A great obstacle arose, causing the loss of austerity. In response, a resolute vow was made: “I will undertake severe austerity and dry up this body.” With this determination, the sage bathed at the sacred confluence of the Gaṇḍakī, offering oblations to both ancestors and gods, fulfilling his duties with devotion. After these rites, he journeyed slowly northward. Along the way, he beheld the serene and beautiful hermitage of Bhṛgu, a place filled with spiritual energy. Upon seeing this sacred site, he rested on its banks, contemplating deeply on the greatness of austerity. There, his longing for a vision of Lord Śiva intensified, and he began severe penance, his heart set on beholding the Lord. Moved by his devotion, Śiva manifested at that very place in the form of a liṅga, appearing both above and below, pervading all. With a gracious heart, Śiva spoke: “O sage, behold me—Śiva. That which you have previously seen of me in a subtle form, now you witness as one. By seeing us as one, you shall attain perfection. This place will become famous as Samaṅgama. Here, the fruit of yoga will reach completion—there is no doubt.” By the grace of Śiva, the sage Devadatta attained supreme knowledge. Meanwhile, Pramlocā, having conceived the sage’s child, departed from the hermitage. Śucismitā, feeling as if newly born, smiled with pure joy. With firm resolve, she too dedicated herself to austerity. In the first month, Śucismitā sustained herself solely on fruits. On the fifth day of the third month, and again in the interval of the seventh in the fourth month, she observed further penance. By the seventh and eighth months, she ate only fallen leaves. Thus, for a hundred years, her mind remained unwavering, fixed solely on Hara, the great Lord. Her detachment grew so profound that she no longer perceived the pairs of opposites, nor did she see any being apart from herself. The earth itself became enveloped in a radiant glow, and with her senses restrained, nothing external remained in her awareness. At that moment, I, the Lord, stood manifest before her very eyes. There, I became known as Hṛṣīkeśa, established in that holy place. Seeing me standing before her, she bowed low with joined palms in reverence. Her body was thrilled, resembling the tender buds of the kadamba tree. “O young maiden with wide eyes,” I said, “I am pleased with your austerity. I grant you even that which is not to be given, which is exceedingly rare for others.” With hands joined, she praised me, the Lord of gods. Satisfied by her devotion, I offered her a boon difficult for others to obtain. She replied, “If you are pleased with me, O Lord of gods, then make me pure.” To this, I spoke again, “O blessed goddess, by your name, this sacred place will become renowned. By seeing me here, one becomes purified—there is no doubt in my words. Those who do not respect this sanctity will quickly meet their end.” In time, Śucismitā herself became a tīrtha, a sacred place of pilgrimage. Thus was revealed the supreme secret of the origin of Ruru Kṣetra. This concludes the one hundred forty-sixth chapter, entitled “The Glory of Ruru-kshetra and Rishikesh,” in the divine scripture of the Śrī Varāha Purāṇa. Now begins the account of another wondrous event—the greatness of the cow’s departure—which, too, originates from the sacred region of Ruru-kshetra.