With a gentle, thunderous voice and a serene smile, the Supreme Person addressed those assembled before him. “Tell me,” he asked, “by whose will have you all come together and approached me in this way?” He then counseled them, “Do that by which, relying upon it, you will surely obtain victory.” He revealed to them, “Among these, there is a divine maiden, born of the mind, whose name is Menā. Seek out the virtuous Menā from the great, icy mountain for your purpose. It was she who, freed from the wrath of Daksha, purified life as one washes away impurity. She will be the one to destroy Mahisha, the lord of the demons, along with his followers.” The Supreme Person further instructed, “At that holy place, abundant with wide waters, let the imperishable ancestors be worshipped. For those who wish to relinquish themselves, let it be done in this manner.” With hands joined in reverence, those present humbly questioned the Supreme Lord, “Blessed one, please tell us the origin of that holy place, where we are to worship the divine ancestors before our departure.” He spoke to them of that sacred day which arose from Kurukshetra. “At the start of the ploughing season, Saṃvaraṇa was born from the constellation. Even in his childhood, he was devoted to righteousness and was always my devotee. That noble-minded one was taught the Vedas, with all their branches, by his teacher. Entrusting all his duties to Vasiṣṭha, the treasure of austerities, Saṃvaraṇa then journeyed to Vaibhrāja and, after a time, entered a state of madness.” Unsatisfied by the fragrances of the world, the king wandered through the forest in every direction. There, amidst blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, and day-blooming lotuses, Saṃvaraṇa beheld a maiden who surpassed all others in beauty. As she gazed upon him, she was struck by the arrow of love. Overcome, the king lost his balance and fell from his horse to the ground. His companions rushed to him and sprinkled him with water, and he soon regained consciousness. They comforted him with gentle, soothing words, as refreshing as cool water, and then he set out for the summit of Meru, moving as freely as a god. From that time forward, he neither ate during the day nor slept at night. The great ascetic, Vasiṣṭha, saw the king tormented and scorched by suffering. Seeking help, he entered the presence of the blazing god, the Sun, and saw him standing in his chariot. After offering respectful greetings, Vasiṣṭha entered the chariot with the Sun, where the illustrious goddess Varuṇi shone, radiant like a second sun. When asked the reason for his coming, Vasiṣṭha explained to the Sun, “It is for the sake of Saṃvaraṇa’s daughter; you ought to give her to him.” The gods received the best of the twice-born, who had come to their house on behalf of King Saṃvaraṇa. Meanwhile, the maiden, recalling the prince, with hands joined in reverence, spoke to the goddess Varuṇi: “I saw the prince in the forest—he was like the child of an immortal, and by his marks I recognized him. His hips are like those of a lion, his waist slender and marked with three folds. His hands and feet are shaped like lotus petals, his head shines, shaped like a parasol. His fingers are long and well-jointed, his teeth are beautiful, and the same beauty graces both his hands and feet. The prince is red in five places, dark in four, and bent in three.” Thus unfolded the tale, as revealed by the Supreme Person, of the divine origins, the holy place, and the destiny of Saṃvaraṇa and the maiden, all in accordance with the sacred order of the verses.