He alone, embodying eternal time itself, persistently asked the same profound question, seeking both the inquiry and its answer. Desiring clarity, Gokarna once again bowed humbly before the assembled ones. He said, “If you reveal the cause of my disfigurement and suffering—even though it is meant to be kept secret—” and with these words, he waited. Then, among them, one stepped forward and spoke gently, “Listen, child. I will tell you how this disfigurement came to be. “There is a delightful city called Madhu, a place that grants liberation to men. With devotion, he went there, observing the sacred rites of the four holy months. The city was adorned with splendid pleasure gardens, surrounded by excellent walls. Within those gardens stood trees, fruitful and charming in every season. “But all those pleasure gardens, with their flourishing trees, were destroyed by the king’s servants. Though many tried to stop them, those with wicked minds persisted in their destruction. Like a lion trapped in a cage, he wondered in despair, ‘Who will save us?’ And she cried out, her voice loud and distressed, lamenting, ‘Alas, how terrible this is!’ “It is known that Gokarna, too, was deeply afflicted in many ways by these events. Yet, with joined palms and a gentle, sorrowful voice, he gradually consoled them, saying, ‘If I am present there, I will restrain that king.’ “As soon as these words were spoken, all of them regained their composure and asked, ‘Who are you? Tell us, and why have you come here from your place?’ Gokarna replied, ‘Once, I saw you all, beautiful in form and lovely-eyed. Now you have become disheveled, which increases my sorrow.’ “In front of him, the eldest among them spoke, adorned with flowers of her kind. She said, ‘At that time, we had pleasing forms, beautiful limbs, and were devoted to the growth of flowers. But we were afflicted by royal officials, who cut and uprooted us. Deprived of our garlands of flowers, only our roots and trunks remained. ‘The deity here is a stone, enclosed in a lump of clay or brick. This water-filled vessel is meritorious; it serves as the irrigation for that grove. And those trees bearing fruit, and those of gold, O best one—if they are destroyed, such deformity as you see here will not occur.’ “Gokarna then asked, ‘Tell me the meritorious result of making well-deities there.’ “Jyeshtha answered, ‘By sacrifice, one attains heaven; by charitable works, one attains liberation. Reservoirs, wells, ponds, and shrines of the deities—these are all praiseworthy. The worlds obtained by giving land and by giving cows are highly praised. Planting one peepal, one pichumanda, one banyan, and ten kinds of flowering trees—just as a good son uplifts the family, so, with great effort and discipline, does the planter uplift his lineage.’ “Gokarna added, ‘By providing shade and rest for travelers, and shelter for birds, these trees serve many beings. Their leaves, roots, bark, and other parts are used as medicine for living beings. Their wood is used for household purposes, and they are homes for small creatures as well. In the middle of the year, they bear fruit twice; birds and others enjoy them. Thus, those who know reality understand the planting of sons in this way.’ Sri Varaha, hearing all this, exclaimed, ‘Alas! How terrible!’ and overcome with emotion, he became unconscious and fell to the ground. The wise one was consoled and revived by those around him, who sprinkled water upon him. When he regained consciousness, Gokarna said, ‘In Mathura, that garden and temple belong to me. If I go there, may it be in the presence of the king of the ancestors.