Once, a profound doubt troubled the hearts of the serpents. They wondered among themselves about a grave transgression that had occurred in their midst. Who, they questioned, had grown angry with them and taken away their precious nectar? Puzzled and anxious, all the serpents, together with their wives and children, voiced their concerns aloud. In response to their distress, a bodiless voice, moved by compassion, resounded from the heavens. The voice revealed a tale of the past: Lord Shambhu, the great god, once came to the city of Bhogavati, wandering from house to house, seeking alms, hungry and in need. Yet, in that city, no one offered even the smallest gift to Pinaki, the Lord with the bow. Because of this neglect, the nectar that blessed the serpents was lost from the ends of their vessels, O best of serpents. The voice continued, directing them to a sacred place: there is a foremost river, renowned as Shipra. Merely beholding her is enough to destroy all sins. There, the serpents were instructed to worship the Lord of gods and perform the prescribed rituals. By doing so, nectar would once again exist in the world for them, just as before. At that moment, the sage Vyasa, his words filled with divine authority and witnessed by all, spoke. Following his guidance, the serpents, along with their women, children, and elders, journeyed to the great forest of Kālavan. The forest was a place of beauty, its ground strewn with flowers, shaded by the spreading branches of trees. Steps fashioned from jewels adorned the riverbank, and fragments of lotus blossoms added to the splendor. There, illustrious sages from the lineages of Bhṛgu and Aṅgiras gathered. The Vasus, the Ādityas, the Ashvins, and the Maruts also assembled, all worshipping the sacred Shipra at twilight, absorbed in deep meditation. The blessed wives remained with their husbands, and royal sages, having attained the path of liberation, were seated in peace. People from distant lands and travelers from many regions had come together at this holy place. All engaged in acts of righteousness and performed great gifts in every way. The Nāgas, filled with joy, approached the river Shipra, which appeared as if made entirely of nectar. With sincere devotion, the foremost among the serpents worshipped according to the Vedic rites. They offered garlands of unfading lotuses, as well as various flowers and grains. Lamps, food, betel, and gifts were presented as offerings, and the serpents, yearning for the return of nectar, began to recite hymns of praise. They offered salutations to the moon-crested Lord, the one with matted hair, the supreme Self. Again and again, they bowed to the Three-eyed One, the wearer of the crown of matted locks, to the Lord clad in skins, the Lord of the mountains, the hunter, the devourer, the witness of all, and the creator of the hearts of all beings. They praised him as the source of divine laughter and the one from whom nectar flows, the fulfiller of desires, the bestower of all boons, the gracious and restrained One, the very embodiment of peace. Pleased by their devotion, the blessed Lord, bearer of the bull-banner, responded with kindness. He spoke, recalling the past: Long ago, he had come often to the world of the serpents, seeking alms. Greatly hungry, he wandered from house to house in Bhogavati, yet found no one willing to offer him anything. Still, he persisted, returning again and again in hope. By some great merit, he was finally seen by all—young and old, with women—at the sacred river Shipra, in the most excellent Mahakala forest. Thus, the Lord’s grace began to shine upon the serpents once more, as they gathered in devotion at the holy river, seeking the return of their lost nectar.