Skandapurana 17.17

The king said: / Wonderful is this narrative heard by me through your grace. / Having seen Nārāyaṇa and Śakra on Mount Mandara,

What did the lord of sages do then? Tell me that in detail, O sage! / Make me, who am tormented by the delusion arising from wandering in saṃsāra, / free of thirst by the flood of the nectar-water of the narrative, O lord!

The Sārasvata [sage] said: / Then that Nārada, knowing that the god had been cursed previously by the twice-born / Bhṛgu, [thought:] 'This will not happen otherwise.

What is to happen, will happen, O Lord; let the present be considered! / And this Viṣṇu, having become Vāmana, will go to that city.

Afterward he will subdue Bali, which will please me. / How can one remain in the present, fierce [state of affairs] without a war?

The battles between gods and dānavas, of daityas, gandharvas, and rākṣasas, / of reptiles and birds—all have been stopped.

In the destruction of my fortune, there is no strife born of rivalry. / The lord of the gods was previously restrained by his guru; what shall I do?

This guru is to be respected by me, so I do not curse him. / But then my effort for war does not succeed; what do I do?

By some stroke of fate, human effort does not succeed; / even so, effort should be made towards human endeavor by a wise man. / Fate sometimes bears fruit even without human effort—

That statement which has been said is useless, since success comes from exertion. / Having gone to Bali, I shall speak so that he will wage war.

If he does not listen to my word, I shall certainly curse him.' / Having spoken thus, Nārada swiftly went to the palace of Bali; / in merely the twinkling of an eye, he stood in the sky with his two disciples.

Upon a mansion resembling a mountain, seven stories high and exceedingly bright, / on top of it was a celestial assembly hall fashioned by Viśvakarman.

In it was a celestial lion-throne; seated upon it was Bali, O king, / surrounded by all the daityas, who were devoted to proud talk and laughter,

Surrounded by calm seers and brahmins, and likewise by Uśanas himself, / and by sons, friends, and wives, in the celestial palace.

The lord of the daityas was fanned with celestial chowries held by the hands of heavenly nymphs, / and was being praised by cāraṇas.

While he was seated, intoxicated with arrogance, those chiefs of the daityas and dānavas, / who were all eager for battle, were deliberating among themselves.

Rising again and again, they spoke, boasting against the gods: / 'All this triple world of ours has now departed!

Through Śukra's advice, will great prosperity be obtained without a war? / If the lord of daityas makes friendship with the king of the gods,

Why does Bali not ask for Airāvaṇa, who is always rutting? / Why does the Sun not surrender his swift horse?'

As long as the greedy treasurer is not attacked on the battlefield, / so long will he not surrender the wealth that was accumulated by the gods.

The ocean does not reveal its jewels from the netherworld, / as long as we do not cast Mandara into it and churn it.

Just as the digits of nectar from the moon are consumed gradually by the gods, / why does the watery one not give a share to Bali?

The cool wind of the celestial river, fragrant with lotus filaments, / blows gently in heaven, but not likewise in the palace of Bali.

Clouds uplifted with rainbows release water upon the earth's surface; / shaken by Bali’s sword, they go again from the surface of the earth to heaven.

On our earthly surface, Yama kills people; / it is not so in heaven, nor in Pātāla—behold, alas, this cause and effect!

That Citragupta personally writes upon our foreheads / lifespan, livelihood, sons, and happiness; but for the gods, it is not the same.

The seasons of rain, cold, and heat exist now upon the earth; / they wander upon the earth in fear, not in heaven nor in Pātāla.

Born from one seed, you gods and Dānavas are cousins; / why are we placed on earth, and by whom are the gods placed above?

When the ocean was being churned, the king of Daityas was deceived by the gods; / all the gods stood on one side, and Bali alone stood on the other.

And when the jewels emerged—whatever anyone's fortune was: / elephants, horses, wish-fulfilling trees, the moon, cows, and celestial tuskers.

Taking the nectar, the gods assigned us to drinking [liquor]; / crushed by this, you, exceedingly arrogant, do not know.

The remaining nectar that was not drunk was kept by the gods in Satyaloka; / ah, how crooked are the gods! Why is the remainder not given?

Believing it to be wine, we were deceived of the nectar; / thus sesame oil is dear to those who have never seen clarified butter.

It is not possible to count the crooked deeds of Viṣṇu; / nevertheless, what was performed by those who were satisfied and delighted is told.

Fair-limbed, beautiful, with lovely brows and full, high breasts, / with beautiful hair, a moon-like face, and eyes extending to her ears,

marked with three folds at the waist, a slender maiden graspable even with a fist, / with feet like land-growing lotuses, her arms adorning her like creepers,

endowed with all ornaments, possessing all auspicious marks, / the goddess who enchants the three worlds arose at the churning of the nectar.

She who arose first from the nectar, indeed, belongs to him whose property it is; / the three worlds come under the control of him who possesses that lovely-eyed one.

Enchanted by her, all the gods, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas / abandoned the churning, and all strove to seize her.

There was one woman and many gods, Dānavas, Daityas, and Rākṣasas; / a very great dispute arose: “How will it be resolved here?”

Viṣṇu came, seized everyone by the arm, and restrained them: / “Why, alas, is this argument being held among you for her sake?

An undertaking for the sake of nectar is ruined for the sake of a woman!” / Having first made an agreement, she was kissed again by Viṣṇu.

Wearing a divine form, wearing a garland, adorned with a garland of forest flowers, / his body illuminated by the Kaustubha gem, holding the conch, discus, and mace,

having placed an auspicious garland in her hand, Viṣṇu stood before her; / raising his arm, Hari spoke these words to everyone:

“Let everyone form a circle and remain seated in their own places; / let Lakṣmī look upon you and bestow the garland of choosing according to her will.

Whoever, excessively lustful, causes a disruption to the svayaṃvara, / he must be killed by all together, just like a hunter lusting after another's wife.

Let the sin of violating another's wife and the murder of a woman befall him; / let it be proclaimed: ‘So be it!’ for anyone else who acts thus.”

Considering Hari impartial, saying “So be it,” they agreed: / “Among gods, Dānavas, Daityas, Gandharvas, serpents, and Rākṣasas, / whoever is favored as a husband, truly he shall be yours.”

She had already been captivated by him, drawn by the casting of his glance; / looking with a glance was the primary enchantment he cast upon women.

“Just so,” placing a hand to her ear, what was whispered / a woman holds in her heart, afflicted by the arrows of Kāma.

She would choose him alone here; there is no doubt at all; / previously, when the quarrel had arisen, Hari had acted to avert it.

When she was seized by all, she did not release Hari at all; / “You alone are my husband,” she said; “Release me, go far away.”

Having moved away, Viṣṇu then entered among the assembly of gods; / then, having addressed me, they all went to their respective places on their own.

Vijayā first announced all the gods in proper order; / she looked, and after deliberating upon him, passed him by.

“Śiva is detached, peaceful, the beloved of Gaurī, three-eyed; / he never looks at any other, the three-eyed one ever intent on meditation.”

When the female companion said, “This is the Grandfather [Brahmā],” then by her, / having bowed, she went far away, remaining silent and not looking.

“Leave aside the Sun, who brings bloom to lotuses, and Fire, whose nature is burning; / the wind blows,” she went far away, “since Varuṇa is my father.

The lord of gods, attached to the face of Paulomī [Śacī], does not please me.”

Inflicting killing, binding, cutting, splitting, punishing, and dragging, / Yama, son of Vivasvat, does not show a gentle form.

The gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Daityas, serpents, and Rākṣasas—

seeing them to be exceedingly fierce, she moved on; then that Supreme Person was seen; / having beheld him with her glance, whose face was surrounded by eyes reaching to his ears,

pervaded by supreme good fortune, charming, captivating to Kāma, / marked with the bristling of body hairs and droplets of perspiration,

looked upon with angry glances by the leaders of gods, Dānavas, and Daityas, / the delightful lady chose him as her groom and then personally gave him the garland.

Seeing that conduct of the gods, the Daityas spoke among themselves: / “Look at the division made by the gods! They have all gone to heaven on their own.”

"You [should go] to the bottom of Pātāla; humans [belong] on the surface of the earth; / let the gods go to the triple world; we are not dwellers of heaven."

Let the kṣatriya mortals rule on the surface of the earth. / But if, having abandoned Pātāla, the earth is to be protected,

by certain Daityas, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas—that is not proper! / But what is the use of much talk? Bali is king in the triple world.

Having divided the jewels, let the kingdom be ruled equally!" / While they were boasting in this way, they saw Nārada,

descending from the sky like a second sun, / carrying a staff of Brahmā in his hand and holding a text on warfare,

wearing a black antelope skin, peaceful, with an umbrella, a vīṇā, and a water-pot, / having a fine girdle knotted into three strands of muñja grass,

bearing the form of Brahmā, serene, adorned with celestial rudrākṣa beads, / suspended with a string of sacred cords tied in the past aeon.

"A debate between Brahmā and Hara, proud with arrogance of origin, / is now being engaged in by the enraged ones"—his mind was intently absorbed in this thought.

Seeing that Nārada had arrived, they approached him in astonishment: / "O lord, be gracious! Please come to my house.

I am blessed, I have acquired merit, since you have come to my dwelling!" / Thus addressed by Bali, the brahmin entered the residence of the Asura; / having offered a seat, foot-water, and respectful offering, the twice-born was worshipped.

Having entered, all the Daityas and Dānavas sat down together. / Along with Śukra, the Daitya Bali addressed Nārada:

"Here is my kingdom, here are my wives, here are my sons, and here am I, Bali. / Speak of whatever you have need of here; giving is my foremost vow."

Nārada said: / "Those brahmins who are pleased with devotion, those brahmins are gods on earth; / but those who, even though worshipped according to one's capacity, beg again—they are the lowest.

I have been honored by you and am delighted; I have no need of wealth. / I am pleased by your rule, by your sacrifices, gifts, and vows. / But I see something unpleasant being done against you by the gods, O Bali: / even though honored by you, the king of gods is not satisfied.

All the gods do not tolerate your dominion on the surface of the earth. / In heaven, grief has arisen for me over the conflict between the gods and you.

He who, having armed himself, first marches his army into enemy territory— / that kṣatriya is victorious, and his kingdom increases.

The destruction of your kingdom will come to pass; so it has been heard by me. / Knowing this, let whatever is appropriate be done immediately."

Bali said: / "O lord, tell me the virtues by which a king rules his kingdom; / I must also bestow gifts upon a worthy recipient—tell me about that as well."

Nārada said: / "Endowed with twenty-six virtues, a king rules a kingdom; / he attains the fruit of kingship. Listen, I shall explain it to you.

He should practice virtues without bitterness; he should abandon affection for an atheist; / he should pursue wealth without cruelty; he should pursue desire without arrogance.

He should speak pleasantly without being a miser; he should be brave without boasting; / he should be a giver without boundless excess; he should be bold without being harsh.

He should not make alliances with the ignoble; he should not quarrel with kinsmen; / he should not employ untrustworthy persons as spies; he should perform his duty without oppressing [others].

He should not speak of his wealth in times of misfortune; he should not proclaim his own virtues; / he should not seize [property] from the virtuous; he should not rely on a wicked man.

He should not inflict punishment without investigation; he should not reveal his counsel; / he should not distribute [wealth] to the greedy; he should not trust harmful persons.

His wives should be well protected by trusted guards; he should protect others; a king should be compassionate; / he should not indulge excessively in women; he should eat wholesome food, not unwholesome.

He should not steal; he should honor the venerable; he should serve his guru without deceit; / a deity should be worshipped without hypocrisy; he should desire wealth that is not blameworthy.

He should serve with genuine affection; he should be skillful and know the proper time; / soothing speech should always be spoken; while showing favor, he should not rebuke.

He should not strike a brahmin; having defeated his enemies, he should leave no remnant; / he should not show anger without cause; he should not be mild toward wrongdoers.

Thus one should abide in kingship for a long time, if you desire welfare in this world. / Austerities, recitation of sacred texts, gifts, pilgrimages to sacred fords, and life in hermitages—

do not equal even a sixteenth part of self-realization through yoga. / You should practice detachment from worldly existence and the honoring of brahmins.

Worship should be offered through diverse sacrifices; Hari, Nārāyaṇa, is to be meditated upon. / I have arrived here incidentally, and I shall proceed to Mount Raivataka.

There abides Lord Viṣṇu and the river that purifies the three worlds; / and there stands the Śivā tree, rich with abundant flowers and fruits. / Going there, I shall observe that vow dear to Viṣṇu."

Bali said: / "What is this [mountain] named Raivataka? What is the vow dear to Viṣṇu? / And what are the Śivā trees that are spoken of? Tell me that in detail."

Nārada said: / "Formerly, at the beginning of the yuga, O lord of Daityas, mountains were made with wings; / later, having deliberated, Brahmā made them immobile again.

Huge in body, they would fly up and descend at will. / Meru, Mandara, and Kailāsa remained fixed by his command alone.

Those that were checked but would not remain still were rendered stationary by Indra. / On the southern peak of Meru is that mountain called Kumuda,

divine, winged, golden, covered with heavenly trees. / Upon it a divine city of Viṣṇu was built by Viṣṇu.

In the middle of it is a divine mansion in which Lakṣmī is ever present. / On the peak of Meru is a delightful city, and there is an enchanting palace;

there abides the god Bhava, where Bhavānī is seated. / There is the lovely assembly hall of Maheśvara, made of gold and adorned with jewels.

There abides Lord Viṣṇu, surrounded by the gods led by Brahmā; / Viṣṇu always goes to that assembly to see the god Maheśvara.

Because it was adorned everywhere with golden water-lilies, / the gods who gathered there gave it the name Kumuda.

Once the blessed Rudra came to that mountain / to see that city protected by Viṣṇu on its delightful peak.

Seeing Hara arrived at his abode, he was worshipped by Hari; / and Gaurī, worshipped by Lakṣmī, remained there delighted.

The two seated upon a single throne deliberated with each other; / knowing the reason through Hara, everything was told to Hari:

“This city must be made by you on Mandara, the excellent mountain. / I should not be asked the reason; it will certainly come to pass.

Hara alone knows the reason, and no one else at all.” / Having said, “So be it,” they remained; that mountain too [remained].

Seeing that Rudra had arrived, Kumuda himself approached: / “Blessed am I, my merit is accomplished, since the two of you have come to my home.”

Addressed by both: “O best of mountains, what boon shall we grant you?” / Being addressed thus by them, he, dull-witted, chose a boon.

Because it is the cause of future events, it will not be in vain: / “Wherever I am, there the two of you must dwell; let this be my boon.

Coming into my presence, you must remain for a day of Brahmā.” / Saying, “So be it,” both Hari and Hara, with their consorts, departed.

The fifth Manu, who was formerly renowned by the name Raivata— / hear that which occurred before Kumuda at his birth.

There was an illustrious seer renowned as Ṛtavāc; / to that childless, great-souled one, a son was born at the end of Revatī.

He performed for him according to rule the birth-rites and other ceremonies, / as well as the sacred thread ceremony and the like; but he turned out ill-behaved, O king.

From the time he was born, from that time forth, that seer / suffered the affliction of a chronic illness, exceedingly hard to bear.

And his mother, afflicted with leprosy, came to supreme distress. / The seer, grieving, fell into anxious thought: “What is this?”

“A foolish, dull-witted son causes sorrow to his father; / one who walks the wrong path especially—that is indeed worse than grief.

Childlessness is better for men, not a wicked son; / [he is] of no benefit to friends, nor for the satisfaction of the ancestors.

A good son enters day after day into the heart of his parents; / cursed is the birth of that evil-doer who causes grief to his parents!

Blessed are those sons who are esteemed by all the world, / benevolent to others, peaceful, devoted to virtuous deeds.

Discontented, joyless, overwhelmed with sorrow and grief, / the state of having a wicked son leads the living being to hell, not to heaven.

It causes misery to friends and likewise delight to enemies; / indeed, a wicked son brings premature old age upon his parents.”

Nārada said: / Thus that sage, his mind burning with anguish / over the deeds of that exceedingly wicked son, questioned the elder Garga.

Ṛtavāc said: / “Formerly, maintaining good vows, the Vedas were studied by me according to rule; / having completed my studies, I took a wife according to injunction.

Whatever rites, based on Śruti and Smṛti, are to be performed with a wife, / those were performed according to ordinance and in accordance with desire.

And for the sake of a son he was begotten to save me from the hell named Put, O sage; / has he been born bringing sorrow to us through wicked conduct by his own fault, or by his mother's fault, or by mine? Tell me, O learned one!”

Garga said: / “O best of sages, this son of yours was born at the end of Revatī; / therefore he is for your sorrow, because he was born at an evil time.

There is no wrongdoing on your part, nor on the mother's, nor on the family's; / the cause of his ill behaviour is something else, arrived at the end of Revatī.

The junction between Revatī and Aśvinī, and likewise between Āśleṣā and Maghā, / and between Jyeṣṭhā and Mūla, is declared to be the dreadful Gaṇḍānta.

Whatever men, women, or horses are born in the three Gaṇḍas / do not stay long in the house, and even while staying, they are terrifying.” / Addressed thus by Garga, he, very prone to anger, became exceedingly enraged.

Ṛtavāc said: / “Because my only son was born at the end of Revatī,

did Revatī not know: ‘A brahmin will curse me’? / Therefore, let Revatī fall from the sky, blazing furiously!”

Nārada said: / When that word was uttered by him, the asterism Revatī fell indeed,

while all the world watched, their minds filled with wonder.

By the power of the Lord's will, it fell upon the mountain's peak; / the asterism Revatī fell down all around upon Mount Kumuda.

It reached the country of Surāṣṭra and fell on the auspicious earth. / The great mountain Ujjayanta, the son of the Himālaya,

had previously made mutual friendship with Kumuda: / “Wherever you will stay, there I too shall certainly stay.”

Having done this, taking water from the Gaṅgā along with the Yamunā / and the holy belonging to Sarasvatī, he came to sprinkle it.

The two stayed together until the universal deluge was summoned; / and from that fall, Mount Kumuda became renowned as Raivataka.

It is exceedingly delightful on the whole earth, O lord of the earth; / and Mount Kumuda, golden, because of the falling of Revatī,

became lotus-hued on its exterior, O king; / but in its middle, that best of mountains was Meru-hued, golden.

Then Mount Raivataka produced a maiden / born from the splendour of Revatī, whose face was like Revatī.

An excellent woman was seen by the royal sage named Pramuca; / like a father, the name Revatī was given to her, O best of kings.

And that excellent woman became renowned everywhere as Revatī; / [that mountain is] a place composed of all splendour, the resort of the waters of all sacred fords.

joined with streams of Gaṅgā water as well as those of the Yamunā; / the water belonging to Sarasvatī stayed there—those three [waters] within the pits.

It is known as Revatīkuṇḍa, where Revatī was born. / By remembering it, by seeing it, and by ritual ablution, destruction of all sins takes place.

That girl was brought up by that noble Pramuca; / and she attained youth on that Raivataka mountain.

Then, seeing her endowed with youth, the sage Pramuca / pondered in solitude: "Who will be her husband?"

Offering oblations again and again, that best of brahmins asked his preceptor, the fire: / "Grant me favor! Tell me, who will be her husband?

There is no other suitable for her in [any] lineage. What shall I do?" / Rising from the fire-pit, the bearer of oblations spoke:

"Listen to my words, O brahmin, concerning who will be her husband: / Born in the lineage of Priyavrata, endowed with great strength and prowess,

the son of Vikramaśīla, born from the womb of Kālindī, / the king named Durdama will indeed be her husband."

In the meantime, that king Durdama arrived, / desiring to slay deer on the mountain. Not seeing the sage in the house, [he said:] / "Beloved, where has father gone? Come, tell me the truth!"

Nārada said: / Standing right in the sacrificial fire-chamber, he heard that dear speech: / "Who is this addressing [someone] as 'beloved' in my house?"

The sage saw the noble king Durdama. / Rejoicing upon seeing Durdama, the sage said to Gautama,

his disciple endowed with humility: "Bring the arghya and pādya offerings! / For one thing, this king has arrived after a long time;

moreover, the king is now my son-in-law, and my daughter is suitable for him." / Then the king pondered the reason for [being called] a son-in-law.

In silence, according to the rule, the king received the arghya at the brahmin's command. / To him seated on a seat, who had accepted the arghya, the great sage, the brahmin,

spoke relevantly to the lord of kings: "O king, is all well in your city, / in your treasury, army, allies, servants, ministers, and subjects, / and likewise in yourself, O mighty-armed one, upon whom everything depends?

And is your wife well, who indeed stays here in this place? / Tell me also of the welfare of the other [wives] who are in your palace."

The king said: / "By your grace, there is no misfortune anywhere in my kingdom. / I have become curious about this: who is my wife here, O sage?"

Pramuca said: / "Revatī is your excellent wife. Do you not know, O best of kings? / How have you forgotten her who is the beauty of the three worlds?"

The king said: / "Subhadrā, Śāntapāpā, the daughter of Kāverī, / the younger sister of Sūrātmaja, Kadambā of excellent progeny,

Vipāṭhā, and Nandinī—these wives I know; / they dwell in my home. I do not know at all whence Revatī is my wife!"

The seer said: / "Just now you called her 'beloved'; that Revatī is your beloved. / That word cannot be otherwise, O best of kings!"

The king said: / "There was no fault of intention; may that utterance of mine be forgiven! / The word slipped from my mouth; I did not know [her], O best of brahmins!"

The seer said: / "There is no fault of intention; I know it completely, [yet] do it! / You were declared to me by the fire; today you shall become my son-in-law."

By these and other words, the king accepted Revatī as his wife. / When the seer was thus prepared to perform the marriage according to the rules, / the maiden said to her father: "Father, listen to something from me!

If you wish to perform my marriage with a husband, father, / let him perform my marriage under the Revatī constellation, out of grace."

The seer said: / "O gentle girl, the Revatī constellation does not stand in heaven in conjunction with the moon. / There are other constellations too, O fair-browed one, suitable for marriage."

The maiden said: / "Father, without that, time appears defective to me. / When time is defective, father, how can a marriage take place for one like me?"

Pramuca said: / "An ascetic renowned as Ṛtavāc felt anger toward Revatī; / being enraged, he cast down that constellation.

And she has been promised by me to him as his wife, as is known to you. / If you do not wish for the marriage, a crisis has come upon us!"

The maiden said: / "Did that sage Ṛtavāc alone perform austerity himself, / and not you, my father? Am I the daughter of a worthless brahmin?"

The seer said: / "You are not the daughter of a worthless brahmin; there is no ascetic superior to me. / You, my daughter, must be given away by me; I cannot undertake anything else."

The maiden said: / "If my father is an ascetic, then why is this constellation not set up / again in the sky, and why is my marriage not performed then?"

The seer said:

"So be it! May good betide you, gentle girl; be pleased! / For your sake, I shall place the Revatī constellation back in the path of the moon."

Then, by the power of his austerity, the great sage, the best of brahmins, / restored the Revatī constellation just as before, in conjunction with the moon. / Having performed the marriage of his daughter, he spoke to his son-in-law:

"Tell me, O king, what wedding gift shall I give you? / Even if difficult to obtain, I shall grant it, for great austerity belongs to me."

The king said: / "I am born in the lineage of Manu Svāyambhuva, O sage. / By your grace, I choose a son who will be the lord of a manvantara."

The seer said: / "He will be a protector of the earth, endowed with great strength and prowess. / Revatī, having bathed in Revatīkuṇḍa, will give birth to a son."

Having done so, the king departed, and she gave birth to a son. / The name Raivata was given [to him]; he became the Manu, O king.

And by him it was declared then: 'On this Raivataka mountain, / women who take a ritual ablution will have sons of great strength, / long-lived, and free from grief and poverty.'

Nārada said: / When this was spoken, O king, that mountain became elongated and fell. / Those two deities, Hari and Śaṃkara, accompanied by their consorts, were remembered.

The moment they were remembered, they arrived then, because previously they were bound by him: / 'Wherever I am, there you two must dwell; this is certain.'

Therefore, the two deities Viṣṇu and Hara dwelt upon that best of mountains. / On the pleasant Raivataka mountain, by the water of the Svarṇarekhā river, / Revatī worshiped the deity Hari, and he said to her:

'May your union with the moon take place in the sky by the brahmin's command. / Choose another boon that is in your heart; I am pleased.'

Revatī said: / 'O God, you must always dwell upon the Raivataka mountain. / Wherever a ritual ablution was performed by me, the people who will bathe there—

may their abode be in the city of Viṣṇu: this is chosen by me.' / Having then said 'So be it,' four-armed Dāmodara dwelt upon the Raivataka mountain, / and Rudra himself also remained there.

All the rivers, headed by Gaṅgā, remained along with Viṣṇu. / But when the milk-ocean was being churned, when a tree arose

during the crushing of the gods and Daityas, therefore it was remembered as the āmalakī. / In this tree Lakṣmī is always present, O king, as in her father's house.

The tree is known as Śivā and Lakṣmī, and is served by the best among the gods. / By all the gods, headed by Brahmā, this tree is regarded as belonging to Viṣṇu.

Having deliberated, it was released formerly by all upon the Raivataka mountain. / Those who undertake a pilgrimage to this tree on the day of Hari,

on the eleventh lunar day in the bright fortnight of Phālguna, O best of kings, / their sons and grandsons will abound in virtues; / at the end, residence in the city of Viṣṇu comes to pass, there is no doubt here.

Bali said: / How is this Vaiṣṇava observance, dear to Viṣṇu, to be performed? / How is the night-vigil to be kept, by what rule? Tell that!