Honored with supreme devotion by the king, the sage graciously recounted the stories of royal sages and divine seers, filling the assembly with wonder and reverence. When these sacred tales came to an end, the king, eager and respectful, addressed the sage: "O Brahman, you know all things through the power of your austerities. A deep curiosity has arisen in my heart, O foremost of sages. I wish to ask you something, though it may be difficult to obtain." He continued, "There is a realm, ever free from thorns, secure, and endowed with every desired object. In that realm, no one is miserable, afflicted by sorrow, or suffering from disease. My wife, virtuous and dearer to me than life itself, has pondered much upon these matters. O Brahmin, tell me in detail all that she has contemplated. Is it by the power of charity, or through the observance of vows and sacrifices, that such happiness is attained? The merit accumulated in a previous birth fills me with great curiosity." The sage Vasiṣṭha replied, "Hear everything, O king, as I explain it in detail. In another body, O king, you were born in the Śūdra caste. In the course of time, a famine arose, and together with your devoted wife, you journeyed to another land. There, you came upon a beautiful and delightful lotus forest. In your mind, you thought, 'I will gather these lotuses.' So, together with your wife, you collected many lotuses, hoping to exchange them for sustenance. Yet, among the people suffering from famine, no one would accept them. As the day drew to a close, you sought refuge in a solitary cave. At that very moment, a sound reached your ears. Hearing it, you immediately rose, realizing that it was a vigil being observed. There, a courtesan named Nāgavatī was devoutly observing Śiva's night. You approached a maidservant standing at her side and asked her about the event. She replied, 'On this night of Śivarātri, this beautiful courtesan—whoever, endowed with faith and devotion, keeps vigil through the night, and, having fasted, worships Tryambaka (Śiva) with lotuses—attains their desires, even those most difficult for the gods to obtain. Having received their price, they perform the act that sustains life.' As gold was being exchanged, your wife spoke to you. The fast you both observed that night was not by choice but by circumstance, for there was no food. She said, 'Today you must do this: let this gold be given up by her. With faith, together with your wife, keep vigil before Śiva.' There, you listened to the Purāṇa, O best of kings, and with devotion, you kept vigil at night before Kedāra as well. After some time, you reached the end of your life. Thereafter, O great king, you were born as the daughter of the lord of Daśārṇa and became known on earth by the name Ajapāla. For this reason, this wife—so dear to you as life itself—was born. By the greatness of that god, of Kedāra, O king, and by his grace, you have obtained these blessings. Thus, the king resolved in his heart to journey to Kedāra, moved by the memory of that divine favor.