A remarkable episode unfolded among the gods and mortals. In the midst of a gathering, a curse was pronounced: “Your tongue will become inverted,” it was said to one who had incurred displeasure. In that moment, the venerable Fire—Agni himself—vanished from the sight of the gods and concealed himself, so that none could perceive his presence. Agni, the divine Fire, took refuge in the waterfall and upon the mountain, choosing to abide there, hidden from all. Meanwhile, he recounted his ordeal: “With great difficulty I escaped the jaws of death, O gods,” he declared, his voice carrying the weight of his recent trials. Having uttered a curse upon the frog, the king declared, “You shall be tongueless,” sealing the creature’s fate. At this, the hosts of gods emerged from the waters, deeply troubled. “If you are absent,” they pleaded with Agni, “the entire world will swiftly fall into destruction. You are the face of all the gods; the worlds are established in you. Without you, we would surely perish; therefore, you ought to protect us. You are Brahma, you are Mahadeva, you are Vishnu, you are the Sun. All the gods, beginning with Indra, depend upon you, O Lord of Sacrifice. Why, O Blessed One, do you wish to abandon us, who are innocent?” Standing on the bank of that very stream, Agni spoke: “Because of this, the Lord of the gods does not bring rain upon mortals. Therefore, abandoning the earth, I have entered this stream here.” He explained the dire consequence of his absence: rain no longer fell upon the earth. There was, at that time, a righteous and renowned Kshatriya named Devapi. His son, Pratipa, was virtuous and foremost among the noble, and he in turn had a son, Shantanu, who succeeded him. Yet, because of these events, rain was withheld from Shantanu’s kingdom. Recognizing the calamity, he quickly gave the order for rain to fall upon the earth. Thus, as instructed by Shakra—Indra himself—the clouds, filled with lightning, radiant and exceedingly fierce, covered the sky. At last, the Lord of Offerings, Agni, was supremely satisfied. The gods, grateful, said to Agni, “Whatever is dear to you, quickly declare it to us. Let your fame spread upon the earth, by your favor.” Agni, moved by their devotion, granted this boon: “Whoever bathes here properly will go to the world of Agni. Any man who gives sesame here at this holy place, with full concentration, shall be blessed.” With that, the blessed Fire-god resumed his activity as before. It was proclaimed further: “Whoever recites this daily, rising in the morning, attains the highest. Even by hearing it, one is freed from sins committed day and night. Where a man bathes properly, he is released from the sin of killing a Brahmin.” In the course of time, there lived a king named Indrasena, a ruler of the earth, whose wife Sunanda was devoted and steadfast in her affection for him. After some time, fate befell the king and his family—they were slain, and their wealth was seized by the victor, who then returned to his home. A messenger was sent: “Go and tell Sunanda that Indrasena has been killed in battle. If she, radiant and steadfast, resolves firmly to go to death…” Thus instructed, the messenger departed at once. Hearing these words, Sunanda, adorned with virtue and a beautiful smile, prepared herself. At the moment of her death, a second shadow was seen above her body—devoid of radiance, foul-smelling, and discolored. Grief and sorrow overwhelmed those who witnessed it, and they lamented pitifully. On the advice of the Brahmins, another journey was undertaken. They went to Varanasi and gave much charity there. At the holy Kapalamocana tirtha, renowned for destroying all sins, they sought solace and redemption for the departed souls.