Sanatkumara began, his voice filled with warmth and reverence, “O most blessed among the twice-born, you are truly fortunate. Your devotion to the Vedic teachings and your dedication to honoring your ancestors with mantras, vows, sacred recitations, offerings, and rice balls at Gaya have brought you great merit and pleased your forefathers.” He continued, “Hear now the story of King Vishala, who ruled the grand city of Vishala. This king was virtuous and steadfast, but he had no son to continue his lineage. Desiring an heir, he approached the foremost brahmins of his realm and sought their counsel. The brahmins, though lacking in vitality, advised him: ‘O king, journey to Gaya and offer food in many forms there. By performing these rites, a generous son, destined to rule the earth, will surely be born to you.’ Delighted by their words, King Vishala resolved to undertake the pilgrimage. With great effort, he traveled to Gaya during the sacred month of Magha. There, with deep devotion, he performed the ancestral rites, making offerings of rice balls to his forefathers, following all the proper procedures. While engaged in these rites, the king observed men of white, yellow, and black complexions. Curious, he respectfully inquired, ‘O sirs, what is the meaning of this? Why do you overlook certain things? Please, satisfy my curiosity and tell me everything.’ The man of white hue replied, ‘O child, I am Sita, your ancestor—pure in name, conduct, and deed. This one beside me, who is red in color, is my ancestor. He was cruel, a slayer of brahmins, and a doer of evil. The one beyond him is Adhishvara, my father, dark in both conduct and deed. In his past lives, this black one slew many ancient sages.’ He continued, ‘Both these ancestors, after their deaths, were cast into the hells called Raudra and Avici. Adhishvara and his father Krishna remained there for a long time, suffering for their misdeeds. But I, through my own pure actions, attained the exalted seat of Indra, which is difficult to obtain.’ ‘By your learned recitation of mantras and the offering of rice balls at Gaya, these two—Bala and the other—have been lifted from hell and united with us, through the power of your offerings at this sacred place. O subduer of enemies, with the water you have offered, you have satisfied your ancestors, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers.’ ‘Therefore, noble one, by your words and actions, our reunion has occurred instantly. By the sanctity of this place, we shall now ascend to the world of the ancestors—there is no doubt. Even those grandfathers of yours who had fallen into misfortune have attained perfection here, despite their past sins. Such is the power of this holy place, that even the son of a Brahmin-slayer can be purified by the offering of rice balls and uplifted again.’ ‘For this reason, my son, I have separated these two and come here to meet you. Now, I must depart. Because of your actions, Raibhya, I call you blessed. A single visit to Gaya and a single offering of rice balls is rare and hard to achieve, yet you are ever engaged in this sacred act.’ ‘What more can be said of your merit, O Raibhya, for you have beheld Nārāyaṇa himself, the wielder of the mace! Therefore, Gadādhara himself abides at this holy place, making it exceedingly renowned among all sacred sites.’ At this point, Śrī Varāha spoke: “Having revealed these truths, the great yogi vanished before Raibhya’s eyes. Filled with awe and devotion, Raibhya composed a hymn in praise of Hari, the wielder of the mace. Raibhya’s heart overflowed as he offered his homage: ‘I bow to Gadādhara, praised by the hosts of gods, patient and compassionate, who relieves the suffering of the hungry, who is auspicious, who crushes the armies of demons, and who destroys all misfortune when remembered. I bow in secret to Keśava, the ancient and primeval refuge of all beings, the pure and spotless Trivikrama who bore the earth for Bali, the mighty wielder of the mace.’ ‘He who is pure of mind, surrounded by riches, adorned with Śrī, free from stain, wise, and praised by sinless kings—whoever bows to Gadādhara dwells in happiness. He whose lotus feet are worshipped by gods and demons, who is adorned with armlets, garlands, ornaments, and a crown, who reclines upon the ocean and holds the discus—whoever bows to Gadādhara dwells in happiness.’ ‘He who is white in the Kṛta age, red in the Tretā, yellow in the Dvāpara, and dark as a raincloud in Kali, the great lord—whoever bows to Gadādhara dwells in happiness. From him, Brahmā creates the world in the form of Nārāyaṇa, he protects as Rudra, and he brings about the end—may Gadādhara, of sixfold forms, be victorious!’ ‘Sattva, rajas, and tamas—all these qualities arise from him alone; may that threefold Gadādhara grant me steadfastness in righteousness and liberation. In this ocean of worldly existence, with its painful strands and the dreadful crocodiles of separation, when I am sinking, may Gadādhara bear me up like a great boat.’ ‘He, the Trimurti, by his own power, created this cosmic egg from himself; from that, he fashioned the earth, radiant and noble, arising from the waters—unto him, the bearer of the earth, I bow. He who takes on forms such as Matsya and others for the protection of gods, the Bull-Ape, who is all-pervading and wields the mace—may he grant me the highest path.’ Śrī Varāha continued: “Thus did the wise Raibhya praise Viṣṇu, Janārdana, with heartfelt devotion. Suddenly, Viṣṇu himself appeared before him, clad in radiant yellow garments, holding conch, discus, and mace, seated upon Garuḍa and moving through the sky. His voice, deep as thunderclouds and full of dignity, resounded: ‘I am pleased, O Raibhya, by your devotion, your praise, and your bathing at this sacred place. Tell me, illustrious one, what boon you desire.’ Raibhya, filled with longing, replied, ‘O Lord of gods, grant me the path where Sanaka and the other perfected sages dwell, so that by your grace I may reside there.’ The Lord smiled and replied, ‘So be it.’ With these words, the divine Lord vanished, and Raibhya, now endowed with divine knowledge, also disappeared from this world. By the favor of the discus-bearing Lord, he instantly attained the realm where the perfected sages Sanaka and others reside. Śrī Varāha concluded, “Whoever recites this hymn to Viṣṇu, the wielder of the mace, as composed by Raibhya, having gone to Gaya and performed the ancestral offerings, surpasses all others in merit.” He then spoke of another: “There was one who, having become the disease in the body of Vasu, remained steadfast in his own nature for four thousand years of men. Each time, for the sake of his family, he would slay a wild animal in the forest, yet he always pleased his servants, guests, and the sacred fire. In Mithilā, at every sacred occasion, he performed the ancestral rites for his forefathers, following his own tradition. He constantly served the fire, spoke truthful and pleasant words, lived with restraint, and refused to take life unnecessarily. Thus, while dwelling there in righteousness and great austerity, a son was born to him—a boy named Arjunaka, self-controlled and wise as a sage.