When Rudra, also known as Śaṃkara, had finished speaking, the assembled sages, filled with curiosity, respectfully questioned him further. “O Lord,” they said, “you have created a doctrine meant to delude the worlds. For what reason did you do this? Please, tell us the purpose behind composing such a doctrine.” Rudra replied, “Listen, O sages. In Bhāratavarṣa, there is a forest called Daṇḍaka. There, a brahmin named Gautama performed severe and formidable austerities. Pleased by his devotion, Brahmā, the creator of the worlds, appeared before Gautama and said, ‘Ask for a boon, O sage rich in austerity.’ Gautama immediately responded, ‘O lotus-born, grant me a row of grains.’ Brahmā, the grandsire, granted this boon. With it, Gautama established a great hermitage at Śataśṛṅga. There, at the edge of his hermitage, Gautama cultivated rice, which he harvested and cooked at midday. He generously extended hospitality to all brahmins who came to him. In time, O best of brahmins, a terrible drought afflicted the land for twelve years, bringing great distress and suffering. The sages living in the forest, tormented by hunger, came to Gautama’s hermitage, seeking relief. Seeing them arrive, Gautama humbly bowed and welcomed them, saying, ‘Stay in my house, O sons of eminent sages.’ Thus addressed, the sages remained with Gautama and enjoyed various foods until the long drought finally ended. When the rains returned, the brahmins wished to depart and undertake pilgrimages. Among them was the ascetic Śāṇḍilya, the foremost of sages, who was approached by the great sage Mārīca. After reflecting, Mārīca said, ‘Śāṇḍilya, I will speak what is proper. Your father Gautama is a sage. Without informing him, we should not go to practice austerities elsewhere.’ Upon hearing this, the other sages exclaimed, ‘Have we sold our very bodies to him just for eating his food?’ With these words, they conspired among themselves about how to depart. Resorting to illusion, they created a cow and left it in Gautama’s rice field. Later, Gautama saw this cow wandering in the forest. Taking water in his hand, he uttered, ‘Go to Rudra.’ As the drops of water fell, the illusory cow collapsed, as though struck dead. Witnessing this, and seeing the sages prepare to leave, Gautama, wise and humble, addressed them, ‘Why are you leaving, O sages? Please tell me. Why do you abandon me, your ever-devoted and humble follower?’ The sages replied, ‘O Brahman, you have committed cow-slaughter here. As long as this sin remains with you, we will not partake of your food, O great sage.’ Gautama, steadfast in righteousness, asked the ascetics, ‘Grant me atonement for the killing of the cow, O possessors of austerity.’ The sages responded, ‘This cow is not truly dead, O Brahman. She lies as if unconscious. If bathed in the water of the Ganga, she will surely rise again—there is no doubt. Atonement is for the dead; for one not dead, it is already accomplished. Do not undertake any vow or become angry.’ Having said this, they departed. After they left, Gautama, full of wisdom, journeyed to the great Himavat mountain, resolved to worship me, Rudra, and perform great austerities. For one hundred years, he worshipped me with unwavering devotion. Pleased by his penance, I appeared before him and said, ‘Choose your boon, O steadfast one.’ Gautama requested, ‘Grant me the Ganga, the river of austerity, from your matted locks. Let this holy Bhagirathi river accompany me.’ Hearing this, I gave him a single lock of my hair. Taking it, Gautama returned to the place where the cow lay. He bathed the cow with the water from that lock, and immediately the cow rose up, shining with life. At that very spot, a great and pure river was born. Witnessing this wondrous event, the pure Seven Sages appeared in the sky in their celestial chariots, exclaiming, ‘Excellent! Excellent! Well done, Gautama! Among the virtuous, who is equal to you, who has brought down the goddess Jahnavi into Dandaka?’ Hearing their praise, Gautama pondered, ‘What is the cause of all this?’ He realized that the cow’s death had been caused by the sages’ illusion. Angered by their deceit, he cursed them: ‘You, with false vows and ashes in your hair, shall be cast outside the three Vedas, excluded from Vedic rites.’ Hearing the harsh words of the great sage, the Seven Sages replied, ‘Let it not be so for all time, O best of the twice-born. Yet your words cannot be in vain—this is certain. Even if, in the Kali age, all the best of the twice-born become like this, those who do good may also do harm. Still, in Kali, let those of such nature be devoted in faith.’ Thus, in the Kali age, O twice-born, those scorched by the fire of your words will always be devoid of ritual acts, excluded from Vedic rites. This river, O Brahman, is also known by the secondary name Godavari, for a cow was given and a boon was granted there. In the Kali age, those who reach this river and give a cow or make donations according to their ability rejoice together with the gods. When Jupiter is in Leo, whoever comes to this river with a focused mind, bathes according to the prescribed rite, and offers oblations to their ancestors—his ancestors, even if fallen into hell, attain heaven; those already in heaven surely attain liberation—of this there is no doubt. You, Gautama, will attain great fame and eternal liberation. Having thus spoken, the sages departed for Mount Kailasa, where, together with Uma, I always reside, O best of the good.