When a person performs the prescribed acts of expiation, their sins are destroyed. Whether the wrongdoing was committed knowingly or unknowingly, or even if punishment was already administered by the king or others, one must still undertake expiation with sincere effort. Here, in this holy place, Lord Viṣṇu himself is present, manifesting directly to those devoted to him. On the eleventh day of the bright fortnight of the month of Āṣāḍha, O best of the twice-born, those who bathe at the gateway of heaven and behold Dharma Hari—the mighty Lord Viṣṇu—are truly blessed. For this reason, in the southern direction, there lies the most excellent mine of gold. At this point, Vyāsa, filled with curiosity, addressed the sage: “O blessed one, knower of truth, please tell me—how did the wondrous shower of gold come to be? Recount every detail to me, O virtuous one, for hearing of this brings great wonder to all who listen.” The sage began his narration: Long ago, there was a king of the Raghu dynasty, a mighty enhancer of the Ikṣvāku lineage. His fame spread instantly by his victories over hostile forces, who were scorched by his valor. The brilliance of his spotless glory illuminated all ten directions. Accompanied by a fourfold army, he subdued many lands and overcame the foremost of powerful kings, surpassing them in strength. Having conquered all directions and amassed a treasury filled with jewels, Kākutstha—another name for Raghu—arrived at that sacred place, his mind eager to perform a great sacrifice. There, he honored the venerable sage Vasiṣṭha, as well as Vāmadeva and Kaśyapa, and he beheld other eminent sages assembled from various holy places. Seeing all these sages gathered together, shining like blazing fires, the illustrious Raghu approached them with proper reverence. He respectfully greeted all the excellent twice-born sages and addressed them: “O revered sages, please listen to my words. My sacrifice is now ready. Perform it with dedication and do not delay.” Agastya continued, describing how the sacrifice was prepared with many delightful ingredients, and all the appropriate fees were duly given. By bestowing various gifts, Raghu brought joy and satisfaction to the assembled sages. When all the deities had been duly worshipped and had departed to their own abodes, the king—lord of men—was left, his sacrifice completed according to the proper rites. At that moment, the foremost of ascetics, Yama, arrived, wise and intent on purifying the king. He had come to receive the preceptor’s fee. Pressed insistently by the preceptor, who said, “Give me my fee,” Raghu, the jewel among kings, gave away all his possessions as the sacrificial gift. When Yama arrived, Raghu welcomed him with respect and performed all the prescribed rites for him, even using vessels made of clay, for he had already given away all his wealth. Observing these arrangements, the great sage, skilled in the knowledge of words, spoke sweetly to Raghu. The king had given away everything solely for the sake of the preceptor’s fee. After a moment of meditation, Raghu addressed the sage with humility, his hands joined in reverence: “O revered one, as long as I am able, I will strive with all my might for your sake.” With this resolve, Raghu set out, intent on conquering Kubera, the lord of wealth. As he approached, Kubera, having been forewarned, understood Raghu’s purpose. There, a miraculous shower of gold occurred, and it became the finest of all gold mines. Raghu offered this excellent mine as the preceptor’s fee. He also reported everything else, even those things superior in quality, to the king. Thus, the wondrous tale of the shower of gold and Raghu’s devotion and generosity was told, inspiring awe and reverence in all who heard it.