Those who are steadfast in action, devoted to their duties, are able to cross over the ocean of worldly existence by means of this sacred knowledge. They worship Nārāyaṇa, who has assumed the form of Varāha, and through this worship find the path to liberation. But this teaching is not to be given to an unworthy disciple, nor to those who distort the meaning of the scriptures, for such misuse brings about the swift loss of both wealth and virtue for those who recite it with impure motives. Thus, O blessed one, I have explained to you what you previously asked, just as it is. Here ends the one hundred twenty-fourth chapter, called 'Rite of the Seasons,' in the revered Varāha Purāṇa. After hearing the rites for the six seasons, the Earth herself, steadfast in her vow, began to speak of the wheel of illusion. She said, “O Mādhava, those auspicious and pure things you have described—these deeds you have spoken of—fill me with curiosity. This, to me, is the highest secret and arouses in me the greatest wonder. You always speak of all this as my illusion, O Deva, and now I wish to know the true meaning of this illusion, the supreme and most secret truth.” Hearing her words, the Lord smiled gently and spoke to Vasundharā, the Earth: “O wide-eyed one, why do you trouble yourself for what you shall see for yourself? What more shall I say to you about my illusion? When a land becomes arid, that is my illusion, just as the moon waxes and wanes, changing its form fortnight by fortnight. At the new moon, when the moon is not seen, this too is my illusion. “When coolness arises in the heat of summer, that is my illusion. When the sun rises in the east at dawn, O beautiful one, it is my illusion at play. When a creature is born in the womb, the soul enters and experiences both pleasure and pain—this is also my illusion. And when that being is born, it forgets all that came before; this is my supreme illusion. By action, one is led elsewhere, moved by karma—this, too, is my supreme illusion. “The fingers, feet, arms, head, and waist; the ears, eyes, skull, forehead, and tongue—all these are shaped by my illusion. What is eaten and drunk is digested by the fire within, by my power. The senses—sound, touch, form, taste, and smell—each has its own form in every season, both among the immobile and the mobile beings. “There are celestial waters and terrestrial waters, in which all things are established. When rain falls, the ponds and lakes fill with abundant water. From the peaks of the Himalayas flows the sacred river Mandākinī. The clouds, having drawn up water from the salty ocean, carry it away to fall as rain. “Some creatures, afflicted by disease, consume great medicinal herbs, yet even when medicine is given, sometimes the creature meets its end. First, the embryo forms in the womb; then, the person is born. In time, the senses are destroyed—this too is the power of my illusion. Again, this is my illusion, manifest in all things, endowed with leaves and many forms. “Through this illusion, I release the nectar of life again and again. Becoming Garuḍa, swift as thought, I carry myself by myself wherever I wish. Having created this illusion, I perform sacrifices for the dwellers of heaven. And, assuming the Angirasa illusion, I cause the gods themselves to perform sacrifices.” Thus, the Lord revealed to Earth the workings of his supreme illusion, the mysterious power by which all creation moves and changes, ever sustained by his will.