By my very presence, you shall become the foremost among all rivers, declared the divine. You will possess the power to wash away even the gravest sins, whether they arise from thought, word, or deed. Those who honor their ancestors through your waters will not only deliver their forebears but guide them onward to heaven. And such a devotee, too, shall attain my supreme abode—a realm where no sorrow can touch them. Having thus bestowed these boons upon the river goddess, the Lord vanished from that place. Then I, the blessed Viṣṇu, taking form by the will of my devotee, radiated my light upon the limbs of the lord of stars, cleansing him completely. As the Moon himself looked on, I disappeared from sight. The stream revealed by Rāvaṇa is a source of immense merit. To the east of Soma’s lordly presence lies Rāvaṇa’s hermitage. There, by his fervent dance, Rāvaṇa pleased the lord of gods, who granted him a boon. Whoever bathes in the sacred Bāṇa Gaṅgā and beholds Lord Bāṇeśvara will, like the sage of the Ālaṅkāyana lineage, swiftly attain the highest spiritual status in that holy field. Now, O Earth, I shall share with you another supreme and secret matter. Understanding the highest intent, the great god Maheśvara, employing his yogic illusion, became the son of the sage Ālaṅkāyana. Endowed with the wondrous power of yoga, the three-eyed, trident-bearing Lord was born in this way. Though he remained devoted to my worship, none recognized him for who he truly was. Arise, O tiger among sages, for your wish has been fulfilled. You performed austerities together with the Lord, seeking a son. Thus, I myself have been born to you as your child. You have attained the highest accomplishment, for I, your son, remain with you. Amazed, the sage wondered aloud, “How is it that Hari has not yet appeared to me? Until I behold him, I shall not cease my austerities.” Then he was instructed: “Through the power of yoga, go quickly to Mathurā. Bring Āmuṣyāyaṇa here at once.” Receiving this command, Nandī set out swiftly. Upon reaching Mathurā, he encountered Āmuṣyāyaṇa and inquired after his name. Āmuṣyāyaṇa, a disciple of Sālaṃkāyana, responded, “Tell me, is the guru well? Where does that ascetic reside? Please share all the details, and let me offer the customary arghya.” Nandī recounted all that had occurred and explained the purpose of his coming. After some days, they arrived at the banks of the Gaṇḍakī river. There, by divine power, a woman named Devikā was engaged in intense austerities. Beyond her hermitage lay another, belonging to the sages Pulastya and Pulaha. This sacred place, called Kāmika, is most beloved by the ancestors. O goddess, by visiting it, one attains both liberation and enjoyment, and even the most severe sins are destroyed. The Earth then spoke: “This place is known as Śūlaṭaṅka and also as Someśa. Here too, Viṣṇu himself dwells under the name Veṇī Mādhava. It is cherished by all the gods, revered by sages, and beloved even by the lakes themselves.