Hearing these words of Narada, the old lady went to a concourse of rishis and said, ’I shall give him half my penances who will accept my hand in marriage!’ After she had said those words, Galava’s son, a rishi, known by the name of Sringavat, accepted her hand, having proposed this compact to her, ’With this compact, O beautiful lady, I shall accept thy hand, that thou shalt live with me for only one night!’ Having agreed to that compact, she gave him her hand.

Indeed, Galava’s son, according to the ordinances laid down and having duly poured libations on the fire, accepted her hand and married her.  On that night, she became a young lady of the fairest complexion, robed in celestial attire and decked in celestial ornaments and garlands and smeared with celestial unguents and perfumes.  Beholding her blazing with beauty, Galava’s son became very happy and passed one night in her company.

At morn she said unto him, ’The compact, O brahmana, I had made with thee, hath been fulfilled, O foremost of ascetics!  Blessed be thou, I shall now leave thee!’ After obtaining his permission, she once more said, ’He that will, with rapt attention, pass one night in this tirtha after having gratified the denizens of heaven with oblations of water, shall obtain that merit which is his who observes the vow of brahmacarya for eight and fifty years!’ Having said these words, that chaste lady departed for heaven.

The Rishi, her lord, became very cheerless, by dwelling upon the memory of her beauty.  In consequence of the compact he had made, he accepted with difficulty half her penances.  Casting off his body he soon followed her, moved by sorrow, O chief of Bharata’s race, and forced to it by her beauty.

Even this is the glorious history of the old maid that I have told thee!  Even this is the account of her brahmacarya and her auspicious departure for heaven.  While there Baladeva heard of the slaughter of Shalya.  Having made presents unto the brahmanas there, he gave way to grief, O scorcher of his foes, for Shalya who had been slain by the Pandavas in battle.  Then he of Madhu’s race, having come out of the environs of Samantapanchaka, enquired of the rishis about the results of the battle at Kurukshetra.  Asked by that lion of Yadu’s race about the results of the battle at Kurukshetra, those high-souled ones told him everything as it had happened.”

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“The Rishis said, ’O Rama, this Samantapanchaka is said to be the eternal northern altar of Brahman, the Lord of all creatures.  There the denizens of heaven, those givers of great boons, performed in days of yore a great sacrifice.  That foremost of royal sages, the high-souled Kuru, of great intelligence and immeasurable energy, had cultivated this field for many years.  Hence it came to be Kurukshetra (the field of Kuru)!’

“Rama said, ’For what reason did the high-souled Kuru cultivate this field?  I desire to have this narrated by you, ye Rishis possessed of wealth of penances!’