Listen, O King, to the sacred account of Manikarnika, a place renowned throughout all the worlds. It is said that any man who worships the linga there with true faith, by the grace of the divine, need have little fear of death. Such is the power of this holy site: even when the gods themselves slew the Danavas again and again in battle, a sage, through the strength of his knowledge, revived them. There, a person who bathes properly is freed from all sins. If the ancestors are satisfied even with offerings of water, how much more pleased must they be by the gift of rice-balls made at this holy place? Manikarnika is celebrated everywhere, for it is where the great sages known as the Valakhilyas attained perfection. As these sages of pure and tranquil minds sat in meditation, a Kirata woman named Manikarnika, tormented by thirst, arrived there at midday. At that very moment, a being of divine form appeared before her. Soon after, her husband, searching anxiously for his wife, arrived at the same spot. He called out, “If my slender-waisted wife has come here and been seen—” But he, too, was overcome by thirst and hunger, and wept repeatedly in distress. Yet, by the grace of that place, a divine transformation occurred—one that is exceedingly rare even for the gods themselves. The sages advised him, “You too, quickly bathe here in this sacred water.” He and his son entered the waterfall together. Tragically, there in that pool, the man suffered and met his death. Stricken with grief, Manikarnika built a funeral pyre beside her husband and kindled the fire. The sages, moved by supreme compassion and astonishment, spoke to her: “O beautiful one, why do you follow this man of great sin?” But she replied, “What use is beauty to me without my own husband? Whether he is ugly or handsome, poor or wealthy, he is my chosen companion.” She entrusted her son to the protection of the sages. Again overcome with compassion, the sages looked upon one another and, through their spiritual power, revived her husband. At that very moment, a celestial chariot—just as they had wished—appeared before them. That couple, restored to life and happiness, stood before the sages of pure souls. Then the sages addressed Manikarnika. Pleased by her unwavering fidelity and especially by her truthfulness, they declared, “Whatever great linga is here shall bear your name. This is our desire; we seek nothing else.” Thus, the sacred place came to be known as Manikarnika, bearing her name for all time. The Valakhilyas, steadfast in their austerities, are especially established there. At Manikarnika, when a solar eclipse occurs, countless rites—bathing, giving, and more—are performed. Whoever bathes there, focusing on any particular desire, attains it. Therefore, all should strive with great effort to bathe at this holy site. It is also told that in earlier times, austerity was practiced here by a lame one and a brāhmaṇa. Among them was a brāhmaṇa named Pangu, descended from the lineage of Cyavana, who lived there in ages past. Such is the glory and sanctity of Manikarnika, where the faithful are blessed, sins are washed away, and the grace of the divine is manifest for all who seek it with devotion.