Having acted thus, the great lord once more beheld his own body, now appearing in the sky before him as his father. This form was as subtle as a speck of dust, imperceptible among all beings. When he saw this, recognizing it as equal to himself, both—the beholder and the beheld—were filled with supreme joy, and all suffering vanished from them. This being, known as Svara, is possessed of great austerity. His manifest form is called by that very name, while his great head is regarded as the unmanifest. From this account, O best of kings, the process of manifestation arises; but with dissolution, only this subtle essence remains. Thus is told the very first legend of the entire world. Whoever truly understands this becomes devoted to action. At this point, Bhadrāśva, filled with curiosity, asked: “O twice-born sage, for one who desires the awakening of true knowledge, who should be worshipped? And how should such worship be performed? Please reveal this, O learned one.” Agastya replied, “Only Viṣṇu, the supreme lord, is always to be worshipped—even by all the gods. I shall tell you the means by which he becomes the bestower of all boons. The greatest secret among gods, sages, and men is Nārāyaṇa, the highest deity. One who bows to him never falls. It is heard, O King, that in ancient times the great sage Nārada described a vow most pleasing to Viṣṇu, as well as to the celestial nymphs, the Apsaras. “Once, in a previous age, Nārada journeyed to the sacred lake Mānasa to bathe. There, he beheld the entire gathering of Apsaras. These playful maidens, upon seeing him—his matted hair piled atop his head, his body mere skin and bone, holding a staff, umbrella, and skull—were eager to meet the son of Brahmā, the ascetic who delights in debate and is sought by gods, demons, and mortals alike. They approached him and questioned him: ‘O revered one, son of Brahmā, we desire husbands, O twice-born sage. Tell us, how may Nārāyaṇa become our husband?’ “Nārada replied, ‘A question preceded by respectful greeting is always auspicious everywhere; yet you did not do so, out of pride and youthful arrogance. Nevertheless, whatever name of the god of gods, Viṣṇu, you utter, so let him become your husband. By merely speaking his name—Hari—all is accomplished, without doubt. Now, I shall tell you the vow by which Hari himself grants boons and bestows the status of husband. ‘In spring, on the auspicious twelfth day of the bright fortnight, after fasting as prescribed, one should worship Hari at night. Prepare a bed adorned with various designs, and place upon it a silver image of Hari together with Lakṣmī. Over this, construct a pavilion of flowers, and keep vigil there with dance and music. Place inscriptions: “for the mind-born” on the head, “for Ananga” on the waist, “for Kāma” at the base of the arms, and “for the good scriptures” on the abdomen; “for Manmatha” on the feet, “for Hari” everywhere. Worship the lord of gods with flowers, especially jasmine. ‘Next, take four beautiful sugarcane stalks and set them in the four directions around the deity, bowing with reverence. In the morning, offer these to a Brahmin learned in the Vedas and Vedāngas, who is wise and whole in body. Honor the Brahmins and complete this vow; by doing so, Viṣṇu will surely become your husband. ‘Yet, because you asked without proper greeting, out of pride, O beautiful ones, you will face the consequence of this disrespect. In this very lake, the sage Ashtavakra, after being mocked by you, will curse you. By this vow, you will win the Lord of the gods as husband, but out of pride, you will also experience disrespect and abduction by cowherds. The god who was once the thief of maidens will become your husband.’ Having spoken thus, the divine sage Nārada departed at once. The Apsaras performed the vow as instructed, and Hari himself was pleased with them. Agastya continued, “Now, O fortunate king, listen to the supreme vow among vows, by which Viṣṇu is attained through auspiciousness, without doubt. In the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, begin on the first day, taking one meal daily during the bright fortnight until the tenth lunar day arrives. On the tenth day, after bathing at midday and worshipping Viṣṇu, resolve with devotion as before for the twelfth day. “Having observed thus, give barley to a Brahmin, saying ‘for Krishna,’ whether in offering, sacrifice, or worship. After completing this for four months, O best of kings, again, beginning from the month of Chaitra, the wise should observe the vow with effort, giving bowls of flour with gold to Brahmins. In the months beginning with Śrāvaṇa, likewise, one should give rice for three months, until the beginning of Kārtika. “Having thus completed it, on the tenth day, with purity and devotion, after worshipping Hari, name the month and, as before, make a vow on the twelfth day, restraining the senses. On the eleventh day, prepare the earth as able. Establish, by the prescribed method, an image of the earth with golden limbs, adorned with mountains and the netherworld, before Hari. Cover it with a pair of white garments and fill it with all seeds, worshipping it as ‘Priyadatta’ with five gems. “Keep vigil there, and at dawn, invite Brahmins—up to twenty-four in number. To each, give a cow and a draught animal, a pair of garments, and a ring. In this way, O king, the vow is fulfilled, and the blessings of Viṣṇu are surely attained.