In that sacred land where the Mandākinī merges with the Sarasvatī, there unfolded a remarkable tale, O King, an ancient story as it truly happened. Ajapāla, a noble scion of the Solar dynasty, was born—a king unlike any other. He ruled without elephants, without infantry, and without cavalry; not once did he levy taxes upon his subjects. If ever an offense arose among his people, it was rare and swiftly resolved. During his reign, the earth flourished: the clouds released rain just as it was needed, and the crops overflowed with flavor and abundance. In the course of time, the venerable sage Vasiṣṭha came to Ajapāla’s court. The king received him with the utmost honor, following every prescription of scripture, and offered him supreme devotion. Pleased, Vasiṣṭha recounted to Ajapāla the stories of royal sages as well as divine seers. When the tales concluded, Ajapāla, the best of kings, addressed the sage with humility. “O Brahman, you know all things through the power of your austerities. A question has arisen in my heart, O foremost of sages, and I am eager to hear your answer. Please tell me, even if it is difficult to obtain. My kingdom is always safe, free from thorns, and endowed with every desired object. My people are never miserable, sorrowful, or plagued by disease. My wife is virtuous and dearer to me than life itself. O Brahmin, tell me in detail all that she has pondered. Is it by the power of charity, or through the observance of vows and sacrifices, O sage? The merit accumulated in a previous birth stirs great curiosity within me.” Vasiṣṭha replied, “Hear everything, O king, as I explain it in detail. In another body, O king, you were born in the Śūdra caste. After some time, a famine struck the land, and you journeyed with your wife to another country. There, you discovered a beautiful and delightful forest of lotuses. You thought to yourself, ‘I will gather these lotuses.’ And so, together with your wife, you collected many lotuses. But the people, suffering from famine, would not accept them. As the day ended, you both sought shelter in a solitary cave. At that very moment, a sound reached your ears. Realizing it was a vigil, you immediately rose. There, a courtesan named Nāgavatī was devotedly observing the night of Śiva. You questioned a maidservant standing at her side, and she replied, ‘On the night of Śivarātri, this beautiful courtesan—whoever, with faith and devotion, keeps vigil through the night, and, having fasted, worships Tryambaka with lotuses—such a one attains desires even difficult for the gods to obtain. Having received their price, perform the act that sustains life.’ As the gold was being taken in exchange for the lotuses, your wife addressed you. The fasting you both underwent was not by choice, but by necessity, for there was no food. ‘Today you must do this,’ she said. ‘Let this gold be given up by her.