied, “O king, listen with a focused mind as I recount all the marvels that transpired at that sacrifice. Rudra, entering the assembly, performed a great wonder; he assumed a form that would be deemed censurable in the presence of the Brahmins. As for Viṣṇu, he did nothing, remaining in a subordinate role; yet the cowherd boys, knowing that the cowherd maiden had been taken away, did not approve of these happenings. All the cowherd women, too, came before Brahmā. Seeing Gāyatrī, girded with a belt and standing at the boundary of the sacrifice, her mother cried out, ‘O son!’ and her father, ‘O daughter!’ The relatives called, ‘O sister!’ and her friends, ‘O friend!’ They questioned her anxiously, ‘By whom have you been brought here, O beautiful one with red-lacquered feet? Who has removed your garment and dressed you in a woolen shawl? By whom, O daughter, has your matted hair been adorned with a red thread?’ Hearing their words, Lord Hari himself spoke: ‘It is we who have brought her here and appointed her as wife. The girl has been entrusted by Brahmā—do not speak vain words here. She is virtuous and fortunate, a delight to her entire lineage; if she were not virtuous, how could she have entered this assembly? Therefore, O blessed ones, do not grieve. This noble daughter of yours has attained the god Brahmā. Even yogis absorbed in yoga and Brahmins accomplished in the Vedas do not reach the state your daughter has attained, though they may ardently desire it. Seeing your righteousness, good conduct, and devotion to dharma, I have given this girl to Virinchi (Brahmā). With this Ābhīra maiden, you shall cross over to the great and divine worlds, and in your lineage too, the purpose of the gods will be fulfilled. I will incarnate here, and that will be my play, when Nanda and others descend to earth. When they descend, I will dwell among them, and all your daughters will remain with me. There will be no fault, no hatred, and no jealousy there; the cowherds will act freely, and men will have no fear. Nor will there ever be any fault in her because of this act.’ Hearing these words of Viṣṇu, the assembled ones bowed down and prepared to depart. They prayed, ‘O god, may this boon you have granted truly come to pass for us; may an incarnation arise in our lineage to establish dharma. By your very sight, we become dwellers in heaven, and this maiden, the giver of auspiciousness, will carry my lineage across.’ Viṣṇu replied, ‘So be it, Lord of gods; your boon is granted, O mighty one.’ Thus, Lord Viṣṇu himself appeased the cowherds. Brahmā too spoke in a similar way, with his left hand raised, while the beautiful and modest Gāyatrī stood before her relatives. Seeing her, the Ābhīra maiden Gāyatrī spoke: ‘By whom have I been named, and by whom have I come to this place?’ With her left hand, she bowed before them all, saying, ‘Here I stand, mother, having approached Brahmā. I have obtained as husband the god, the ancient lord of all the worlds. There is no reason to grieve for me—not for you, nor my father, nor my relatives. Let my circle of friends, my sisters, and their children depart; convey my well-being to all, for I remain here with the gods.’ When all her kin had departed, Gāyatrī, radiant in form, entered the sacrificial enclosure with Brahmā. At the request of the Brahmins, ‘Grant us the boons we desire,’ Brahmā bestowed upon them whatever boons they wished. The gifts given by the goddess Gāyatrī were also approved; she, ever virtuous, remained at the sacrifice, close to the deities. That sacrifice then flourished for more than a hundred divine years. O Kapardin, you yourself arrived at the sacrificial enclosure seeking alms, holding a great skull adorned with five heads. You stood at a distance from the officiating priests and participants, shunned by them. The Brahmins, versed in the Vedas, reproached you, saying, ‘How have you come here, you who are condemned by the learned?’ Some tried to drive you away, but the best among the Brahmins said, ‘O Kapardin, after eating food, then depart.’ You replied, ‘O Brahmins, after eating I shall depart.’ Having spoken thus, you sat down, placing the skull before you. Observing your action, Īśvara acted with cunning; leaving the skull on the ground, he looked at the Brahmins and said, ‘I am going to Puṣkara to bathe, O best of Brahmins.’ Urged by them to go quickly, the Supreme Lord departed. Thus, O king, these were the wondrous happenings at the great sacrifice at Puṣkara.