Freed by her captors, Sarama, trembling with anxiety, hastened to the assembly of the gods and respectfully bowed before Indra, the foremost among them. Meanwhile, the Maruts—those storm deities appointed by Indra—secretly set out, accompanied by the powerful divine dog, to offer their protection. Acting on Indra’s command, they departed swiftly, adopting subtle forms, and upon reaching their destination, they bowed before Indra on the sacred mountain. Indra, lord of the gods, questioned Sarama, “Where are the cows, Sarama?” To this, Sarama replied, “I do not know.” Indra’s anger flared, and turning to the Maruts, he demanded, “Where are the cows prepared for the sacrifice?” He questioned the divine dog as well. Thus addressed on the mountain, the Maruts, anxious and respectful, recounted to Indra all that Sarama had done. Enraged, Indra rose and struck the divine dog with his foot, his wrath immense, for he is the wielder of the thunderbolt and sovereign of the gods. He rebuked Sarama too, saying, “You have foolishly drunk the milk, and the cows have been taken by the demons.” With these words, he struck Sarama with his foot on the mountain. From Indra’s blow, milk streamed from Sarama’s mouth. The divine dog, following the trail of milk, went to the place where the cows were hidden. Indra, with his army, followed along the mountain path. Upon arrival, Indra saw the cows fiercely guarded by powerful demons. The gods’ armies attacked, and the demons, defeated, abandoned the cows and returned to their own forms. Surrounded by his delighted allies, the lord of the gods, Mahendra, recovered the cows and rejoiced greatly. In celebration, that lord performed thousands of sacrifices of many kinds, and through these offerings, Indra’s strength grew even greater. Empowered by these rites, Indra addressed the army of gods, urging, “Let the gods quickly arm themselves for the destruction of the demons.” Thus instructed, the gods at once took up their weapons and, together with Indra, marched forth to battle. A great conflict ensued. The gods fought swiftly and overcame the asura army. The surviving asuras, terrified and bewildered, plunged into the depths of the ocean to escape. Victorious, the king of the gods, together with the guardians of the worlds, ascended to heaven. There, as before, the divine Indra enjoyed his sovereignty. It is said that whoever listens daily to this excellent account in its entirety attains the fruit of the Gomedha sacrifice. And any king who has lost his kingdom, if he listens to this story with focused mind, will regain his realm, just as Indra regained heaven. Then, the Earth herself spoke: “O god, those noble men who were born at that time among the jewels—what boon did the Blessed One grant them in the Treta Yuga? Who will those kings be, and how will they arise? What deeds did they perform? Tell me their separate names.” Śrī Varāha replied: “O Upholder of Beings, listen as I recount to you the origin of Suprabha, the jewel-born king of great mind. In the beginning, in the Krita Yuga, there was a mighty-armed king named Śrutakīrti, renowned throughout the three worlds for his strength. O Earth, Suprabha, the jewel-born, became his son; Śrutakīrti, powerful and virtuous, was also known as Prajāpāla. “One day, Prajāpāla ventured into the forest to hunt wild beasts. There, he came upon the blessed hermitage of a sage. In that place dwelled the sage Mahātapas, devoted to a higher dharma, practicing severe austerities, fasting, and reciting the eternal Brahman. “The illustrious king Prajāpāla, intent on entering, made up his mind and stepped into the hermitage of the great ascetic. The hermitage was a wondrous place, with many kinds of trees springing from the earth, well-trodden paths, creeper-houses glowing in the moonlight, and bees, masters of their hives, moving freely. “Divine maidens, their fingers and nails tender and reddish like lotuses, walked in graceful rows beneath the trees, their beauty surpassing even that of Indra’s slayer of Vṛtra. Nearby, many delighted birds and intoxicated six-legged creatures dwelled among the richly flowered branches, which intertwined in abundance. “The grove-houses of kadamba, nīpa, arjuna, and śāla trees resounded with the sweet songs of birds. The people there were kind and undisturbed, steadfast in their duties. Smoke from sacrificial fires rose on all sides, tended by householders and twice-born sages. These sages, best among men, were like lions among elephants, sharp-toothed and splendid-maned. “As the king observed the many marvels of the hermitage, he entered and beheld the great ascetic, blazing with intense energy, chief among the virtuous, seated on a silken seat, radiant like the sun, foremost among knowers of Brahman. Seeing the victorious king among the deer, the king’s mind, influenced by the sage’s presence, forgot its original intent. Yet, having come before the sage, the king turned his thoughts toward righteousness. “The sage, seeing the sinless protector of his people, performed the rites of welcome for the king, offering him a seat and hospitality. Once seated, the king bowed to the eminent sage and asked him a most difficult question concerning the earth: ‘O venerable one, you whose vows are renowned, please tell me—what should those do who, afflicted by the suffering of worldly existence, wish to cross over it?’ “The great ascetic replied: ‘For those sinking in the ocean of worldly existence, a steadfast and reliable boat must be fashioned—through worship, charity, offerings, various sacrifices, and meditation. Fasten it with the pegs of liberation, tie it with strong cords of breath and life-force. O king, make the Lord of the three worlds your boat. “‘O lord of kings, whoever worships with devotion and bows to Nārāyaṇa, destroyer of hell and lord of the gods, becomes free from sorrow and attains that supreme, sorrowless, imperishable abode of Viṣṇu.’ “The king then asked, ‘O venerable one, knower of all dharma, how is the eternal Viṣṇu to be worshipped by those who desire liberation? Please tell me truly.’ “The great ascetic answered, ‘Listen, O wise king, to how Viṣṇu is pleased—so too Hari, the lord of all yogis, for both men and women.