In the tranquil hermitage, she drew her flowery bow and fitted the arrows, her actions graceful and deliberate. As the sweet song, enchanting with its fivefold melody, filled the air, Kāma himself repeatedly drew his bow, tireless in his pursuit. He wandered through the hermitage, his mind satisfied as he took in the beauty around him. Then, Kāma’s gaze fell upon her—her limbs lovely, her presence radiant—and he was pierced by the arrow of desire. She too, her eyes soft and restless like a doe’s, gazed at Devadatta and found herself drawn to him. With a playful gesture, she struck the ball with her hand, her charming, restless eyes enhancing her beauty. Her graceful and playful movements captivated the mind of the sage. She wore a fine garment as her lower cloth, adorned with a golden girdle. Enchanted by her, the sage approached and spoke to her: “Why do you seek beings like me? Do you hunt deer with the noose of your arms?” He continued, “In every way, we are under your control; whatever you wish, let it be done.” Taking her laughing by the right hand, he enjoyed delightful pleasures with her. For many days, as chance allowed, they spent time together, indulging in joy and companionship. But suddenly, the sage became weary and, greatly afflicted, spoke with regret. Though he knew, he had fallen from his austerity, overpowered by fate. Reflecting, he realized, “Such is the talk of fools; there is a great difference when one truly reflects. A man, merely by seeing a woman, melts away, bewildered.” Having spoken thus, his mind withdrawn, he dismissed the celestial maiden. Here, a great obstacle had arisen, causing the loss of his austerity. Determined to regain his spiritual strength, he declared, “I will undertake severe austerity and dry up this body.” He bathed at the confluence of the Gaṇḍakī river, offering satisfaction to the ancestors and the gods. Slowly, he proceeded northward, beholding the beautiful hermitage of Bhṛgu. Having seen it, he rested on the banks and contemplated the place of austerity. There, he performed severe austerity, longing for a vision of Śiva. In response, Śiva appeared before him, assuming the form of a liṅga—manifest above and below. With a gracious heart, Śiva spoke: “O sage, behold me—Śiva. That which you have previously seen of me in a subtle form, now, seeing us as one, you shall attain perfection. This place will become renowned as Samaṅgama. The fruit of your yoga here will be complete—of this there is no doubt.” Thus, the sage Devadatta attained supreme knowledge. Pramlocā, having conceived the sage’s child, departed from the vicinity of the hermitage. Śucismitā, feeling as if reborn, smiled with purity. Then, having firmly resolved, she set her mind to austerity. In the first month, the girl subsisted solely on fruits. On the fifth day of the third month, and during the interval of the seventh in the fourth month, she continued her penance. In the seventh and eighth months, she ate only fallen leaves. Thus, for a hundred years, she remained, her mind fixed solely on Hara, steadfast in her devotion.