After entering deep meditation for a brief moment, I perceived her presence. Then, ascending that lofty mountain peak, the lords of the gods gathered together. There, amidst a herd of deer, they saw him—standing tall as if he were their guardian and protector. His appearance was striking: a lovely face, beautiful eyes and teeth, white spots gracing his back, lips the color of ripe bimba fruit, and a coppery tongue and mouth. He was adorned with tusk-like sprouts, adding to his wondrous form. But upon seeing this magnificent being, all the assembled gods were seized with awe and fear, and they fled from the peak. Yet, the wielder of the thunderbolt, Śakra, was the first to seize the tip of the horn. At the same time, Keśava grasped the base of this great-souled one, and I myself held fast to the middle of the horn. Thus, with the horn held firmly by each of us, the lord of the deer was divided into three parts by our hands. In that very instant, he vanished from our sight and appeared standing in the sky, addressing us as we looked on in wonder. He spoke: “By your actions, my body has been cursed, and so now I depart from here. Had I remained with my body, having been taken and established in this place, my horns would have remained here in this forest, which has a phlegmatic, tranquil nature. Yet, even now, great prosperity will arise in this place—of this, O immortals, there is no doubt. “As many sacred places as exist upon the earth, and all the lakes up to the very ocean, their sanctity will be found here. Once again, at the auspicious foot of the lord of mountains, Himavat, I shall appear—my head blazing with radiant splendor, my body four-faced. There, within the dreadful lake of serpents, I shall remain, abiding in the waters. “In the future, when one born in the lineage of Vṛṣṇi—wielding the discus of Kṛṣṇa—strikes down the mountains, then that region will be entirely occupied by foreigners. Yet, in that land, those established by the brāhmaṇas will continue to dwell. In time, kings will come and establish the worship of the liṅga there. Those rulers who act with righteousness will be established in justice. In that place, all beings will ever worship me. “Those who journey to Śivapura will see me there, their sins burned away. Know that this sacred field of mine extends for fourteen yojanas. The waters there are remembered as being a hundred times purer than those of the Bhāgīrathī. Men who leave their bodies there surely attain my world—there is no doubt of this. Indeed, those who take refuge in the place of Puruhūta dwell there in blessedness. “Sages, celestial nymphs, and yakshas—all are deluded by my maya in this place. It has become a field of accomplishment for those devoted to austerity and penance. The wise declare this field to surpass even the sacred Kurukshetra. From here arise all the foremost rivers, beginning with the holy Ganga. All the springs in this place are sacred, and every lofty rock is holy. “This place is known as Shaileśvara, where my very body is established. The swift-flowing Bhagirathi burns away the sins of men. By bathing or immersing oneself in her waters, one uplifts seven generations of their family. Those who bathe there and depart this life ascend to heaven and are not born again. Pleased by their devotion, I rescue them from the ocean of worldly existence.” Thus, the lord spoke, revealing the sanctity and future glory of that sacred place.