Listen, O Vyasa, to the wondrous fate of one who has earned the grace of Rudra. After enjoying pleasures for thousands of ages, such a soul is honored in Rudra’s world, dwelling there in constant joy and delight, savoring the flawless realm. In time, he is reborn as a man whose very form is desired by women, endowed with great wealth and prosperity. He then takes up the way of the forest-dweller, abstaining from consuming the forest’s herbs. His food is simple—he eats small morsels, crushes stones, or grinds grain in a toothless mortar. His appearance is marked by matted hair, which he bathes three times daily and sometimes lets loose, and he carries a sturdy staff. His bed is the bare earth, even if it is infested with insects, thorns, and stones. He subsists on forest herbs and, through his conduct, grants fearlessness to all creatures around him. Ever devoted to Rudra, he dwells in sacred fields and becomes a sage in the vast, timeless forest. O Vyasa, hear now the destiny of those who reside in such holy places. Devoted to Rudra, they travel in celestial chariots that move wherever their will desires, surrounded by groups of apsaras, accompanied by the sweet sounds of singing and musical instruments. Even if such a soul should fall from Rudra’s world, he is still honored in Vishnu’s realm. Should he descend further, he is born among the islands where he enjoys prosperity. Whether among mortals or immortals, he is born handsome, fortunate, charming, and renowned, ever blessed with the grace of Rudra. Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, or Shudras—those who dwell in these sacred fields—are all devoted to Rudra in every way, acting always for the welfare of all beings. When their time comes, they ascend to Rudra’s abode in splendid chariots. Or, if one offers his body into the fire of knowledge, for him Rudra’s world is imperishable and eternal, together with the secret, divine beings. Those who surrender their lives at Mahākāla by fasting unto death—whether followers of Sāṃkhya, free from all suffering, or Śūdras who die by fasting in the Mahākāla forest—they ascend in chariots yoked with lions, shining like the sun itself. These chariots are adorned with many colors, rich in gold, fragrant with delightful scents, and possess incomparable and charming qualities. They are accompanied by the songs and music of apsarases, decorated with banners and flags, and resound with the ringing of many bells. In Rudra’s world, all steadfast men who died by fasting are reborn among mortals as wealthy, noble, and prosperous men in the families of Brāhmaṇas. But even the man who prepares cow dung in the Mahākāla forest is granted a special fate: he dwells in Rudra’s world until the end of the kalpa. Having enjoyed great pleasures there, he is then born here as a king. Those who are devoted to their own duty, who have conquered anger and mastered their senses, surely go to Rudra’s world—of this there is no doubt. Even those who do not reside in the sacred field, or who do not observe strict discipline—the mute, the dull, the blind, the deaf, those lacking in austerity or discipline—when they die by the force of time, O Vyasa, they too go to Rudra’s world. There, they possess bodies of divine form, endowed with every enjoyment. Once, long ago, there arose a quarrel between Shiva and Gauri, when the goddess was reviled as Kālī and Pārvatī. In the beginning, to resolve their dispute, a pit was created and named the Destroyer of Quarrels. At that sacred site, whoever bathes and worships the great Lord, or offers even a fragment of sandalwood as a gift—such is the power and sanctity of that place. Thus, O Vyasa, is the glory of Rudra’s world and the destiny of those who seek him with devotion, discipline, or even the simplest act of faith.