There, upon the sacred mountain Arbuda, the Mother of the Universe herself—glorious and wish-fulfilling—took her seat. She abided there, granting desires directly to all who approached her with devotion. At that very moment, all the gods, led by mighty Indra, gathered in her presence. The goddess, pleased with their devotion, addressed them with kindness, “Go now to your own realms, all of you, free from sorrow.” Then she turned to Indra and said, “Indra, choose a boon; speak what lies in your heart.” With hands folded in reverence, Indra replied, “If you are truly pleased with me, O goddess, who is ever devoted to her worshippers, may I continue to rule the kingdom—this very realm created long ago by Hari—unwavering and stable. Here, together with all the gods assembled, we shall worship you.” Overjoyed by the goddess’s blessing, Indra returned to heaven, his heart light and triumphant, uplifted by her divine power. The goddess remained upon Arbuda, ever wishing for the welfare of the gods. It was said, O king, that whoever beholds her on the fourteenth day of the bright half of Caitra is truly blessed. On that day, vows, restraints, or even gifts become unnecessary, for the divine sandals she placed there grant all desires in this world and the next. You may ask, for what reason and with what purpose did these events unfold? Those who act in accordance with dharma attain the highest, twofold perfection. In those times, sacrifices and acts of charity were performed with great devotion, and as a result, even the hells of Yama stood empty. Once more, all the gods assembled there, for in the mortal world, they were greatly afflicted by the consequences of their actions. Yet, O goddess, simply by seeing you, even those burdened with past sins found perfection. The demon Bāṣkala, however, could not go forth; the goddess instructed, “You must do likewise. Leave your sandals here, placing them upon the stone that has arisen.” When she placed her sandals there for the protection against Bāṣkala, the gods rejoiced. The demon, oppressed by the weight of her sandals, could not move. “This entire teaching,” declared the goddess, “has been given for the sake of these sandals. Whoever, with devotion, follows the path of my sandals as revealed in this scripture—on the fourteenth day of the bright half of Caitra—I am always present here on Arbuda. This mountain is dear to me; my heart could not abandon it.” Praised by the gods, the goddess ascended to heaven, leaving behind her auspicious sandals. Even today, yogis intent on meditation attain perfection on that very spot. All this, O king, has been told to you just as you asked. And whoever recites or praises this account with devotion is truly blessed. Now, hear further of that which became renowned among the servants. Long ago, O king, there lived a washerman named Śamilākṣa. One day, he became deeply afraid after realizing a disgrace concerning the clothes entrusted to him. His daughter, auspicious and a friend to the servant-girls, was informed of his fear. The servant-girl, sharing in her friend’s sorrow, was herself distressed. Yet she assured her, “By this very act, you and your father shall be freed from fear. Here, O beautiful one with lovely brows, there is a waterfall in Arbuda…” Thus unfolds the sacred tale, each event interwoven with the blessings and presence of the goddess upon the holy mountain.