In that sacred place, one who bathes with devotion, following the proper rites and focusing the mind, is greatly blessed. On the western side of this holy site, O king, there stands a liṅga, a symbol of the divine. Whoever, after bathing in the holy Māmu-hrada, beholds that liṅga attains the highest good—a reward rare even among all the sacred tirthas. If one performs śrāddha there, offering gifts and taking refuge in the image, the act is most meritorious. The great sages especially praise the giving of nīvāra grains at this spot. Yearning to know more, the king asked Pulastya to recount in detail, according to tradition, the story of Mudgala’s hermitage. Pulastya replied: “Once, O king, the great-souled sage Mudgala was present there. At that time, a messenger appeared before him, saying, 'I have been sent by the king of the gods, O best of sages. Tell me what you desire; having heard your wish, I shall do whatever is proper. Go and inform everyone; I will come there afterwards. By my own merits, O best of twice-born, I have come to this place. I shall undertake great austerity and worship Maheshvara. If your resolve is firm, I will tell you briefly what you wish to know.' “In that region are the delightful Nandana and other divine groves. There, O lord, hunger, thirst, sleep, and laziness do not trouble anyone. Instead, people are delighted by many songs and dances. Thus, O ascetic rich in penance, those who dwell there enjoy heavenly bliss. “Yet, O sage,” Mudgala reflected, “one fault alone appears to me in heaven: no new merit can ever be gained there by any means. Whatever good deeds are performed on earth, their results are enjoyed in heaven. In that realm, O best of twice-born, those whose merits are few see others shining with great splendor. I myself have not performed many good deeds in the mortal world. And so, seeing thousands of others falling from heaven when their merits are exhausted, I understand the origin of virtue and fault. “Therefore, O messenger, I have no desire whatsoever for heaven. You must clearly convey these words to the king of the gods on my behalf: I will perform that act by which we will have no fear of falling; I will attain those worlds that are always free from downfall.” Pulastya continued, “Having spoken thus, O best of kings, Mudgala, unattached to the pleasures of heaven, stood firm. The messenger of Śakra, having heard Mudgala’s words in detail, returned. A celestial vehicle, crafted for the divine messenger, was made by you. Śakra then commanded, ‘Go there quickly and forcibly bring that sage.’ “Hearing Śakra’s words, the divine messenger became fearful. Returning to Mudgala, who saw him standing in the celestial vehicle, the sage was struck silent by the messenger’s words, as if he had been inscribed on stone. “The lord of the gods, noticing that the messenger had been delayed for a long time, wondered at the cause. Then, seeing the messenger stunned by Mudgala’s resolve, terrible omens appeared in that place. Witnessing these, Mudgala, filled with wonder, began to reflect. “At that moment, Mudgala beheld Hari in the sky, holding the thunderbolt raised in his hand. There, Śakra, his enthusiasm broken, offered praise to the sage, saying, ‘Whether in heaven or on earth, dwell wherever you wish, O twice-born one. Choose a boon—may all be well with you. Whatever remains always in your mind, that shall be granted.