Let the tale be told, as the sages have recounted, of the remarkable events surrounding the theft of lotus roots, the power of virtue, and the wondrous fruits of devotion. It was declared that one who has stolen lotus roots should be considered devoid of all righteous acts. Yet Śunaḥsakha, wise among the twice-born, counseled otherwise: let such a person study the Vedas lawfully, become a householder who welcomes guests with affection, always speak the truth, offer oblations to the fire as prescribed, and continually perform sacrifices. Even for one guilty of stealing lotus stalks, there remained a path of righteousness—so much so that he should go to the very abode of Brahma. The assembled sages agreed, acknowledging the propriety of this oath. Addressing Śunaḥsakha, the sages said, “O friend of Śunah, you have committed the theft of lotus stalks for all of us.” Śunaḥsakha replied with honesty, “Indeed, I concealed these lotus stalks for you, O twice-born.” Revealing his true nature, he said, “Desiring to hear about dharma, know me also as Vāsava. O best of sages, you have conquered the worlds by your non-greed and imperishable vision.” With this, Vāsava—Indra himself—invited them: “Ascend the celestial vehicle; let us go to the abode of the gods.” The great sages, understanding the truth of what had transpired, approached Purandara, the lord skilled in speech. They addressed him: “Whoever comes here and enters the middle Puṣkara as a man, and fasts for three nights, attains the desired result. The twelve-year vow is renowned among forest dwellers. Here, the complete fruit of that vow is attained, without doubt; such a one does not fall into misfortune, but rejoices with his companions. Having reached the place of Virinci, he remains there for a day of Brahma.” Thus, together with Indra, the sages joyfully ascended to heaven. Although they had been tempted by many forms of greed, they did not succumb, and so they attained the celestial realms. Whoever hears this auspicious account of the sages daily is freed from all sins and honored in heaven. Hearing this, Bhīṣma was filled with wonder and delight. He said, “This story is wondrous and delightful, a destroyer of sin. Tell it to me in detail, as it truly happened, for I wish to know. The greatness of the middle region has been praised by the sages, the fruit of food and the greatness of restraint have been spoken of. And where Viṣṇu placed his foot, O great sage, and the origin of the youngest—tell me all as it truly happened.” Pulastya then spoke: “In the ancient Rathaṃtara cycle, there was a king named Puṣpavāhana, renowned throughout the worlds, radiant like the sun. By his austerity, he pleased the four-faced Brahma and received a golden lotus, able to travel wherever he wished. He wandered as he pleased through the seven islands and the world, and at the beginning of the cycle, the island was shared with the inhabitants of Puṣkara. Because it was honored by the people, it is called Puṣkara Island. That wondrous vehicle, a lotus, was given to him by Brahma, and so the gods and demons called him Puṣpavāhana. In the three worlds, no king equaled him who dwelt upon Brahma’s lotus. By the power of his austerity, his queen Lāvaṇyavatī became honored by thousands, cherished by Bhava as Pārvatī herself. He had ten thousand sons, all righteous and foremost among archers. Again and again, seeing his sons, the king was filled with wonder. He approached the revered sage Pracetas, who had arrived and was worthy of worship, and asked, ‘Why has this unshakable prosperity arisen, honored by gods and mortals alike? How has a queen, equal to Kamalajā, come to be? With my modest austerity, I pleased my wife, and the lotus-house was given to me by the creator. Even if a hundred million kings entered it, with their ministers, elephants, chariots, and crowds, its location could not be found—not even by those who travel the sky, nor by the stars or the moon, whose rays do not reach it. So, what has been accomplished by birth from another womb, by dharma and other deeds, that surpasses all people? O Pracetas, tell me all of this, whether by me, my sons, or my virtuous wife.’ Seeing the change of fortune, Pracetas replied, ‘O king, listen to the wondrous cause and story. Your birth occurred in a hunter’s family, and you were fierce, committing sinful acts day after day. Your body was again that of a man, with foul-smelling nature, nails, and ornaments all around. You had no friends, no sons or relatives, no sisters, nor a mother—all were cursed. Yet this earth, beautiful among hundreds of women, became highly esteemed and most desired, facing you. There was a terrible drought, and in time, due to lack of food, you, afflicted by hunger, could not find any wild fruits or edible things. Then you saw a great lake filled with lotuses, though obstructed by mud. Taking many lotuses from there, you went to the city called Vaidiśa. You wandered through the entire city to sell them, but found no buyer; exhausted and greatly afflicted by hunger, you were left with nothing. You sat with your wife in the courtyard of a house. That night, you heard auspicious sounds. Together with your wife, you went to the place where those sounds came from, and in the center of the gathering, you saw the image of Viṣṇu. A courtesan named Aṃgavatī was observing the vow of the twelfth day, and having completed it on the twelfth day of the month of Māgha, she went to Lavaṇācala. She offered her teacher a bed adorned with furnishings and decorated Hṛṣīkeśa with gold, doing so with great reverence. Those two, seeing her, thought, ‘What use are these lotuses? It is better that Viṣṇu be adorned.’ Thus, devotion arose in the couple, and they worshipped Keśava at Lavaṇācala. The bed was worshipped everywhere with heaps of flowers, and Aṃgavatī, pleased with them, gave three hundred measures of grain. She ordered that three vessels of well-cleaned metal be given to them, but the couple did not accept, relying instead on their virtue. Again, Aṃgavatī brought four kinds of food for them and said, ‘Let the food be eaten, O King.’ Thus, by the power of their devotion and restraint, the story of Puṣpavāhana and the fruits of worship at Puṣkara unfolded—a tale of transformation, virtue, and the blessings earned by even the humblest acts of faith.