Hearing Durvasa’s words, the king, his heart uplifted, asked eagerly, “By what means does that great god show his favor to me? When he is pleased, how is it that all misfortune disappears, O noble sage?” Thus questioned, Durvasa replied: Devarata, having received this very vow, performed it with devotion. Through its observance, he enjoyed abundant pleasures in life. And, O best of sages, when the time of his death arrived, that king ascended to heaven in a radiant golden chariot, journeying to the realm of Indra himself. Indra, the king of the gods, came forth to greet him and accept his offering. But as Indra approached, the attendants of Vishnu declared, “The king of the gods should not be seen by one who lacks the merit of austerity.” Drawn by the king’s brilliant radiance, all the guardians of the worlds gathered, yet Vishnu’s attendants turned them away, finding their deeds insufficient. Thus, the king reached the very end of the world of truth. In that deathless world—free from burning, destruction, and sorrow—the great king remains even now, praised by the gods. When the Lord of Sacrifice is pleased, what wonder is there that such blessings are bestowed? In this very life, fortune, long life, health, and wealth—all these are granted by worship performed according to the prescribed method, bestowing even the highest immortality. And what, then, when the full year’s vow is completed? The devotee is granted the supreme abode of Narayana himself, the four-formed Lord, precious and beyond compare—of this, there is no doubt. Recall how Keshava, in the form of a fish, rescued the Vedas; how the Lord bore Mount Mandara during the churning of the ocean; so too, behold the second Vaishnava form, Kurma, the tortoise. Just as the Supreme Person, as a boar, lifted the earth from the netherworld, so is the third Vaishnava form revealed. Durvasa continued: In the same way, in the month of Phalguna, on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight, one should fast and worship Hari with the prescribed rites, O wise one. For Narasimha, worship his feet; for Govinda, his thighs; for Vishvabhuja, his waist; for Aniruddha, his arms. For Shitikaṇṭha, worship the neck; for Piṅgakeśa, the head; for the destroyer of demons, the discus; and for the water-formed, the conch—each to be honored with sandal, flowers, and fruits. Before the deity, place a pot adorned with two white cloths. Above it, set a golden image of Narasimha in a copper vessel—or, if gold is not possible, one of wood or bamboo. Having placed this image in a jewel-encrusted pot and worshipped it, the devotee should offer it to a Brahmin learned in the Vedas on the twelfth day. By doing so, one attains the same fruits as a king of old, whom I will now describe, O great sage, under the name Vatsa. In the land of Kimpurusha, there was a king of utmost righteousness, renowned as Bharata; his son was called Vatsa. Defeated in battle by his enemies, his treasury and elephants seized, Vatsa retreated to the forest with his wife and dwelled in the hermitage of Vasiṣṭha. As time passed, the great sage Vasiṣṭha asked him, “What brings you to this great hermitage?” The king replied, “Revered one, my treasury and kingdom have been taken, my resolve broken by my enemies. I have come to you for refuge. Please show your favor by instructing me.” Vasiṣṭha then imparted to him the vow of Dvādaśī, with all its prescribed details. The king performed everything as instructed. At the conclusion of his vow, the blessed Nṛsiṃha was pleased and bestowed upon him a discus, supreme in destroying enemies. With that divine weapon, the excellent king regained his kingdom, performed a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices, and in the end attained Viṣṇuloka, the realm of Vishnu. Thus, O sage, I have told you of this auspicious, sin-destroying Dvādaśī vow. Having listened with care, do as you desire. Durvasa continued: In the same way, O sage, in the month of Chaitra, one should resolve to observe Dvādaśī, fast, and worship Janārdana, the god of gods. Worship his feet as Vāmana, his waist as Viṣṇu, and his abdomen, chest, and entire body as Vāsudeva. The neck is to be honored as Viśvakṛt, the head as the one whose form is space, and the arms as Viśvajit; the conch and discus are to be worshipped by their own names. Having worshipped the eternal god of gods in this manner, place two water pots before him, one to the east and one to the north. In the vessel, a golden image of Vāmana should be placed, small and adorned with a white sacred thread. Set beside it a water pot, an umbrella, sandals, a rosary, and especially a staff. With these offerings, in the morning, present them to a twice-born, saying, “May Viṣṇu, in his dwarf form, be pleased.” This rite, joined with the name of the month and the prescribed rules, is declared everywhere: “May he be pleased.” It is told that long ago, there was a king named Haryaśva, lord of the earth, who, being childless, performed austerities desiring a son. As he kept vigil at night for the sake of a son, Hari himself appeared before him in the form of a twice-born. The Lord asked, “By your austerity, O King, what have you resolved?” The king replied, “It is for the sake of a son.” The Lord then instructed him in the proper procedure and vanished. The king quickly performed the ritual with the appropriate mantras, offering it to the poor and to the wise Jyotirgarga. He prayed, “Just as another’s son became a son himself, by that truth, may I too have a noble son.” By this method, a son was born to him, O sage—a mighty emperor named Kuvalashva. Thus, a sonless man obtains a son, a poor man gains wealth, one who has lost his kingdom regains it, and even the departed reach Vishnu’s abode. Thus, the sacred vow and its fruits have been revealed, bestowing blessings in this life and beyond to those who follow with faith.