Śrī Varāha, the divine boar, spoke to the Earth with gentle solemnity: “O Vasudhā, I shall reveal to you a secret, precious and profound—known as Śālagrāma.” He continued, “Listen, O blessed one. In the Dvāpara age, among the noble Yadu lineage, there was a most fortunate son, steadfast in all his duties. His wife, O Vasudhā, was graced with beauty in every limb. In her womb, I shall take birth—of this, there can be no doubt.” Varāha described how, after the departure of this foremost Yadava, for the sake of worshipping the Lord, he wandered in all ten directions, seeking the divine. In time, his devoted wife journeyed to Piṇḍāraka, that sacred field beloved of the Lord. “O Vasundharā,” Varāha said, “know that in ancient times, I too was present there with Īśvara, the Lord of all yogis. Together, we were established in that holy place.” He described the sanctity of Piṇḍāraka, where Lord Hara, united with the Lord in the form of a fish, eternally abides. “There, I myself remain forever in the form of a mountain. These sacred forms must be worshipped with utmost care—especially those marked with the discus, for they are most auspicious.” Varāha then spoke of the stones found in that place: some resembling the navel of Śiva, others the navel of the discus. There, Soma established the supreme liṅga, bearing his own name. Freed from a curse and radiant with splendor, Soma beheld the manifestation of the boon-giving Triambaka arising from Someśvara. With deep reverence, Soma offered praise: “I bow to the five-faced, blue-throated, three-eyed Lord, the divine One adorned with the crescent moon, worshipped by all the gods. I bow to the trident-bearer, whose radiant hand holds the ḍamaru drum, who has the bull as his banner. I honor the destroyer of the three cities, the great Time, the slayer of Andhaka and others. Salutations to the Lord adorned with a serpent as sacred thread and a garland of Rudras, whose eyes are fire, moon, and sun, who is beyond the reach of mind and speech. I bow to Śambhu, dwelling on Kailāsa, who made the Himālayan peaks his hermitage.” Pleased, the Lord addressed Soma: “Choose a boon, auspicious one, whatever abides in your mind.” Soma replied, “Grant the cherished wish of the devotees of this liṅga.” The Lord of gods answered, “Especially in this place of yours, from today onward, O protector of cows, another supreme form of mine shall surely reside here—of this there is no doubt. I shall grant you boons, auspicious one, that are difficult even for the gods to obtain. Together with Viṣṇu, I have deliberated, O treasure of arts, and we have resolved: Of those two mountains, the stones known as Viṣṇu-śilā and Śiva-śilā—” He continued, “With the wish, ‘May I have a son like you,’ a boon must be granted to Revā, O moon-marked one. In the form of a liṅga, O goddess, with Gaṇeśa at the forefront, you are known as my other form, O auspicious one, as the water-formed (jalamayī) manifestation.” Thus, having received the boon, Revā came into the Lord’s presence. Long ago, Gaṇḍakī too had performed austerities for ten thousand years, O wise one. For a hundred divine years, she practiced penance, meditating on Viṣṇu with unwavering devotion. Pleased by her steadfastness, the compassionate Lord, lover of the devoted, spoke sweetly to her: “O virtuous one, choose a boon, your devotion unwavering.