Once, in a previous birth, a noble king ruled his kingdom with justice and wisdom. When his time as ruler was fulfilled, he renounced worldly life, journeyed into the forest, performed many sacred sacrifices, and, through these meritorious acts, attained the highest liberation. Now, Durvasa spoke of a sacred observance: “In the month of Ashvayuja, on the twelfth day of the bright fortnight, one should resolve to worship the eternal Lord Padmanabha. In this worship, offer reverence to the feet of Padmanabha, to Padmayoni at the waist, to Sarvadeva at the abdomen, to Pushkaraksha at the chest, and to Avyaya at the hands—honoring his weapons as before. Worship Prabhava at the head; as before, place a water pot in front and install within it a golden image of Lord Padmanabha. Adorn this image with fragrant substances and flowers in proper order. At dawn, offer it to a Brahmin. Listen, O sage, to the merit that arises from this observance.” Durvasa began to recount an ancient tale: “In the Krita age, there was a mighty king named Bhadrashva, after whom the land of Bhadrashva was named. Once, the venerable sage Agastya visited his palace and announced, ‘I will stay in your home for seven nights.’ The king, bowing low, welcomed him gladly. The king’s wife was Kantimati, a woman of extraordinary beauty, radiant as twelve suns. She had five hundred co-wives, all devoted to vows, who, awed and bewildered by Kantimati’s fortune and splendor, humbly performed the duties of servants each day. The king, captivated by Kantimati’s beauty and radiance, gazed only upon her joyful face, while her co-wives, out of respect and some fear, performed good deeds for her. Agastya, beholding the queen’s divine radiance, was delighted. On the first day, he exclaimed, ‘Excellent, excellent, O Lord of the Universe!’ On the second day, seeing her again, he said, ‘Ah, a handful, ah, a handful—this entire world, moving and unmoving, is but this!’ On the third day, he declared, ‘Ah, the ignorant do not know Govinda, the Supreme Lord, who, being pleased, granted such a blessing to the queen in a single day.’ On the fourth day, raising his hands, Agastya joyfully proclaimed, ‘Excellent, excellent, Lord of the Universe! Women, Shudras—excellent, excellent! Twice-born, kings—excellent, excellent again and again! Vaishyas—excellent! Excellent, Bhadrashva, excellent are you! O Agastya, excellent, excellent are you! Excellent, Prahlada, excellent! Dhruva, great vow-holder, excellent!’ As he spoke, Agastya danced loudly before the king. Astonished at the sage’s joy and exuberance, the king and his queen respectfully asked, ‘O Brahmin, what is the cause of your happiness, that you dance so?’ Agastya replied, ‘Ah, you are a foolish king! Your followers are fools! Even your priests are fools, for they do not understand my thoughts!’ The king, with folded hands, humbly said, ‘O Brahmin, we do not know the answer to this question. Please, if you wish to show us favor, enlighten us.’ Agastya then revealed their story: ‘This queen of yours was once a maidservant of a Vaishya in the city of Vaidisha. You were her husband, and a Shudra, devoted to service, was the worker of that Vaishya. One year, during the month of Ashvayuja, on the twelfth day, the Vaishya observed discipline and went to Vishnu’s temple to worship Hari with flowers, incense, and other offerings. After his worship, he returned home. You two, the guards, remained at the temple and, for illumination, lit two lamps. You stayed there through the night, tending the lamps, until the night was over. In time, both of you passed away, and by the merit of that simple act, you were reborn in the house of Priyavrata. Even the lamp, though belonging to another, when lit in Hari’s house, brings immeasurable merit. Whoever, with his own wealth, lights a lamp before Vishnu, earns a reward beyond measure. That is why I exclaimed, “Excellent, O Hari, excellent!” In the Krita age, worshipping Hari with devotion for a year brings great merit; in the Treta age, half a year suffices; in the Dvapara age, three months; and in the Kali age, simply uttering “Salutations to Narayana” bestows the same fruit. Thus, I said the whole world is but a handful for Vishnu—by devotion alone. Because of the greatness of even a lamp belonging to another, such a result is obtained before the gods. The fruit you have attained, O king, is this very fruit I have described. Alas, the ignorant do not know the result of offering a lamp to Hari. Thus, those twice-born and those kings who worship with devotion through various sacrifices are remembered as virtuous. I see no one else on earth except him; therefore, O noble one, I praised Agastya as myself, O King, with great joy and excitement. That woman is blessed, and likewise that Shudra is even more blessed, who serves her husband with devotion, thinking of Hari even when he is not present. That woman is blessed, and likewise that Shudra who delights in serving the twice-born; by their permission, devotion to Hari is praiseworthy in a woman or a Shudra. Assuming an asuric disposition, Prahlada recognized none but the Supreme Person; thus, he is called a saint. Dhruva, born in the lineage of the progenitors, went to the forest as a child, worshipped Vishnu, and attained the most excellent state; therefore, I called him a saint.’ Hearing these words of the great-souled Agastya, the king, though not deeply learned, respectfully questioned the sage further. Afterward, the illustrious Agastya, journeying to Pushkara in the month of Karttika, departed from the abode of Bhadrashva. When the king asked about the observance of that very Dvadashi, Durvasa, the best of sages, said, ‘This alone I have told you, O possessor of austerities.’ Having spoken thus, Agastya addressed the king again: ‘I am going to Pushkara; I will return to your house.’ With these words, the sage quickly departed and became invisible. The king, following the sage’s instructions, observed the Dvadashi of Padmanabha with devotion and, in this very life, attained all his highest desires.