Having established his sons—Bharata and the others—as rulers over the seven continents, the great King Priyavrata withdrew from worldly affairs. He journeyed to a vast and sacred land, where he devoted himself to intense austerities, seeking spiritual realization. While Priyavrata was thus engaged in his penances, the sage Nārada, ever eager to meet the righteous, came to visit him. Nārada approached, shining in the sky with the radiance of the sun itself. Priyavrata, seeing the illustrious sage, rose with joy to greet him, offering all due honors. He provided Nārada with a seat and water for his feet, and together they exchanged words of welcome and respect. When their conversation drew to a close, Priyavrata, eager for wisdom, addressed Nārada, the knower of Brahman. “O revered one,” Priyavrata asked, “tell me, Nārada, of any wonder you have seen or heard in this age of Krita.” Nārada replied, “Indeed, I have seen a wonder, Priyavrata. Listen as I recount it. Only yesterday, O king, I traveled to the island called Shveta. There, I beheld a lake splendid with blooming lotuses. On its shore, I saw a maiden with wide, beautiful eyes. Amazed, I gazed upon her, for she was radiant and serene. “I approached her and asked, ‘Who are you, gentle one? Why are you here, and what is your purpose? Please tell me, O beautiful maiden, what you intend to do.’ She looked at me with unblinking eyes and remained silent, lost in remembrance. In that very moment, I felt my supreme knowledge slip away—all the Vedas, the scriptures, the teachings of yoga, and the traditions of the Vedas were forgotten by me. “O King, the instant I saw her, everything I knew was taken from me. I was filled with astonishment, anxiety, and sorrow. Seeking refuge in her, I continued to gaze upon her. Then, within her body, a divine man appeared. Within her heart was another, and upon his chest yet another—splendid, red-eyed, and shining with the brilliance of twelve suns. Thus I saw three men within the maiden’s body. But in a moment, O virtuous one, they vanished, and only the maiden remained. “Perplexed, I questioned the goddess, ‘How have my Vedas been lost? O blessed one, tell me the cause of their disappearance.’ “The maiden replied, ‘I am the mother of all the Vedas, known as Sāvitrī. Because you did not recognize me, your Vedas were taken from you.’ “When she had spoken, O King, I, filled with wonder, asked her, ‘Who are these men? Please tell me, O beautiful one.’ “She answered, ‘He who dwells in my body, with beautiful eyes and perfect limbs, is the god Nārāyaṇa himself, called the Ṛgveda. Becoming fire, he swiftly burns away sins through recitation. The one you saw within his heart is Brahmā of great might, abiding in the form of the Yajurveda. He who is seated upon his chest, pure and radiant, is Rudra in the form of the Sāmaveda. Like the sun, he is remembered as one who swiftly destroys sins. These three are the great Vedas, O brāhmaṇa, and are revered as three gods. They are the syllables beginning with “a” and the sacrificial rites, O twice-born. ‘All this I have told you in brief. Receive now the Vedas, the scriptures, and omniscience, O Nārada. In this lake of the Vedas, perform your bath, O great vow-holder. By bathing here, you will remember your previous births, O noble one.’ “Having spoken thus, the maiden vanished, O king. I bathed in that sacred lake and, my knowledge restored, I have now come here, wishing to see you.” Hearing this wondrous account, Priyavrata’s curiosity deepened. He asked, “O blessed one, tell me everything that happened in my previous birth. My heart is filled with great curiosity, O sage.” Nārada replied, “O king, after I had bathed in the lake of the Vedas and heard the words of Sāvitrī, in that very moment I remembered a thousand previous births. Listen, and I shall tell you the story of my former existence. “There is a city called Avantī, O king, where I was once a foremost brāhmaṇa named Sārasvata, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches. Surrounded by many servants and possessed of abundant grain, I lived in the Krita age, endowed with supreme wisdom. “One day, reflecting in solitude, I thought, ‘What shall I do with all this?’ Renouncing everything, I entrusted my wealth to my sons and departed, my mind firmly set on asceticism, journeying swiftly to the sacred Sarasvata lake. “There, I worshipped Keśava through ritual acts, offering śrāddha to my ancestors, sacrifices to the gods, and offerings to all beings. Then I traveled to the lake Sarasvata—also known as Puṣkara—with my mind fixed on austerity. “There, I worshipped Viṣṇu, the ancient and auspicious Person, with devotion, reciting the mantra of Nārāyaṇa. By reciting the supreme hymn which leads to the highest Brahman, the Blessed Lord was pleased and appeared before me in person. “Priyavrata then asked, ‘What is that supreme hymn to Brahman? I wish to hear it, O noble one. Kindly tell me, O devarṣi, with your mind so well disposed.’ “Nārada replied, ‘I bow always to the Supreme, the immortal of the immortals, the ancient, the transcendent, Viṣṇu of infinite power, the eternal Person, the ancient refuge, who has crossed beyond the highest. ‘I bow to Hari, the Lord, the ancient, incomparable, and primeval God, who is both transcendent and immanent, who has crossed beyond, of fierce brilliance, the foremost among those of deep and profound intellect. ‘I praise Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme among the supreme, the highest, the pure abode, the vast one, the Lord beyond the highest, the ancient Person, with a purified heart. ‘Long ago, when this world was void, He created it; then, as the prime Person, He remained established. Renowned among people, may that pure and ancient Nārāyaṇa be my refuge. ‘I always praise Viṣṇu, the Supreme, the one of boundless form, the ancient, the foremost among the wise, who is steadfast in patience, upholder of peace, Lord of the earth, ever auspicious, of great glory. ‘I praise Nārāyaṇa, the immortal Supreme Lord, with a thousand heads, endless feet, many arms, whose eyes are the moon and sun, the perishable and imperishable, who sleeps upon the ocean of milk.’ “Thus, O king, I recited this hymn and worshipped the Lord, and by His grace all was revealed to me.