In a sacred and tranquil hermitage, divine in its atmosphere, the foremost sages gathered—those who deeply understood the essence of the Vedas, wise and resolute in their vows. It was here that the great sage Vyāsa imparted his teachings, guiding these noble souls with his words along the virtuous path. Upon the revered mountain of Kālañjara stood the mighty god Śiva, lord of all holy places. In this sanctified region, if one were to undertake a twelve-year vow, remaining unattached to worldly things, and then journey to the Himalayas to reach the vicinity of Badarī, such a person—pure in spirit and possessing vision of past, present, and future—would surely attain perfection. Elsewhere, at the sacred place of Kṛṣṇa, among the lineage of the Pāñcālas, there lived a brāhmaṇa named Vasu, as the tradition recounts. Stricken by a terrible famine, Vasu and his wife journeyed southward in search of sustenance. There, he settled and lived according to the ways of a brāhmaṇa. In this new land, Vasu was given a maiden as his wife—she was blessed with wealth and abundant grain. Yet, in time, Vasu gathered her bones and traveled to Mathurā. It is said that one in whose bones a crescent shape is found dwells eternally in heaven. Accompanying a caravan, that maiden too reached Mathurā. She was a vision of beauty—her limbs delicate, her hair dark and curly, her fingers and toes perfectly shaped, her nails bright and coppery, radiating auspiciousness. She possessed a slender waist, a smooth belly, and full, high breasts. Her features were harmonious: fine nails, lovely eyes, graceful brows, and pleasing speech. Whoever saw her, or was seen by her, could not help but be captivated. Devoted to bathing at holy places, this maiden caught the attention of the king of Kānyakubja, a ruler steadfast in his kṣatriya duty, prosperous, and pleasing to behold. Among the king’s courtesans, she was enticed by their ways and, drawn to singing and dancing, she adopted their lifestyle. Thus, the young maiden lived among the attendants of that noble lord. So concludes the chapter describing the greatness of Mathurā and the power of Kṛṣṇa-Gaṅgā and Kāliñjara, as told in the glorious Varāha Purāṇa. Then, Lord Varāha spoke: Taking the merchant’s goods and traveling with the caravan, Vasu became both wealthy and handsome. In due course, the caravan reached the illustrious city of Mathurā. Early one morning, the Pāñcāla, accompanied by his men and filled with pride, arrived in a splendid vehicle. After beholding the deity, he gave many gifts, again and again, with great devotion. Out of curiosity, he also visited the deity known as Gartteshvara. With deep respect, he approached a woman named Dhātreyikā and, overtaken by greed and delusion, presented her with necklaces of jewels as he had done before. He made it his practice always to bathe at the holy place near the source of the Krishna and Ganga rivers. In this manner, six months passed by. One day, someone from his own hermitage saw him—his body now covered with worms, having arrived in this pitiable state. Each time he bathed, a heap of worms would fall away from him. The sage Sumantu witnessed this astonishing phenomenon for many days, and, troubled by anxious thoughts, he finally questioned Vasu, his heart filled with suspicion and concern.