Welcoming Pārvatī with warm hospitality, Hara—deeply devoted to yoga—remained in that place. The radiant lady, accompanied by her companions, approached and bowed reverently at his noble feet. Yet, sensing something amiss, Hara gently declared, “This is not proper,” and vanished from sight along with his attendants. Left in sorrow, Pārvatī’s heart burned with longing. She spoke to her father, expressing her wish to worship the great god Śaṅkara, the mighty wielder of the bow. Known as Lalitā, she resolved to undertake austerities, desiring only to worship Hara. With determination, she began gathering sacred sticks, grasses, fruits, and roots for her rites. Performing the ritual with energy and devotion, she prayed, “May there be well-being.” Her sincerity pleased Tripurāntaka, who, with faith, blessed her efforts. Wearing the sacred thread, carrying an umbrella, and clad in deerskin, he wandered from hermitage to hermitage until he arrived at Kāli’s hermitage. There, after worshipping her in accordance with custom, he inquired, “Where and when will you depart? Please tell me quickly.” Kāli replied, “Now, for pilgrimage, I will go to Pṛthūdaka. By bathing along the way, in which places have you obtained merit?” She explained: “At the holy place Kubjāmra, at Jayanta Caṇḍikeśvara, on the Sarasvati, at the fire altar, and at Bhadra in the heavenly realm, I performed my bath without desire, and then came to your hermitage.” Desiring to ask her something, he respectfully requested, “Do not be angry with me.” He observed, “Even in childhood, self-restraint of the body is praiseworthy among the twice-born. O timid one, you have taken up austerity, but I sense some doubt within you. Pleasures, once enjoyed, depart even while youth remains. You possess beauty, noble birth, and wealth in abundance. Yet you have cast aside your silk garments for bark-cloth—why?” To the mendicant, O Narada, Kāli spoke truthfully: “Listen—this Kāli desires Hara as her husband.” The mendicant laughed with great mirth and said, “How will your hand, soft as a tender shoot, unite with Shiva’s hand, which bears a serpent? You are anointed with sandalwood, he is adorned with ashes—this union does not seem fitting to me.” Kāli responded, “Do not speak so, mendicant; Hara surpasses all in virtues. Whether adorned or unadorned, the Lord of gods is ever the same. One who hears, O moon-bright one, is not as sinful as one who slanders.” Then, the mendicant abandoned his disguise, and Shiva revealed himself in his true form. He said, “For your sake, I will send the great sages to the house of Himavat. He will be known in the world as Bhadreśvara. People who desire auspiciousness will always worship him.” With these words, Shiva entered the sky and returned to his father’s abode. Meanwhile, Pṛthu went to the waters and performed his ritual bath. Joyful, with his attendants and vehicle, he journeyed to the great mountain Mandara. There, together with all the lords of the gaṇas, he worshipped the mighty three-eyed mountain-lord with divine fruits, pure water, roots, and tubers, offering his devotion with reverence.