O King, listen as I recount the wondrous events that unfolded, just as you have asked, and as sages like Manu have described in detail. I shall summarize for you the essence of what I have learned. If a foremost Brahmin knows the Supreme Self, then, even if he has committed hundreds of sins, he remains untouched by their taint. The constant remembrance of Vishnu, the recitation of the Vedas, the giving of gifts, and the worship of Hari keep a Brahmin pure, so much so that he can even save others who have turned away from righteousness. Now, Bhadrāśva, you inquired about the marvels that have occurred in my own body, and I shall share with you, O best of kings, all that I have experienced. My body, O King, is filled with many wonders, having endured through countless cycles of creation, and has been purified by the knowledge of the Vedas. I have wandered across the whole earth, and journeyed even to Ilāvṛta, that great region beside Mount Meru. There, I came upon a beautiful lake, and on its shore stood a grand hermitage. Seated there was an ascetic, weakened by long fasting, his body reduced to skin and bones, clad only in garments of bark. Seeing this extraordinary figure, I wondered in my heart, “Who is this sage?” and pondered how best to approach him and earn his trust. As I was reflecting thus, the great sage himself addressed me, saying, “Stay, stay! Remain here, and I shall offer you hospitality.” Heeding his words, I entered his humble hut, and there beheld the sage, radiant as if ablaze with inner light. As I stood before him, the sage uttered a powerful humkāra—a resonant sound—and from that utterance, five maidens arose, breaking forth from the earth itself. One maiden brought forth a golden seat and offered it to me. Another poured water into my hands. A third gently washed my feet, while the remaining two stood on either side of me, each holding a fan to cool me. Once more, the great ascetic uttered a humkāra, and from that sound, a golden basin appeared, vast as a yojana in width. At that moment, a makara leapt into the lake. Then, hundreds of auspicious maidens arrived, each bearing golden pitchers. Seeing this, the sage addressed me, saying, “All this has been prepared for your bath, O Brahmin. Enter this basin and bathe, O noble one.” By his command, I entered the basin. As I did so, the basin sank beneath the waters. Submerged, I soon rose up and found myself in a world I had never seen before. Before me stretched a vast and splendid city, with wide avenues thronged by pure-hearted people, the wise and self-realized, and ancient kings established in righteousness. This was a formidable place, deep in the nethermost region, inaccessible to those ensnared by worldly life. It was filled with white-clad men holding nooses, surrounded by groups of elephants and horses. There, lakes abounded, covered with diverse lotuses and water-lilies, alive with birds of many kinds. The hum of bees settling on lotus leaves filled the air with sweet melodies. On the banks stood houses that resembled the peaks of Mount Kailāsa, adorned with precious lotuses, inhabited by the blessed, and revered by twice-born sages and gods. Lotuses, weighted down by swarms of bees, swayed gently in the breeze. In the waters, twice-born ones with melodious voices recited wondrous Vedic mantras. Their bodies were adorned with garlands of white lotuses, their upper garments fine, and flocks of birds were everywhere. In many such lakes, the twice-born performed the ancient rites of sacrifice. As I wandered among these lakes, I saw many groups of celestial maidens, as well as daughters of the Vidyādharas, who had come to bathe in those sacred waters. Continuing my wandering, I came upon another beautiful lake, its water pure and clear. On its bank, just as before, stood a hut. Entering, I saw the ascetic standing there. I approached him and offered my respects. He smiled at me, his power beyond compare, and said, “O best of Brahmins, do you not recognize me, though you have seen me before? Why do you look upon this world as if you were deluded?” He continued, “This world, which even the gods have not seen, has been revealed to you by me, O best of twice-born, out of my affection for you. Behold the wealth of my world: rivers flowing with curds and milk, lakes filled with clarified butter. See the pillars of the houses made of gold and jewels, the ground studded with gems and shining like padmarāga stones, abundant with pārijāta flowers, and frequented by yakṣas and kinnaras.” Hearing these words, my heart was filled with wonder, and I questioned him further. “O venerable one, your world is foremost among all worlds. I have seen the realms of Brahmā, Indra, and others, yet this world is entirely new to me—endowed with wealth, splendor, power, and palatial jewels. With sacred lakes, pure pools, and especially with lotuses, your world astonishes me. How has such a world come to be? How are you established here in this way? Tell me the reason for this, and who you are, O foremost of sages. How did I see you on the shore of a lake in Ilāvṛta? That lake, that hut—what is your place in this world filled with golden palaces?” Thus addressed, the eminent sage spoke to me of things as they truly are. “I am Nārāyaṇa, the eternal god in the form of water, by whom this entire universe—the three worlds, all that moves and does not move—is pervaded. That very form of the supreme god, Parameṣṭhin, which you have seen—I am he, called Varuṇa, but truly the supreme Nārāyaṇa himself.” Thus, O King, I beheld the supreme mystery, revealed by the Lord himself, and marveled at the greatness of his world.