After opening the door, the human woman was revealed to those present. She was unlike any being they had known—not a goddess, nor a gandharvī, nor an asura woman, nor a serpent-woman. In all their experience, never had such a woman been seen, O best of Brahmins. By the guidance of the goddesses, she had undertaken the Ṣaṭtilā vow. Through the truthfulness of her vows, that woman, in but a moment, attained beauty and radiance, as well as the rewards of both enjoyment and liberation. By the power of offering sesame, she obtained wealth, grain, garments, gold, silver, and a home overflowing with prosperity. Endowed with beauty and brilliance, she was transformed instantly. It is taught that one should not be excessively greedy, nor resort to deceit for the sake of wealth. Instead, one should give sesame and garments according to one’s means. In this way, a person attains health in every birth; there is no poverty, no suffering, and no misfortune. O best of twice-born, by observing the sixfold sesame vow in this manner, there is no doubt—the giver of sesame attains these results. A person is freed from all sins without effort; giving, according to proper rule, to a worthy recipient destroys all sins. There is no harm, nor any strain on the body, O best of kings. Śrī Kṛṣṇa then spoke: “You have heard the greatness of the Vijayā observance and its great fruits, O Kṛṣṇa. Now tell me the name of that which occurs in the bright half of Phālguna.” Śrī Kṛṣṇa continued: “O Dharmaputra, greatly fortunate one, listen as I speak to you what was once asked of me by Māndhātṛ and the great sage Vasiṣṭha. O king, the special merit of the month of Phālguna has been described; the sacred vow of Āmalakī bestows the fruit of attaining Viṣṇu’s realm. Going beneath the Āmalakī tree, one should keep vigil there; by keeping vigil at night, one obtains the merit equal to giving a thousand cows. Māndhātā asked: ‘O best of twice-born, when did this Āmalakī arise? Tell me everything, for I am greatly curious. Why is this tree pure? Why does it destroy sin? Why, by keeping vigil, does one gain the fruit equal to gifting a thousand cows?’ Vasiṣṭha replied: ‘O greatly fortunate one, I will tell you how this Āmalakī, the great tree that destroys all sins, came to be on earth. Once, when only a single ocean existed, all that was stationary and moving was destroyed; the hosts of gods and demons, serpents and rākṣasas, were also gone. There, the Lord of gods, the Supreme Self, eternal, entered the highest state of Brahman, the imperishable abode of the Self. Then, as He was awake, from the mouth of Brahmā, a drop, shining like the moon, was expelled and fell to the earth. From that drop arose, of itself, the great dhātrī tree, with many branches and sub-branches, bowed down by the weight of its fruit. Brahmā proclaimed the first ascent of all trees; thereafter, all beings were created. The blessed Lord then created the gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, serpents, and also the pure great sages. The gods arrived where the dhātrī tree, dear to Hari, stood. Seeing her, those greatly fortunate ones were filled with supreme wonder. They stood there, pondering, ‘We do not know this tree.’ As they reflected, a bodiless voice spoke: ‘This is the Āmalakī tree, regarded as the foremost Vaiṣṇava tree; merely by remembering it, one attains the fruit of gifting a cow. By touching it, merit is doubled; by bearing it, merit is tripled. Therefore, the Āmalakī should always be served with every effort. It is declared to remove all sins, a Vaiṣṇavī, destroyer of evil; Viṣṇu stands at its root, and above Him is the Grandfather, Brahmā. On its trunk abides the blessed Rudra, the supreme Lord; on its branches dwell all the sages, and on the smaller branches, the deities. On its leaves sit the gods, on its flowers the Maruts; and in its fruits are established all the lords of beings. This dhātrī has been described by me as composed of all the gods; therefore, she is most worthy of worship by those devoted to Viṣṇu.’ The sages then asked, ‘Who are you? We do not know. For what reason have you come? Are you a god or someone else? Tell us truly as it is.’ The voice replied, ‘I am Viṣṇu, the eternal one, the creator of all beings and all worlds. Seeing you amazed and inquiring, I have revealed myself.’ Hearing the words of the god of gods, the sons of Brahmā began to praise the god who is without beginning or end: ‘Salutations to the soul of all beings, to the supreme soul; salutations to Acyuta, the eternal, the infinite—again and again, salutations. Salutations to Dāmodara, the wise, the lord of sacrifice—again and again, salutations.’ Thus praised by the sages, the blessed Hari was pleased and addressed those great sages: ‘What boon shall I grant you?’ The sages said, ‘If you are pleased, O Lord, for the sake of our welfare, please declare a vow that bestows the fruit of heaven and liberation, that grants wealth and grain, that is meritorious and brings satisfaction to the soul—a vow that is easy to perform, yields great results, and is the best of vows; by which, when performed, O Lord of gods, one is honored in Viṣṇu’s world.’ Viṣṇu said: ‘If, in the bright fortnight of Phālguna, the twelfth day coincides with Puṣya, that day is supremely auspicious and destroys great sins. A special observance is to be performed then; listen, O foremost twice-born! Upon reaching the Āmalakī tree, one should keep vigil there.