Everything rests on penances. All those regions of blessedness, O thou of
beautiful face, that belong to the gods can be obtained by penances.
Penances are the root of great happiness. Those men that cast off their
bodies after having practised austere penances, obtain the status of
gods, O auspicious one! Bear in mind these words of mine! Do thou now, O
blessed damsel, boil these five jujubes, O thou of excellent vows!'
Having said these words, the adorable slayer of Vala went away, taking
leave, to mentally recite certain mantras at an excellent tirtha not far
from that hermitage. That tirtha came to be known in the three worlds
after the name of Indra, O giver of honours! Indeed, it was for the
purpose of testing the damsel's devotion that the Lord of the celestials
acted in that way for obstructing the boiling of the jujubes. The damsel,
O king, having cleansed herself, began her task; restraining speech and
with attention fixed on it, she sat to her task without feeling any
fatigue. Even thus that damsel of high vows, O tiger among kings, began
to boil those jujubes. As she sat employed in her task, O bull among men,
day was about to wane, but yet those jujubes showed no signs of having
been softened. The fuel she had there was all consumed. Seeing the fire
about to die away owing to want of fuel, she began to burn her own limbs.
The beautiful maiden first thrust her feet into the fire. The sinless
damsel sat still while her feet began to be consumed.
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