In the heart of a wild forest, two noble souls journeyed together, their presence radiating virtue. Just as the fragrance of flowers delights the air, so does auspiciousness arise from the company of the virtuous, and like the lotus that blooms at the sun’s touch, goodness flourishes in their presence. Indeed, when one walks with the great, suffering cannot overcome them—much as darkness flees before a lamp’s flame. By my own power, you two, revered as the earthly suns, have arrived in this wilderness. You are worthy of honor; pray, reveal your auspicious purpose without delay. The king replied, “In our land, demon clans hidden in the forest torment the people, sowing pain in their hearts. When a severe epidemic seized everyone in my domain, I left by night, seeking relief. Medicines failed to ease their suffering, so I sought mantras and wisdom from sages such as you. My efforts are for the restraint of those who harm the innocent; let this endeavor succeed, that is all I ask. O auspicious one, grant this: that henceforth, no living being be harmed by you.” The demoness answered, “Very well, O Lord. From today onward, I shall act thus, without falsehood. Truly, there is nothing that ought to be harmed by me.” The king then asked, “If you abstain from harming others, O lotus-eyed one, how will you sustain your body, if you must not partake of another’s flesh?” She replied, “For six hundred years, O King, after awakening and being absorbed in samadhi, the thought of eating has arisen in me, and today I desire food. Now, on the mountain peak, the living Sālabhañjikā sits in meditation, unmoving, enjoying happiness as she wishes. I have established the practice of holding nectar within, sustaining my body as I wish, and when the time comes, I shall abandon it—this is my resolve. Before I relinquish my body, I will not harm the lives of others. Therefore, listen to my words. “There is a mountain named Himavat, pure as moonlight, at the heart of the northern region, stretching from the eastern to the western oceans. There I dwell, fierce, in a house made of golden-peaked mountains, like an iron pillar, as the rakshasi named Karkaṭī. By austerity, I entreated Brahma, desiring to destroy people, and thus I became subtle as the life-taking disease viṣūcikā. Having received this boon, for many years I afflicted people as viṣūcikā, tormenting their lives. But Brahma set a restriction: ‘You shall not harm the virtuous.’ For that reason, I depend on the great mantra and remain restrained by it. “Now, let this mantra be taken up; by it, all heart-pain in this world will be pacified. I have ceased from violence; the hearts I harmed before are impaired, and those whose blood and flesh I injured produced others who are likewise afflicted. O King, this viṣūcikā-mantra is now complete for you; for the virtuous, nothing here is insurmountable. Therefore, for relief of pain in those with impaired channels, quickly take up the mantra spoken by the brāhmaṇas. “Come near to the river, O King; let us go there. With your calm and restrained selves, I, devoted to virtue, offer you this.” So, during that night, the demoness, her minister, and the king, having developed mutual friendship, went to the riverbank. By both direct and indirect means, the king and his companion, trusting in the demoness’s friendship, remained composed and at peace, dwelling there until the end. Instructed by her in the knowledge of Brahman, they affectionately received from her the mantra against cholera, which grants success when recited. Having formed a bond of friendship, the two dismissed the night-wandering demoness. As they were about to depart, the king spoke, “You are our teacher, O great goddess, and a contented friend as well. O lotus-faced beauty, we invite you to our home. Please do not refuse, for the friendship of good people grows simply by meeting. Assume a charming and delightful form, adorned with modest fortune, and come to our house, O noble one; there, stay as you please.” The demoness replied, “You are able to give food to one who has assumed the form of a naive woman; by what means do you satisfy me, who has taken on the form of a demoness? Only flesh is food for my satisfaction, not the fare of ordinary people; this nature, established from the beginning, persists until the end of creation.” The king said, “Adorned with golden garlands, remain in my house for a few days in the form of a woman, O blameless one, as long as I desire. Then, gathering hundreds of thousands of wicked thieves condemned to death from the districts, I gave them to you as excellent food. Abandoning your lovely form and assuming the body of a demon, you took those hundreds of condemned men whom you had collected. Take them to the peak of the Himalayas and there eat as you please; for solitary eating is pleasant to those who are great eaters.” He continued, “Abandoning sleep and slumber, become absorbed in meditation again; having ceased from meditation, you returned once more at another time. You will bring other condemned men, for violence is not righteous; yet, by your own duty, even violence is equal to great compassion.” Thus, through mutual understanding, friendship, and the sharing of sacred knowledge, the king, his companion, and the demoness found harmony, each fulfilling their roles while upholding virtue and compassion.