O revered one, you are born after the beginning, and you are truly the lord of all names and mantras. In your second birth, you shall become celebrated throughout the world. Even while yet in the womb, you will possess the great perfections, beginning with aṇimā, and with that very body you will attain divinity. The twice-born will worship you with splendid mantras, clarified butter, and fragrant offerings. Once again, you will establish the science of life—Ayurveda—for this is a certain destiny ordained long ago by the lotus-born Brahmā. When the second Dvāpara Yuga arrives, you will be born; of this, there is no doubt. So, having granted this boon, Viṣṇu vanished from sight. When that second Dvāpara Yuga came, the king of Kāśi, Saunahotra, desiring a son, undertook severe austerities, as did King Dīrghatapās. Both sought to propitiate the god Aja, yearning for offspring. Pleased, Dhanvantari appeared and offered the king a boon of his choosing. The king humbly requested, “O blessed one, if you are pleased, let a steadfast son be born to me.” Dhanvantari consented and disappeared there itself. Thereafter, in the house of the king, the divine Dhanvantari was born. The king of Kāśi thus became the destroyer of all diseases. Meanwhile, the sage Bharadvāja composed the treatise of Ayurveda and its medical practice, dividing it into eight branches and teaching it to his disciples. Dhanvantari’s own son, Ketumān, was born and became renowned. Ketumān’s son was King Bhīmaratha, and his son was Divodāsa, famed as the lord of Vārāṇasī. At that time, a demon named Kṣeṇaka entered the city of Vārāṇasī, which had become deserted. This desolation was due to a curse: long before, the great Nikumbha had cursed Vārāṇasī to remain empty for a thousand years, again and again. When that curse took effect, Divodāsa, lord of the people, established a beautiful new city at the edge of his realm upon the Gomati river. The sages then inquired, “For what reason did Nikumbha formerly curse Vārāṇasī? And why did that righteous one curse the sacred field?” Sūta replied: King Divodāsa, the royal sage, having secured the city, dwelt there as a mighty ruler in that flourishing place. At that very time, Maheśvara, having taken as wife the goddess dear to him, lived with her among the gods. By the command of the gods, his attendants, rich in ascetic power and of manifold forms, pleased the great goddess. Mahādeva rejoiced because of them, but Menā, the goddess’s mother, did not rejoice; she constantly found fault with both Maheśvara and her daughter. Menā said, “Your husband Maheśvara is unworthy at my side; he is entirely poor here, yet he lives untroubled, O sinless one.” Thus addressed by her mother, the goddess, by her feminine nature, could not bear it. Yet, smiling and ever the giver of boons, she went to Hara’s side. However, her face was downcast, and she spoke to Mahādeva, “O lord, I will not remain here; take me to your own abode.” Thus addressed, Mahādeva surveyed all the worlds for a dwelling and chose, on earth, the illustrious and sacred field of Vārāṇasī. Knowing that Divodāsa had settled in that city, Bhava summoned Gaṇeśa, who stood by his side, and instructed him: “O lord of the gaṇas, go to the city and make Vārāṇasī empty; use gentle means, for that king is exceedingly powerful.” Then Nikumbha went to the city of Vārāṇasī and appeared in a dream to a barber named Maṅkana, saying, “I will bring you prosperity; choose a place for me, O sinless one. Make an image in my likeness and install it in the city.” Maṅkana, as he had seen in the dream, did everything accordingly, obtaining the king’s permission as prescribed. A great worship was established there, with perfumes, incense, garlands, and other beautiful offerings. With offerings of food, the place became exceedingly wondrous; thus, Lord of the Hosts was worshipped there always. Nikumbha granted thousands of boons to the city: sons, gold, longevity, and all desired things. The king’s chief queen, renowned as Suyaśā, came repeatedly for the sake of a son, prompted by the king. She performed great worship and requested sons, returning again and again with her plea. Yet, Nikumbha did not grant sons, for a particular reason. If the king became angry about this, something would occur. After a long time, anger indeed overtook the king. Nikumbha granted a being at the great gate of the city, giving boons by the hundreds out of affection, but nothing else happened. He was worshipped always by the people of the city. The queen, too, worshipped him many times for this reason, yet he did not grant the king a son, though he consumed much food. The king, feeling ungratified, declared, “He does not deserve worship from me in any way; thus, I will destroy the place of that wicked one.” Thus resolved, the king, sinful in mind, destroyed the abode of Gaṇapati with evil intent. Seeing his temple broken, the Lord approached the king and said, “Except for an offense against me, you have destroyed this place without cause. Suddenly, your city will become empty, O ruler of men.” And so, by that curse, Vārāṇasī too became deserted.