O Maitreya, hear now the sacred account as it was revealed. In the subtle mysteries of the world, Lakshmi, the embodiment of fortune, is likened to the gentle moonlight, while the lamp itself is Hari, the supreme Lord. The mother of the universe, Lakshmi, takes the form of a tender creeper, and Vishnu is the mighty tree upon which she flourishes. Night is called Shri, and Day is the god who wields the discus and mace. Vishnu is the bestower of all blessings, and the bride is she who resides among the lotus groves. The blessed Lord abides in the form of a river, as does Shri herself; the banner is Pundarikaksha—He of the lotus eyes—and the flag is Kamalalaya, the abode of lotuses. Thirst is Lakshmi, and the supreme Lord of the world is Narayana. Even desire and passion, O Maitreya, are none other than Lakshmi and Govinda. What more need be said? In brief, among all gods, animals, and humans, the masculine is known as Bhagavan Hari, and the feminine is Shri. Beyond these two, nothing exists. Now, O Maitreya, listen as I recount what you have asked, the tale of Shri as I have heard it. Once, the sage Durvasa, a portion of the great Shankara, wandered the earth. He came upon a Vidyadhari, a celestial maiden, holding a divine garland. Its fragrance perfumed the entire sandalwood forest and was greatly coveted by all who dwelled there. Durvasa, who bore the appearance and vow of a madman, beheld the beautiful garland and asked the Vidyadhari, graceful and fair, to give it to him. She, with deep respect, bowed and presented the garland to the sage. Placing it upon his own head, Durvasa, still in his mad guise, wandered the earth. It was then that he encountered Indra, the lord of the three worlds and husband of Shachi, who approached in the company of the gods, riding the great Airavata and intoxicated with pride. Durvasa, in his peculiar manner, removed the garland from his head and offered it to Indra. Indra accepted the garland and, rather than honoring it, placed it on Airavata’s head. The garland shone there, as the Ganges shines upon the summit of Mount Kailāsa. But Airavata, blinded by intoxication and attracted by the scent, seized the garland with his trunk, smelled it, and cast it down upon the earth. Witnessing this, the venerable Durvasa became enraged with Indra and spoke sternly: “O Indra, intoxicated by your power and swollen with pride, you have failed to honor the garland I gave you, a symbol of fortune. You did not thank me nor bow before me; your delight was evident, yet you did not place the garland upon your own head. Because you have not valued this garland, the fortune of the three worlds will depart from you. You have treated me as equal or inferior to other Brahmins, showing disrespect out of pride. Because you cast my garland to the ground, the three worlds will become bereft of prosperity for you. All beings, moving and unmoving, fear the wrath of one such as I, yet you, king of gods, have slighted me. Know that I will not forgive you.” Indra, realizing his folly, quickly descended from Airavata and sought to appease the sage. Though Indra offered deep reverence and supplication, Durvasa replied sternly, “I am not compassionate or gentle, nor does forgiveness dwell in me. I am Durvasa, the very essence of impatience. You have grown proud from the praises of other gentle sages, and now you disrespect me. Who in all the worlds, seeing my blazing locks and furrowed brow, has not been seized by fear? I will not forgive you, Indra; your words will not appease me.” Having spoken thus, Durvasa departed, and Indra, mounting Airavata, returned to Amaravati. From that moment, O Maitreya, the three worlds, along with Indra, lost all prosperity. Herbs and plants withered; sacrifices ceased, ascetics abandoned austerities, and people no longer practiced charity or righteousness. Vitality faded from all the worlds, their senses overcome by greed and similar faults. Even for the smallest things, people acted out of desire. Where there is vitality, there is prosperity, and prosperity follows vitality; without prosperity, vitality cannot exist, and without these, virtues cannot flourish. Without virtues such as strength and heroism, men are scorned, and those who lack these qualities are despised by all. When a man’s mind is ruined, when disgrace and infamy fall upon him, it is because prosperity and vitality have departed from the three worlds. The Daityas and Danavas, also overcome by greed and lacking prosperity and vitality, prepared for battle against the gods. Thus, deprived of both prosperity and vitality, the gods fought, but the Daityas defeated them, and Indra and the other gods were forced to seek refuge. Led by Agni, they approached the blessed Grandfather Brahma, and, as was proper, recounted all that had befallen them. Then Brahma, the creator, addressed the gods.