Vasiṣṭha spoke to the king, saying, “Listen carefully, and I will explain everything to you in detail.” He began recounting the king’s past, revealing that in another life, the king had been born into the Śūdra caste. In that existence, a terrible famine struck the land, and to escape its hardships, the king and his wife journeyed together to a distant country. Upon arrival, they came across a wondrous and enchanting lotus forest. The king’s heart was captivated, and he thought, “I will gather these beautiful lotuses.” Together with his wife, he collected many of them, hoping to exchange them for food or sustenance. Yet, among all the people suffering from the famine, none would accept the lotuses. As the day drew to a close, the couple sought refuge in a solitary cave. It was then that a sound reached the king’s ears. Alert and curious, he rose, realizing it was the sound of a vigil being observed. Nearby, a courtesan named Nāgavatī was devotedly keeping vigil for Śiva’s night. The king approached a maidservant standing beside Nāgavatī and questioned her about the observance. The maidservant explained, “On the night of Śivarātri, this beautiful courtesan—whoever, endowed with faith and devotion, keeps vigil through the night and, having fasted, worships Tryambaka with lotuses—he attains his desires, even those difficult for the gods to obtain. If you have received payment for your lotuses, perform the act that sustains your life.” At that moment, as the gold was being taken in exchange for the lotuses, the king’s wife spoke to him. She said that, due to the absence of food, fasting would happen naturally for both of them. She urged him, “Today you must do this: let this gold be given up by her. With faith, together with me, keep vigil before Śiva.” With devotion, the king and his wife kept vigil before Śiva, listening to the Purāṇa being recited. They spent the night in worship before Kedāra, maintaining their fast and vigil. After some time, the king reached the end of his life, passing according to the law of time. In his next birth, the king was born as the daughter of the lord of Daśārṇa, and became known on earth as Ajapāla. Because of these past actions, his wife—so dear to him—was born as well. By the greatness and grace of Kedāra, the king was blessed. Inspired by these events, the king resolved to go to Kedāra. He traveled to the beautiful mountain, worshipped the Lord there, and then installed his son as ruler of the kingdom before departing for Arbuda. Vasiṣṭha concluded, “All this concerning Kedāra has been told to you, O King.” He explained further: “Between the months of Māgha and Phālguna, on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, one should certainly perform the royal procession for Kedāra. Whoever keeps vigil there on that day, having bathed at the confluence of Gaṅgā and Sarasvatī—which grants all desires—and drinks the pure water from the pool called Kedāra, and listens to this account daily with supreme devotion, O King, will be blessed.” Finally, Vasiṣṭha described that from Kedāra, Gaṅgā herself emerged and entered the eastern ocean, marking the sacredness and power of these observances.