After the goddess had spoken her words, she quietly departed to her own divine realm, leaving Lila behind. Lila, now serene and utterly absorbed, entered a state of effortless, thought-free samadhi. In that very moment, she let go of her physical body and the subtle confines of her inner faculties, just as a bird soars into the open sky, leaving its nest far behind. Freed in this way, Lila found herself in a wondrous vision. There, she beheld her own lord—the protector of the earth—standing in the great royal hall among a gathering of many kings. He was seated upon the throne, while shouts of “Victory! Long live!” rang out in his praise. Attentively, he addressed the affairs of numerous assemblies, presiding with regal dignity over the realm. The royal palace was adorned with clusters of colorful banners. At the eastern gate, countless groups of sages, brahmins, and seers had assembled. At the southern gate, an innumerable company of women gathered, while the western gate was crowded with kings and mighty rulers. At the northern entrance, a throng of chariots, elephants, and horses waited, and the southern route was under the careful management of a single trusted minister. The affairs of the eastern region were overseen by the lord of Karnata, while the northern frontier, bordering foreign lands, was administered by the ruler of Saurashtra. The western provinces were governed by the lord of Malava, and along the southern seacoast, envoys from Lanka brought liveliness and news. The eastern seacoast, as described by the sage Mahendra, seemed to stretch up to the very sky, while messengers recounted the mysterious expanse of the northern shore. On the western coast, in a city famed as the place where the sun sets, stood an ancient palace, crowded with countless kings and their retinues. The avenues leading to the sacrificial grounds echoed with the deep, victorious tones of musical instruments, and the caves resounded with the jubilant clamor of bards and singers. The sky itself was filled with the rising sounds of music and song, while thick clouds of dust—stirred by the movement of horses, elephants, and chariots—hung in the air like heavy monsoon clouds. The mountains were fragrant with the scent of flowers, camphor, and incense smoke. Everywhere, royal decrees and edicts were established, ensuring the order and harmony of the entire realm. The assembly itself was adorned with attendants dressed in garments as white as camphor and ocean foam, and its radiance shone like a pillar between earth and sky, outshining even the brilliance of the sun. The king was wholly absorbed in grand undertakings, surrounded by master architects who were intent on constructing many different cities. Then, as if by a celestial wonder, that great and marvelous assembly—formed of the very substance of the sky—descended like a misty forest in the heavens. Yet, as it moved, none of the people present saw it before them, for it was created from another’s imagination, like a woman glimpsed only in dreams. In the same way, none saw Lila herself as she moved ahead, for she too was fashioned by another’s imagination, just as one does not see one’s own city while standing within it. Yet Lila could see all those who had gone before her, just as a king, arriving at a new city, sees those who have arrived alongside him. She saw the same children, with the same appearance and conduct as before; the same young women, the same ministers, the same kings of the earth, the same scholars, close companions, and faithful servants—all just as she remembered. Alongside them, she also saw new scholars, friends, officials, and other citizens. She observed the midday hour, the day itself, the directions overwhelmed by intense heat, the sky adorned with both sun and moon, and the sounds of clouds, water, and wind. The earth appeared before her, adorned with lakes, rivers, mountains, cities, and towns—crowded with various cities, forests, and villages. She saw the king, now twice eight years old, freed from the marks of his former old age, and all the former people and villagers just as before. Witnessing all this, the lady Lila was overwhelmed by anxiety, thinking, “All the residents of this city have suffered greatly and died.” Coming back to herself, she re-entered her former inner chambers, and there, in the stillness of midnight, she saw everything just as it had been. She saw her husband lying as a corpse, covered with a heap of flowers, and the attendants all around, overcome by deep sleep. Distressed, she began to awaken her companions, who were seized by slumber, saying, “I am greatly troubled; let me be taken to the royal court. If I may stand beside my husband’s throne and see the assembly of courtiers, then I will survive; otherwise, I cannot bear it.” As she spoke, the royal attendants, each according to their duty, became alert and sleepless, immediately engaging in their respective tasks. The lines of gatekeepers went forth to summon the citizens and courtiers, arranging the proceedings like rays of the sun spreading over the earth. The devoted servants began to cleanse the audience hall, like the clear autumn days washing away the stains of the rainy season. Rows of shining lamps, their waters cleared of darkness, stood around the hall, as if lines of stars had descended for a wondrous display. Crowds of people filled the courtyards, just as the waters fill the ocean beds that had dried up during the cosmic dissolution and now, at the dawn of creation, return. Ministers and nobles, blameless and dignified, returned to their appointed places, like the guardians of the worlds resuming their quarters when the three worlds are restored. Cool breezes from Malaya, thick with the scent of scattered camphor and the fragrance of blossoming flowers, filled the air with sweetness. At the entrances, doorkeepers clad in white garments stood like rows of clouds at mountain peaks, ending the heat of the sun and the roar of rain. Clusters of flowers, their darkness dispelled by the radiant light, fell to the ground like groups of stars scattered by the wind and clouds. Thus, the palace and assembly returned to life, vibrant and luminous, as Lila’s journey between worlds unfolded in wonder.