She too attains the blessed fruit, cherished by the goddess's grace; and whoever listens to this sacred account or contemplates it with devotion will also be rewarded. Such a one, it is said, becomes a Vidyadhara and dwells for a long time in the heavens. This truth was established long ago by Madana, fulfilled by Shatadhanu, and accomplished by other men as well. Even Pavana and Nandina performed these acts, so, O lord of men, it is not surprising—there is nothing here that should cause wonder. At this point, Bhishma spoke, his heart full of reverence and curiosity: “When Vishnu reached the sacrificial ground, he placed his steps here. For what purpose did he arrange his steps in this way? Truly, it was the Lord of gods who did this—please tell me, O wise one, which demon did Vishnu subdue here? And after arranging his steps, tell me, great sage, how Vishnu came to reside in heaven, in Vaikuntha, his divine abode. How did he set foot in the world of men? Among the gods, with Indra at their head—those who worship the Lord with great austerity—it is said that the abode of Śrī Varāha is in Maharloka. Likewise, the abode of the great-souled Nṛsiṃha is in Janaloka, and Trivikrama’s abode is renowned in Tapoloka. So, abandoning these higher worlds, how did he place his two feet upon the earth, in this ancestral field at Puṣkara, on the mountain of sacrifice? O Brahman, please tell me in detail how he made his steps here; for by hearing this account, all sins are surely destroyed.” Pulastya, the great sage, replied: “You have asked well, O best of men. Now listen attentively as I recount how, in ancient times, Vishnu set his steps. In the Kṛta Yuga, long ago, for the sake of fulfilling the gods’ purpose, Vishnu approached Yajña Mountain, on the slopes of the stony mountain. At that time, O scorcher of foes, Vishnu acted for the welfare of the earth, for the powerful Dānavas had seized all of heaven. Having conquered the gods along with Indra, the Dānavas brought the three worlds under their control and became the enjoyers of all sacrifices. All this was accomplished by the mighty Dānava Bāṣkali. Thus, at that time, in the three worlds with all their moving and unmoving beings, Indra fell into utter distress and despair, losing all hope for life. He lamented: ‘This Bāṣkali, lord of the Dānavas, is invincible to me in battle. Because of the boon granted by Brahmā to all the dwellers of heaven, I am now beset by all the gods in Brahmā’s world. I have no other recourse but to seek refuge in the Lord.’ Thus reflecting, the lord of the gods, surrounded by all the immortals, quickly went, O Bhīṣma, to where the Grandfather Brahmā resided. Reaching Brahmā’s abode, with the immortals in his company, Indra spoke of the world’s predicament—the supreme calamity that had arisen: ‘Do you not know, O god, the cause of our fear? All has been taken by the Daityas, O Lord, due to the boon you granted. I have told you everything, including the wickedness of Bāṣkali. Act without delay, O Father, Grandfather of us all; consider, O Lord of gods, what must be done for the peace of the world. While we watch, the rites—Vedic, Smārta, and others—are not performed. Because of this, our loss grows day by day. Just as an ordinary person speaks from self-interest, so too have we informed you, always without ulterior motives. If someone receives a favor and does not return it a thousandfold, his understanding is in vain. For one who is scorched by another’s favor and acts shamelessly and untruthfully, even dwelling in hells is his lot. Goodness is not achieved by mere reciprocation; those who think only of their own gain do not act thus. If someone has not found his place in this world of suffering, even if his heart is torn a hundredfold, it does not find satisfaction. Wherever I am to go, lift us out from being submerged by telling us the means by which his energy may be set in motion. As I have described and seen, the world is as it is: devoid of study and sacrificial utterance, with festivals and auspicious rites ceased. Abandoning the pursuit of learning, giving up all dealings, forsaken by the rule of law, left with only the breath of life. The world has come to grief, and now to an even worse state. At this time, we are exhausted.’ Brahma replied: ‘I know that Bāṣkali, proud because of the boon he received. I consider him invincible to you; only Vishnu can attain him.’ Then Brahma, restraining himself, entered into deep meditation, and from his contemplation alone, the four-armed Lord appeared. In but a short time, as Brahma meditated, Vishnu arrived in a moment, as all watched in awe. Vishnu spoke: ‘O Brahma, cease your meditation, for I have been drawn here by it. For the purpose for which you meditate, I have come to you.’ Brahma replied: ‘This is a great favor, O Lord, your appearance here. For whom else would such concern for the world arise? My own creation was made for the sake of the world, but truly, this world is yours—so there is no wonder. By you, the world must be protected; only Rudra is to dissolve it.