He is the vast, cosmic form, within whose very hairs countless universes reside. From Him spring forth all incarnations—He is their eternal seed, bearing the many forms that descend for the good of the worlds. He is the very life-breath of all beings, the Supreme Soul, the Lord of all. Yet, though He is the essence of all, He remains beyond the grasp of speech and mind, unattached and unperceivable. He is known by many faces: five-faced, four-faced, elephant-faced, and six-faced. Even Śrī and Sarasvatī, embodiments of beauty and wisdom, are rendered silent before Him, unable to offer praise worthy of His glory. How then, thought the sorrowful woman, could she—afflicted and lowly—hope to praise the Supreme, who is beyond all? Trembling with fear, she bowed again and again to this ocean of compassion. For her, bereft of her husband, the Supreme Soul appeared formless and distant. Nevertheless, she offered her reverence to the assembly of gods and to the brāhmaṇa who stood before her. Witnessing her devotion, the divine couple bestowed their highest blessings upon her. By the boon of the gods, her life was restored before their eyes. Upabarhaṇa, the Gandharva, returned to the city of the Gandharvas, his heart full of joy. The woman, filled with gratitude, offered gifts to the brāhmaṇas, and Sati herself fed them. A great and varied festival was celebrated, resounding with the auspicious chanting of Hari’s name alone. O Śaunaka, all this has been told to you, along with the king of hymns. Know that a devotee of Viṣṇu attains devotion to Hari and the blessed service of the Lord. Such a person certainly gains the fruits of dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa—righteousness, prosperity, desire, and liberation. One who desires a wife gains a wife; one who desires a son gains a son. One who has lost a kingdom regains it; one bereft of subjects finds them restored. The fearful are freed from fear; those who have lost wealth regain it; those scorched by fire are saved; and even those submerged in the ocean are rescued. Sauti continued: She, ever devoted, assumed various forms for the sake of her husband. She served him and worshipped him according to the proper times and ways. With great reverence, she performed the supreme hymn of praise to the Supreme Person, offered worship, recited the protective charm, and uttered the sacred mantra. Long ago, Vasiṣṭha had bestowed upon them the worship, praise, and rites related to Hari. Though the hymn and protective charm had been forgotten, Vasiṣṭha—ocean of compassion—ensured their restoration. Thus, the king ruled his kingdom, which shone with the wealth and splendor of Kubera’s own abode, surrounded by women who came and went in various ways, and with many others as well. Śaunaka then asked, “The two of them bestowed something special upon Datta. O Sauti, you are worthy to tell us of this. Please speak of the twelve-syllable mantra and the protective charm of the trident-bearer. I am eager to hear.” Sauti replied, “Hear now that very hymn, the mantra, and the protective charm that were given: ‘Om, obeisance to the Lord of the circle of Rāsa, svāhā.’ Long ago at Puṣkara, Brahmā gave this to Kumāra, in honor of Hari. The meditation upon Viṣṇu, as declared in the Vedas, is eternal and exceedingly rare. The exceedingly secret protective charm I learned from my father’s own mouth. It was given to the trident-bearer by Brahmā in Goloka, within the circle of Rāsa. Brahmā said, ‘Out of compassion, O Lord, reveal this to Brahmāṇḍa-pāvana, to me, to Maheśa, to Dharma, and to the devotee, O lover of devotees.’ Śrī Kṛṣṇa replied, ‘I will give you that which is to be kept secret and is extremely rare.