Afflicted by hunger, a Brāhmaṇa arrived and called out loudly, “O Brāhmaṇa, quickly bring pure, hot rice-milk for one tormented by hunger!” At once, Viśvāmitra, attentive and prompt, heard these words and prepared to serve. As Viśvāmitra took up what had been brought, the sage Durvāsas, seeing him rise, fixed his gaze upon him. Then Durvāsas spoke, “O best of Brāhmaṇas, endure just a moment until I return from bathing.” With these words, Durvāsas departed for his own hermitage. Viśvāmitra, steadfast in his austerity, waited patiently, unmoved like a mountain with its slope. Kautsa, ever devoted to his vows, remained intent on serving the sage. After some time, Durvāsas returned, now purified from his bath. When the eminent sage Durvāsas had gone, Viśvāmitra, a treasure of austerity, felt released from his obligation and addressed his teacher, “Let the honorarium be requested. Your service itself is the honorarium; return home, O observer of vows.” But the disciple Kautsa, with earnest devotion, repeatedly pressed his teacher for a specific honorarium. At last, the teacher instructed, “Gather fourteen measures of gold.” Thus directed, Kautsa reflected and approached his teacher, saying, “O best of sages, as you have spoken and in response to your repeated request, I will obey.” The teacher then described a holy place in the southern direction, a sacred junction frequented by accomplished beings. “There, after bathing, people are freed from impurity. A righteous person, bathing there with discipline, attains purity. Whoever gives gold and similar gifts to a Brahmin learned in the Vedas at the renowned confluence of the Tilodaki and Sarasvati rivers, and whoever, having fasted, satisfies the Brahmins, or who observes discipline by eating only once a day for a month—especially on the dark new moon of the month of Nabhasya, when the annual pilgrimage occurs—such a person gains great merit. “For the horses born in Sindhu, the Tilodaki is famed as a sacred river of pure waters. Bathing there frees one from sins, even those accumulated over seven births. Therefore, O sage, bathing in Tilodaki removes all sins; bathing, giving, discipline, and sacrifice performed there become imperishable. Thus, by these prescribed methods, the pilgrimage to holy places expands virtue and bestows merit.” He continued, “Sita’s pool is famed for granting all desired fruits. There, O Brahmin, one who bathes is freed from all sins; by Rama’s granting of boons, it has become a repository of great rewards. O fortunate one, let me tell you the story of this pool for your delight. Bathing, giving, recitation, oblation, or austerity performed there are all meritorious, especially bathing on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight. Thus, Rama, beloved by the people, granted the boon to Sita, and among people it is renowned as Sita’s pool, most wondrous. There, by bathing, giving, and especially by austerity—honoring Rama and Sita—one is liberated, without doubt. At the proper time and in the proper month, bathing there brings blessings; and for women, pregnancy does not arise. “O Brahmin, on the beautiful western shore, the greatness of Lord Vishnu-Hari’s discus cannot be measured by mortals. In the western direction lies a sacred place named Hari’s Remembrance; merely seeing it frees one from all sins. By seeing these holy places, the sins of embodied beings depart. “Long ago, when a fierce battle arose between the gods and demons, the gods fled, and their leader was Hari himself.” Thus, the tale weaves together the sanctity of pilgrimage, the significance of holy rivers and pools, and the blessings conferred by the great sages and divine beings, all guiding the devoted toward liberation and merit.