Agastya, the revered sage, addressed the king with gentle gravity: “O great king, listen as I explain to you the sacred Kama vow—a practice by which all desires, even those that dwell unspoken in the mind, are fulfilled.” He continued, “One who, on the sixth day, eats only fruits and observes this vow for a full year, and who, on the fourth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Pausha, takes a single meal—such a person approaches the path of fulfillment. On that sixth day, the wise devotee should first offer fruit, O king, then, with speech restrained and mind pure, partake of clean rice. Whether in the company of brāhmaṇas or alone with fruits, having observed the day’s discipline, the fast should be broken on the seventh day. “Thereafter, let the devotee perform the sacred fire ritual, worshiping Keśava in the form of Guha, and, honoring him by name, continue this vow for an entire year. Six-faced Kārttikeya, Guha, commander of the celestial army, son of the Kṛttikās, Kumāra, Skanda—by these names, Viṣṇu is to be worshiped, for he abides in these forms. “When the year’s observance is complete, a meal should be prepared for brāhmaṇas, and a golden image of Ṣaṇmukha should be gifted to a brāhmaṇa. With devotion, let this offering be made, praying: ‘May all my desires be fulfilled, O god Kumāraka, by your grace; may this gift, offered with devotion, be swiftly accepted by the brāhmaṇa.’ By presenting this, accompanied by the proper mantra and a pair of gifts, all desires are indeed fulfilled in this very life. The childless will gain a son, the impoverished will find wealth, and one deprived of a kingdom will regain his realm—of this, there is no doubt. “This vow, O king, was once observed by Nala, the best of kings, while he dwelled in the realm of Ṛtuparṇa. Many other great kings, having lost their kingdoms, practiced this ancient vow to attain success.” Agastya then spoke further: “Now, O great king, I shall tell you of another vow, the Ārogya-vrata, which is supremely meritorious and destroys all sin. On the seventh day of the month of Māgha, after fasting, one should worship the god Bhāskara, the eternal form of Viṣṇu. Āditya, Bhāskara, Ravi, Bhānu, Sūrya, Divākara, Prabhākara—by these names, the Sun is to be worshiped. “On the sixth day, one may take food; on the seventh, worship Bhānu; on the eighth, eat again—this is the proper order. Whoever worships the Sun in this manner for a full year, following the rules, will gain health, wealth, and grain in this very life, and in the next, an auspicious abode from which there is no return. “In ancient times, the universal emperor Anaraṇya, mighty and renowned, performed this vow. Pleased, the deity granted him supreme health as a boon.” At this, Bhadrāśva inquired, “Was that king afflicted by disease, that he sought health? How did such a malady befall a universal emperor?” Agastya replied, “That king, famed and handsome, was indeed a universal emperor. Once, accompanied by hosts of gods, he journeyed to the divine lake of the mind. There, in the center of the lake, he beheld a magnificent white lotus. Within it stood a supreme person, no larger than a thumb, clad in red garments, with two arms and radiant brilliance. “Desiring the lotus, the king instructed his charioteer: ‘Bring me this lotus. If I bear it upon my head before all the worlds, I shall be greatly praised—so fetch it quickly.’ The charioteer entered the waters and reached for the lotus. But as soon as he touched it, a thunderous sound arose; terrified, he fell and died. “At that very instant, the king, struck by the sound, became afflicted with leprosy. His color faded, his strength and vigor left him. Overcome with grief, he wondered, ‘What has befallen me?’ “As he stood there, lost in thought, the wise and great ascetic Vasiṣṭha, son of Brahmā, arrived and questioned him: ‘O king, how has this condition come upon you? What is to be done now? Tell me.’ “The king recounted all that had happened. Hearing his tale, Vasiṣṭha spoke: ‘O king, had you acted rightly, you would have remained well; because you did not, leprosy has come upon you.’ “Trembling, the king asked, ‘O virtuous one, how did I act rightly or wrongly? How has this disease arisen in me? Please explain.’ “Vasiṣṭha replied: ‘This lotus, called Brahmodbhava, is famed throughout the three worlds. By merely seeing it, all the gods are seen. It appears here once every six months. Upon seeing it, if a person enters the water, he is freed from all sins and attains supreme liberation. The form of Brahmā in his prior state dwells in these waters; seeing this and immersing oneself, one is released from worldly existence. ‘Your charioteer, having seen it, entered the water, and you, desiring to possess it, entered again to take it. Thus, O king, you have incurred leprosy. Because you saw this and I said, “You are virtuous,” but you fell into delusion, I now say, “You are not virtuous.” I am the son of Brahmā and I see this supreme Lord; I come here every day, and you too have seen him again. ‘Even the gods declare this lotus to be the highest, golden one. Seeing the Brahma-lotus in the Mānasa lake and Hari present there, we attain that supreme Brahman from which there is no return. ‘Hear also another cause of leprosy, O king: the Sun himself is established within this lotus womb.