Once, Brahma, the Creator, took the form of a majestic swan and soared upward, seeking to discover the very top of a wondrous, immeasurable pillar of radiant fire. At the same time, Hari—Lord Vishnu—assumed the form of a mighty boar and plunged deep below, piercing the very realms of the underworld, determined to find the base of this divine column. Yet, despite their great efforts, neither could find the beginning nor the end of that pillar of fire, whose brilliance was like the sun itself. Exhausted and unsuccessful, Hari, in his boar form, was the first to return to the cosmic battlefield. As Brahma journeyed through the sky in his swan form, he beheld a remarkable sight: a ketakī flower, wondrous and fragrant, lying unfaded though it had fallen many ages before. The Blessed Supreme Lord, perceiving this, pondered what might be done by the two seekers. With a playful jest, Brahma shook his head, causing the splendid ketakī flower to fall further. He reached out and caught it, addressing it: “O Lord of Flowers, King of Blossoms, why do you fall? By whom have you been held? You have long ago fallen from the middle of this immeasurable, primal pillar. Therefore, I do not see you; abandon hope of seeing that. For the sake of serving Him, I have come in the form of a swan.” Brahma then said to the ketakī, “From now on, my friend, you must do as I desire. Let us speak together in the presence of Vishnu.” Thus resolved, Brahma planned to claim that he had seen the tip of the pillar, with the ketakī as his witness. Approaching the end of the pillar, Brahma declared before Achyuta—Vishnu—“At the tip of the pillar, I looked; there I am witness, O Achyuta.” So saying, he bowed to the ketakī flower, justifying his falsehood, recalling that even a lie may be excused in times of distress. When Achyuta saw Brahma, weary and joyless from his great endeavor, Brahma danced with delight and spoke to him what he claimed was the highest truth: “O Hari, I have seen the tip of the pillar—there itself the ketakī is my witness.” Yet the ketakī, in that very place, declared, “It is false.” Still, Brahma persisted in his statement before Vishnu. Hari, believing Brahma’s words, bowed to him and worshipped him with sixteen offerings, honoring him as one who had succeeded. But as Brahma, in his deceit, was about to strike the fiery linga—the pillar of fire—the Lord Himself manifested in visible form. At this divine appearance, Brahma’s hands trembled, and again he grasped the Lord’s feet in awe and fear. The Lord, whose form is without beginning or end, spoke with compassion: “May no further confusion, born of desire, arise for you through delusion. Be gracious, O source of compassion; forgive the stain committed in your own sport.” Then, turning to Vishnu, the Lord addressed him with affection: “O Hari, I am pleased with you, my child. Though you desired lordship, you spoke the truth. Therefore, among all people, you shall have equality with me and receive my honor. From now on, you and your distinct self shall perform the festival and worship for the establishment of this sacred site.” Thus, long ago, the pleased Lord granted supreme equality to Hari for his truthfulness, as all the gods looked on. Desiring to subdue Brahma’s pride, the great Lord then created a wondrous being called Bhairava from between his brows. Bhairava bowed to the Lord in Shiva’s assembly and asked, “What should I do here, O Lord? Command me quickly.” The Lord replied, “This Brahma, direct progenitor of the worlds, is to be worshipped. Strike him swiftly with your sharp sword.” Bhairava seized Brahma’s fifth head—proud and speaking falsehoods—cut it off, and, brandishing his sword, was ready to slay him. Stripped of his ornaments, garments, garlands, upper cloth, and matted hair, Brahma became unsteady, like a creeper in a storm, and fell at Bhairava’s lotus feet. Seeing this, the compassionate Achyuta, desiring to know the Lord’s ordinance, placed the dust from the Lord’s lotus feet upon his head. With hands joined and tears streaming, he spoke falteringly to his father, pleading, “O Lord, what was once given by you—the five-faced mark, the sign of sovereignty—because of that, forgive him; he is worthy of your grace. Show favor to him for the sake of the ordinance.” Thus entreated by Achyuta, the Lord, pleased in the assembly of gods, withdrew Bhairava from further punishing Brahma. Then the Lord spoke to the deceitful Vidhi—Brahma—now without his fifth head: “O Brahma, you who desire worship, you hypocrite, you have assumed the lordship. May you never again receive honor in the world—no festivals or seats of respect.” Brahma replied humbly, “O Lord of great glory, be gracious now; I think the release of my head is the only boon I desire. Salutations to you, Blessed One, kinsman, source of the universe, patient bearer of all faults, Śambhu, wielder of the mountain bow. Without a ruler, this world would not endure out of fear; therefore, punish the one deserving, and bear the burden of the world, O child.” The Lord then granted Brahma a boon: “Accept this rare and supreme gift: in all Vaitānika and domestic sacrifices, you shall be the preceptor. Without you, sacrifice—even with all its limbs and offerings—bears no fruit.” Turning to the deceitful ketakī, the Lord spoke: “O ketakī, you are wicked and deceitful—go far from here! May my worship never again include your flower, nor may it be supreme therein.” At his command, all the divine beings restrained the ketakī from approaching, keeping it away from the Lord’s side. The ketakī flower, lamenting, offered salutations: “O Lord, let my birth, made fruitless by your command, now be made fruitful, O Father. Forgive my sin. Sin, whether born of knowledge or ignorance, is destroyed by remembrance of you. When one beholds you thus, how could false blame arise for me?” Thus praised by the ketakī in the assembly, the Lord replied, “It is not fitting for me to bear you; I am one who speaks the truth, O Lord.” Yet, out of compassion, the Lord added, “But I shall bear you as my own; thus your birth will be fulfilled. By the pretext of the canopy, you shall be above me.” In this way, the Lord showed favor to the ketakī, and, together with Brahma—Vidhi—and Mādhava—Vishnu—shone in the midst of the assembly, praised by all the gods. Meanwhile, Vidhi and Mādhava, having bowed to the Lord, stood silently to his right and left, hands joined in reverence. There, seating the Lord and his family upon a seat of honor, they worshipped him with pure offerings, worthy of the noble. Thus unfolded this tale of truth and humility, divine justice and compassion, as witnessed by all the gods.