Śrī Varāha spoke of the sacredness of Govardhana, declaring that there, a devotee should undertake a fast and perform the holy circumambulation of the mountain. At dawn, after the sun has risen, one ought to bathe in the pure waters of Mānasa Gaṅgā. With heart and body purified, the pilgrim should then proceed to Puṇḍarīka, and bathe in its pond according to the prescribed rites. Through these acts, all sins are washed away, and the devotee is made worthy of reaching the abode of Hari. There, after bathing and making offerings to the ancestors, one receives the promised spiritual reward. The sacred place known as Saṃkarṣaṇa is under the protection of Balabhadra himself, and by bathing there, one swiftly attains the fruit of merit without a shadow of doubt. It was at this very place that Kṛṣṇa, for the sake of worship, interrupted Indra’s sacrifice. Having performed deeds that brought satisfaction to all, he spoke directly with Indra. In those days, the great mountain was lifted up by Kṛṣṇa to protect the cows, and the gods, goddesses, cows, and sages were all present to witness the marvel. At this hallowed site, by making offerings, one gains the merit equal to a hundred sacrifices. After bathing and honoring the ancestors as prescribed, the devotee attains the world of Brahmā. There, even by bathing or merely beholding the place, one receives the fruit of the great Vājapeya sacrifice. Having bathed in the pond and offered oblations to the ancestors, one fulfills one’s duty and ascends to heaven. It was also here, together with Ariṣṭa, that a great battle was fought. Out of anger, by a blow of his heel, Kṛṣṇa established a sacred place upon the earth. In this very spot, after bathing, Kṛṣṇa slew the mighty demon who had taken the form of a bull. The sinful Ariṣṭa was vanquished, and a pond bearing his name was created, with a sacred site nearby. By bathing in the Ariṣṭa and Rādhā ponds, the pilgrim attains the highest spiritual fruit. Even the gravest sins, such as the killing of a cow or a Brahmin, are swiftly destroyed. By merely seeing these sacred waters, one is freed from all sins. The site known as Indradhvaja bestows the highest liberation. Then Hara himself proclaimed the unsurpassed fruits of this pilgrimage. Having completed the sacred journey to these holy places, one should also keep vigil through the night, especially on the auspicious night of Ekādaśī. Whoever does so, grants liberation to their ancestors. “O blessed one,” said Varāha, “thus have I described the circumambulation of Annakūṭa.” Whoever listens with devotion to this account of Hari’s pilgrimage to the sacred sites is greatly blessed. Thus concludes the sixty-fourth chapter, named ‘The Power of the Circumambulation of Annakūṭa,’ in the section on the glory of Govardhana within the Mathurā Māhātmya of the Śrī Varāha Purāṇa. Śrī Varāha continued: In the southern lands, as this tradition was being established, there lived a merchant in that city by the name of Suśīla. He was ever engaged in the support and care of his family, and as the years passed, he remained absorbed in his trade of buying and selling. Never once did he listen to discourses on dharma. For the sake of his own livelihood, he constantly committed sinful acts. The thought of giving charity never arose in his mind. Though he possessed wealth, that man, bound by sin, did not give anything to others. Thus, a long time passed, his mind ever attached to his family.