After a fierce battle with marauding bandits, a wondrous event took place: the goddess who had protected the king swiftly re-entered his body. The king awoke from what seemed a deep sleep, only to find the slain barbarians lying around him. As he gazed in amazement, the divine protector vanished, assuming her own celestial form. Bewildered and eager for answers, the king mounted his horse and rode to the hermitage of the sage Vāmadeva. Bowing with devotion, he asked, “O revered sage, who was that extraordinary woman who defended me? Who were those who fell by her hand? Please, tell me the meaning behind these events.” Vāmadeva replied, “O king, in a previous life you were born as a Śūdra. While serving a Brahmin, you happened to hear about the observance of the twelfth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Śrāvaṇa. By performing the rites of that day with faith and devotion, you earned the merit that brought you to kingship in this life. Know that it is this very goddess—Śrāvaṇa Dvādaśī—who protects you in every peril. It was she who destroyed those cruel, sinful barbarians and saved your life. She alone is the guardian in calamities, she alone grants sovereignty. If a single observance brings such blessings, imagine the power of all twelve Dvādaśīs, by which even Indra could not attain his throne!” At this point, the sage Durvasa spoke: “In the month of Bhadrapada, on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight, one should resolve to worship the Supreme Lord, following the prescribed rites. Offer salutations at the feet of Kalki, at the waist to Hrishikesha, at the abdomen to the destroyer of the mlecchas, and to the cosmic form of the universe. To Shitikantha offer worship at the throat, to the wielder of the sword at the arms, to the four-armed one at the hands, and to the universal form at the head. After such worship, the wise should place a pot before them and install a golden image of Kalki upon it. Clothe it in two white garments, adorn it with fragrance and flowers, and, in the morning, present it to a learned Brahmin. Listen now to the fruits of this act. Long ago, in the city of Kashi, there was a mighty king named Vishala. His own kinsmen usurped his kingdom, and so he journeyed to the Gandhamadana mountains. In a beautiful valley, he reached the sacred Badari. Stripped of his kingdom and fortune, the noble king made his dwelling there. One day, the ancient sages Nara and Narayana, honored by all the gods, came to that place. Seeing the king, who had arrived before them, they beheld him absorbed in meditation on the Supreme Brahman, the highest state known as Vishnu. Pleased by his devotion and purified by penance, the sages addressed him: ‘O king of kings, choose a boon. We have come to grant you a blessing.’ The king, humble and sincere, replied, ‘I do not know who you are, nor from whom I should accept a boon. Yet I desire a blessing worthy of the deity I worship.’ The sages asked, ‘Which lord do you worship? What boon do you seek? Tell us, for we are curious.’ The king answered simply, ‘I worship Vishnu,’ and fell silent. The sages then revealed, ‘By the grace of that very deity, we possess the power to grant boons. Speak your wish, whatever lies in your heart.’ The king requested, ‘Grant me the ability to worship the Lord of Sacrifice through many offerings and sacrifices, so that I may be capable of such worship.’ Nara responded, ‘May Lord Narayana himself, the guide of the worlds, perform austerities with me at Badari for the welfare of all beings.’ He then described the Lord’s many incarnations: ‘He was once a fish, then a tortoise, then a boar, and after that, the man-lion. He was born as Vamana, then as the mighty son of Jamadagni, again as the son of Dasharatha, and then as Vasudeva. As Buddha, he deluded the people, and after destroying the hostile and foreign enemies, he restored the earth to order—this blessed Lord Hari. Those who seek all-knowing wisdom worship him as the Fish; those who wish to uplift their lineage worship him as the Tortoise. As the Boar, he is worshipped by those seeking to cross the ocean of existence; as Narasimha, by those wishing to be free from sin. To remove delusion and for wealth, one should worship Vamana; for the destruction of cruel enemies, the wise worship the son of Dasharatha. Those who desire sons worship Balarama and Krishna; those who desire form, Buddha; and for the destruction of enemies, Kalki. Having thus spoken, the king performed the Dvādaśī vow and became a universal monarch. The land of Badari became renowned after his name, Vishala. In this very birth, after ruling his kingdom, the king retired to the forest, performed many sacrifices, and ultimately attained supreme liberation. Durvasa continued: “Now, in the month of Ashvayuja, on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight, one should resolve to worship the eternal Lord Padmanabha. Offer worship at the feet to Padmanabha, at the waist to Padmayoni, at the abdomen to Sarvadeva, at the chest to Pushkaraksha, and at the hands to Avyaya, worshipping the divine weapons as before. For Prabhava, worship the head; place the pot before you, and install a golden image of Padmanabha within it. Adorn the deity with fragrant substances and flowers, and at dawn, offer it to a Brahmin. Hear now the merit gained by this act. In the Krita age, there was a powerful king named Bhadrashva, after whom the land of Bhadrashva was named. Once, the illustrious sage Agastya came to his palace and declared, ‘I will remain in your home for seven nights.’ The king humbly welcomed him. His wife, Kantimati, was supremely beautiful, her radiance likened to twelve suns. She had five hundred co-wives, all devoted to vows. These auspicious women performed the duties of servants each day, awed and unsettled by the great good fortune of Kantimati.