After the liberation of Damana and the celebration of the supreme greatness of the sacred river Śiprā, the tale turns to another wondrous event. Just as Amṛtabhavā is famed in the depths of Pātāla and cherished by the serpent beings, so too does the following story unfold in that mysterious realm. Once, Lord Rudra himself, overcome by hunger, descended into the world of the serpents seeking alms. With a heart full of longing and a voice trembling with need, he went from house to house, calling out, “Give alms!” Yet, despite his pleas, none responded with generosity. As Rudra wandered, his eyes grew red with anger, and he clutched his trident tightly, tormented by hunger. In that city, Bhogavati, there stood twenty-one vessels filled with nectar, the very essence of immortality, guarded and prized by the serpents. When Rudra, the revered Shambhu and origin of all souls, arrived there, he emptied every vessel of nectar. Having done so, he rose from that place. Soon after, confusion and alarm spread among the serpents. “Whose deed is this?” they cried. “What has happened to our nectar? Who, angered against us, has taken away our excellent nectar?” Doubts and suspicions arose among them about a great transgression. All the serpents, together with their wives and children, lamented their loss and sought understanding. In their distress, a bodiless voice resounded in the air, offering compassion and clarity: “Shambhu came seeking alms, hungry, from house to house. But no one gave alms to Pinaki in Bhogavati. Therefore, all the nectar was lost from your vessels, O best of serpents.” Yet hope was not lost. The voice continued, “There is a foremost river, renowned as Śiprā. By merely seeing her, all sins are destroyed. Go there, worship the Lord of gods, and perform the prescribed rituals. Then, immediately, nectar will be restored in your world as before.” At that moment, the sage Vyāsa, whose words were divine and witnessed by all, spoke and guided the serpents. Together with their women, children, and elders, they journeyed to the great forest of Kālavan. The forest was a place of beauty, its ground strewn with fragrant flowers and shaded by generous trees. Steps made of jewels led down to the water, and the banks were adorned with fragments of lotus blossoms. There, the great and fortunate sages of the Bhṛgu and Aṅgiras lineages, the Vasus, Ādityas, Ashvins, and Maruts—all illustrious beings—gathered to worship Śiprā at twilight, absorbed in deep meditation. Blessed and devoted wives remained with their husbands, and royal sages, having attained the path of liberation, were seated there. People from many regions, travelers and pilgrims, had come together at this sacred spot to perform righteous acts and offer great gifts in every possible way. The Nāgas, delighted beyond measure, approached the river, which now seemed to flow with nectar itself. All the foremost serpents, filled with devotion and following the Vedic rites, offered garlands of unfading lotuses, fresh flowers, and grains. They brought offerings of lamps, food, betel, and gifts, and, longing for the return of nectar, began to recite hymns of praise. With folded hands, they called out, “Salutations to you, O moon-crested one, O matted-haired, supreme Self. Salutations to you, O Three-eyed, O wearer of the crown of matted locks. Salutations to you, O wearer of skins, O Lord of the mountains, again and again. Salutations to you, O hunter, O devourer, again and again.” Thus, with devotion and humility, the serpents and all assembled beings worshipped Lord Śiva at the banks of the holy Śiprā, seeking forgiveness and the return of nectar to their world.