He crossed the sacred waters of the Yamunā and, upon reaching that auspicious place of restraint, his sins—lingering only slightly, as a mother might cling to her child—were at once swept away along with his very breath. In the land of Saurāṣṭra, O goddess, there lived a Kṣatriya named Dhanurdhara. He ruled the earth, faithfully upholding the duties of his warrior lineage. Among his hundred wives, Vasunghara was the chief, noble and distinguished. Time flowed gently for the king, who enjoyed the pleasures of life in splendid palaces and on the banks of shining rivers. As the years passed, he grew increasingly attached to these enjoyments. Seven sons and five beautiful daughters were born to him, and he established his sons as lords over the earth, securing their positions. Yet, even amid all this prosperity, the king became troubled and, awakened from his comfort, would cry out repeatedly, “Alas!” Noticing his distress, Pivari approached and asked gently, “Why do you speak thus, O king?” She observed that, whether intoxicated, asleep, or careless, his words had become incoherent. Pivari then spoke with resolve: “O lord, if you do not protect me, I shall give up my life.” Hearing the earnestness in his beloved's words, the king replied with sincerity. “I shall go and speak the truth as it is, O auspicious-faced one. Having established our sons and grandsons in their proper places, O beloved, I have honored the people of the city. If it pleases you, O sinless ones, I will appoint my sons to the kingdom. People always desire what Yama, the Lord of Death, wishes; they do not wish otherwise.” He continued, “Therefore, with all effort, let us journey to the city of Mathurā. I have now come to realize that there is no happiness greater than renunciation. There is no suffering equal to attachment, and no joy surpasses the happiness of letting go. Indeed, the abandonment of all desires is considered the highest good.” With this resolve, the king, accompanied by a fourfold army and his citizens, beheld the beautiful city of Mathurā, radiant like the city of Indra himself. There lies the delightful Madhuvana, the supreme abode of Viṣṇu. On the eleventh day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhādrapada, one may visit the forest called Kundavana, the third and most excellent among forests. Or, on the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of Bhādrapada, one may seek out Kāmyakavana, the best of forests. At the pure pond within these forests, all sins are washed away. The fifth, Bakula forest, stands foremost among them. On the farthest shore of the Yamunā lies a place so difficult to attain that even the gods find it challenging. There, O Earth, my devotee who is wholly devoted to me shall go. The seventh forest, renowned among people, is Khādira forest. The eighth is the great forest, always especially dear to me. There is also the forest called Lohajaṅgha, protected by its namesake. The tenth is the Bilva forest, a place worshipped by the gods. The eleventh is Bhāṇḍīra, most excellent and beloved of yogis. Upon reaching Bhāṇḍīra, the foremost of all forests, the journey finds its sacred culmination.