Hearing the sage’s words, the king was filled with anxiety and asked, his hands joined in humility, “O virtuous one, how have I acted rightly or wrongly? How has this leprosy come upon me? Please explain this to me.” The sage Vasiṣṭha replied, “O king, this lotus you saw is called Brahmodbhava, and it is renowned throughout the three worlds. By merely beholding it, one perceives all the gods; this wondrous sight appears here just once every six months. Whoever sees this lotus and then enters the water is freed from all sins and attains the highest liberation. The form of Brahmā, in his primordial state, is established within these waters. By seeing this and immersing oneself, one is released from worldly existence. Your charioteer, O best of men, saw this lotus and entered the water as is proper. But you, desiring to possess it, entered again, and thus, O king, you have incurred leprosy. Because of this unrighteous act, you have brought this affliction upon yourself. When you first saw the lotus and I called you virtuous, you fell into delusion and acted otherwise, so I said you were not virtuous. I am the son of Brahmā, and I see this supreme Lord daily. You have seen him again in this sacred place. Even the gods declare this lotus as the highest, golden lotus. By beholding the Brahma-lotus in the Mānasa lake and seeing Hari present there, we attain the supreme Brahman, from which there is no return. There is another cause for leprosy, O king: the sun himself dwells within the womb of this lotus. I have seen him, the eternal Supreme Self, and I bear him upon my head as an ornament before the world. As you have spoken, your sin has been revealed by the divine. Now, O wise one, worship him alone.” Having thus spoken, Vasiṣṭha described the sacred vow and worship of the sun, known as the vow for health. The king, following the sage’s instructions with devotion, performed the vow, and was instantly freed from disease, attaining the highest success. Agastya then said, “O great king, now I shall briefly tell you the auspicious vow for obtaining a son. Listen as I declare it. In the month of Bhādrapada, during the dark fortnight, on the eighth day, one should fast and observe this vow for a son. On the sixth day, make your resolve; on the seventh, worship Hari, the god who rests in Devakī’s lap, surrounded by mothers. On the pure morning of the eighth day, worship Hari with devotion, honoring Govinda as prescribed. After the worship, offer oblations of barley and black sesame mixed with ghee and curd, and feed the Brāhmaṇas with gifts, according to your ability. Then, eat first the finest bilva fruit, and afterwards partake of whatever you desire, enjoying all flavors and oils. By observing this procedure every month, even a sonless man who fasts on Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī will surely obtain a son. Once, King Śūrasena, mighty but childless, performed austerities on the Himavat mountain. As he did so, the god revealed this very vow to him. The king performed it and obtained a son—Vasudeva, fortunate and devoted to sacrifice—and the king attained supreme liberation. Thus, O king, I have described to you the vow of Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī. At the end of the year, a pair of black cows should be given to a twice-born. This vow for a son, when performed, frees a man from all sins. Now, O king, I shall declare the supreme vow of valor, by which even the fearful gain great courage. In the month of Ashvayuja, on the ninth day of the bright fortnight, one should fast, having made the resolve on the seventh, and remain steadfast on the eighth. On the ninth, the king should offer flour with devotion, feed Brāhmaṇas reverently, and worship the goddess Durga, the great illusion, the mighty one. This vow should be observed for a full year as prescribed. At its conclusion, feed maidens as you are able, adorn them with gold, garments, and ornaments, and seek their forgiveness, praying that the goddess may be pleased. By performing this, one who has lost a kingdom will regain it, the unlearned will gain knowledge, and the fearful will become known for valor. Let me now briefly describe another universal vow, by which a king swiftly becomes sovereign over all. On the tenth day of the bright fortnight in Kartika, one should eat only at night and daily offer pure oblations in all directions. With various flowers and devotion, worship the foremost Brāhmaṇas, and recite this prayer to the directions: ‘May all the goddesses grant me success in every birth.’ After offering oblations with a pure mind, eat well-prepared rice and curds at night. Do this, first and last, for a year. Whoever performs this daily will achieve conquest of the directions. On the eleventh day, carefully perform the rite according to rule, beginning from the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa for a year. This vow is dear to the god of wealth and brings riches. Fasting on the eleventh and eating on the twelfth, whether in the bright or dark fortnight, is the great Vaiṣṇava vow. These fierce vows, when observed, destroy sins, O king. On the thirteenth day, the vow of righteousness is performed by eating only at night. Thus, through the guidance of the sages, the king learned the sacred vows for health, progeny, valor, sovereignty, and righteousness, each bestowing its own blessings and liberation for those who observe them with faith and devotion.