If one seeks the highest attainment, he surely reaches my world. This, O great goddess, is what I have revealed to you; tell me, what else would you wish to hear? Thus concludes the one hundred forty-fifth chapter, known as "The Greatness of the Śālagrāma Field," in the divine scripture, the Śrī Varāha Purāṇa. Now begins the account of the greatness of Hṛṣīkeśa at Ruru Kṣetra. Having listened to the secret and mighty glory of Śālagrāma, the Earth herself spoke: “O greatly fortunate one, hearing this, I am now free from distress. That place you have called Ruruṣaṇḍa, so supremely honored by your worship—O Hṛṣīkeśa, that supreme field which you have taken refuge in by that name—tell me of its greatness.” Śrī Varāha replied: “In the noble lineage of Bhṛgu, there was born a sage who had mastered the Vedas and all their branches. He was skilled in the sciences of sacrifice, steadfast in his vows, and ever fond of welcoming guests. His hermitage was surrounded by peaceful herds of deer and abounded in roots, bulbs, and fruits. For more than ten thousand years, he practiced his austerities, and then Indra, king of the gods, took notice. The Lord of the gods, his mind and senses unsettled, spoke with sweet words: ‘As I ponder, I see that you alone are the supreme path for me.’ On hearing Indra’s words, the winds of desire began to stir. Indra mused, ‘Whose mind, even if self-controlled, can we not disturb?’ Thus resolved, he said, ‘With your permission, speak quickly and be happy. For when I saw you, my anxiety vanished at once.’ At that time, the sage, devoted to Hṛṣīkeśa, was residing on the beautiful snowy mountain. Indra, suspecting that the sage’s austerities might threaten his own position, thought, ‘Surely, desiring to seize my place, you should turn back from this austerity.’ Led by Kāma, the god of desire, the gods resolved to act. Then Śakra, the lord of the gods, summoned the celestial nymph Pramlocā. ‘Go, auspicious lady,’ he commanded, ‘and bring victory on earth over the sage. Enchant him with your graceful and free delights, and bring him under your sway. Do this, and may all be well with you, near Hṛṣīkeśa.’ So, in the delightful grove nearby, thick with many trees and creepers, filled with the fragrance of blossoming mango clusters and the sweet essence of nectar, where the air was cooled by the Malaya breeze and Gandharvas sang their melodious songs, Pramlocā entered. By the power of the sage, all cruelty had been banished from the pools and streams of that place. There, the beautiful-hipped Pramlocā began to sing a sweet and enchanting song. She sang in the style of the Gandharvas, and those celestial musicians, esteemed among the gods, joined in her melody. Picking up the flowery bow, she fitted the arrows of desire. Hearing that sweet song, delightful in its fivefold melody, Kāma, the god of love, drew his bow again and again, tireless in his efforts. He wandered throughout the hermitage, his mind content as he surveyed the scene. When the sage beheld Pramlocā, whose limbs were lovely and radiant, he was pierced by the arrow of desire. She, too, with eyes soft and shy like a doe, gazed at the sage Devadatta and felt her heart drawn to him. Striking a ball with her hand, her restless eyes full of charm, she appeared exceedingly beautiful. With graceful, playful gestures, she captivated the mind of the sage. She wore a fine garment as her lower cloth, adorned with a girdle of gold. Enchanted by her beauty and allure, the sage approached Pramlocā and spoke to her.