O Vyasa, the holy river Shipra is of such sublime merit that its greatness cannot be fully described by words alone. Even the foremost among the serpents once performed sacred ablutions in Shipra, honoring its purity and power. It is said: take the sanctified waters of Shipra and pour them into your pools, and those pools will become full, enduring, and blessed, O best of serpents. Having paid homage to Maheshvara with deep reverence, the serpents returned to their own realms, their hearts at peace. Know, Vyasa, that Shipra is born of nectar and is renowned throughout all the worlds for her sanctity. For those who honor Shipra, there is no evil deed that can cling to them, no calamity, nor misfortune that can befall them. Their friends, too, are shielded from suffering, disease, and poverty. Simply by reciting or hearing this sacred account, one attains the merit of gifting a thousand cows. Indeed, merely hearing this tale bestows the fruit of the great Ashvamedha sacrifice. Shipra, wherever she is invoked, is ever meritorious, supremely pure, and a destroyer of all sin. Yet, Vyasa, listen as I recount in detail the origin of this most auspicious and ancient event, a tale filled with immense merit. Long ago, there was born a mighty asura named Hiranyaksha, whose strength was beyond compare. By his power, he brought the entire earth under his control and ruled over it as his own. Not content with earthly dominion, he conquered all the worlds, even the gods led by Indra, and assumed lordship over all beings everywhere. The gods, stripped of their kingdoms and defeated, wandered in sorrow, like mortals cast down from their thrones. In their distress, they approached the Grandsire Brahma, offering him their respects and telling him of the terrible deeds of the daitya Hiranyaksha. By his might, the hosts of gods were nearly destroyed in a single instant, and he consumed all the shares of the sacrifices, taking each portion for himself. Seeing the gods in such misery, Brahma was deeply troubled. He addressed the assembled deities, saying, "Hear me, O best of gods, all of you gathered here with focused minds." Then Brahma spoke of two attendants—both restrained, both bearing the form of Vishnu. Once, O best of sages, the mind-born sons of Brahma—the greatly fortunate Sanaka and his brothers—were eager for a vision of the Blessed Lord. But at that time, Vyasa, the young sages became bewildered and deeply distressed. Suddenly, Vishnu beheld these sorrowful sages upon the earth. With compassion, he smelled their heads, embraced them, and gently spoke: "Children, most learned in righteousness, tell us the whole reason for your sorrow." The sages replied, recounting the events that led them to this state within the cosmic egg. The four brothers, wanderers of the worlds, had arrived seeking the Lord, but were suddenly prevented by two guardians at the gate. The Blessed Lord declared that from that moment onward, there would be no eternal stay in that place for those two. Thus, Vyasa, those two attendants immediately obtained demonic births. After a thousand cycles of birth, through austerity, charity, and meditation, one may be freed; but with evil intent, one is born in only three lifetimes. In each successive birth, they took on a dark, tamasic womb. Thus, they became known as Kumbhakarṇa and Rāvaṇa, terrors of the worlds, and as the mighty demon Hiraṇyākṣa. Hiranyaksha, having conquered all the gods, seized possession of the heavens. All the deities were cast out, deprived of their kingdoms, and utterly defeated. Such is the tale, O Vyasa, of Shipra’s sanctity and the ancient events that shaped the worlds.