Mārkaṇḍeya said: Lord Brahmā forbade the excellent Devas. He took Kauśika and other sages and hurried to the world of Viṣṇu, with great devotion to Vāsudeva. Lord Viṣṇu was surrounded by Devas. Lord Nārāyaṇa, the lord of the path of knowledge, was being served by the splendid Siddhas who resided in the Śvetadvīpa.[6] They were devotees of Viṣṇu with great mental concentration and purity. They had four divine arms. They were on a par with Nārāyaṇa. They were equipped with the characteristic signs of Viṣṇu. They were brilliant and devoid of sins. He was served by those great people numbering eighty thousand, as also by people like us (i. e. Mārkaṇḍeya) and by Nārada, Sanaka and other sinless souls. He was also served by different beings all round. Celestial women too served him. He was seated on a Bhadra Pīṭha (holy seat) in the middle of an aerial chariot that had a thousand doors, that extended to a thousand Yojanas in length. It was divine, bright as well as set with jewels. It was spotlessly pure and splendid with exquisite, diverse workmanship. Viṣṇu glanced benignantly at them who were engaged in worldly affairs[7] (?) Kauśika and others surrounded the lord at that time. He came, prostrated and eulogised the garuḍa-bannered lord. Glancing at him, lord Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa said “O Kauśika.” With great pleasure he addressed them in due order.