She appeared, radiant and beautiful, her face shining with feline grace, her eyes reminiscent of a cat’s sharp gaze. At her side stood Skanda, the youthful god, mounted upon his brilliant peacock. Along with him were Swami, Shakha, and Vishakha, each manifesting as charming, two-armed children. To her right was Shakti, fierce and resplendent, accompanied by a rooster. Sometimes she revealed herself with a single face, at other times with six; her arms, too, would multiply—from six, to twelve in the village, to just two when she moved through the forest. In her many hands she bore a spear, arrow, noose, sword, shield, and kept one hand raised in a gesture of warning. Her right hands gripped spears, as did her six left hands. She was adorned with peacock feathers and held a shield, a banner, the gesture of fearlessness, and a rooster. In her various moods—sometimes gentle, sometimes fierce—she bore a skull, a knife, a trident, and a noose. Draped in an elephant skin, with her face and feet lifted in power, she became Rudracarcika, the eight-armed goddess, adorned with a severed head and a girdle. Thus, she was honored as Rudra-Camunda, the Lady of Dance, ever dancing in cosmic rhythm, while this very Mahalakshmi sat serenely, four-faced and resplendent. In her terrible form, she devoured men, horses, and buffaloes clutched in her hands; her ten arms and three eyes flashed with weapons—swords and a mighty trident. In her right hand she held a bell and a shield, a club and a trident as well, and in this aspect she was known as Siddha-Camunda. As Siddha-Yogeshvari, she was the bestower of all accomplishments. In another form, she appeared red, adorned with a noose and goad. Bhairavi, the embodiment of knowledge, shone forth with twelve arms. There were also the eight fierce mothers, born of the cremation ground, remembered in awe and reverence. One among them was patient, auspicious, aged, two-armed, with an open face and prominent teeth, bringing welfare as she sat upon the ground, her hands resting on her knees. Attending her were yakshinis, with rigid, elongated eyes, and shakinis, whose sidelong glances sparkled. Their tawny eyes and enchanting forms rivaled celestial nymphs. Nandi, the loyal gatekeeper, stood with a rosary and trident, while Mahakala, bearing a severed head, held a spear and a mace. There was thin Bhringi, ever dancing, and Kusmanda, stout and dwarfish. Among their hosts were beings with elephant, cow, and other animal faces, all led by the mighty Virabhadra. These beings, with bell-shaped ears, ten lips, and ten arms, tore apart sin and disease, wielding vajras, swords, staffs, discs, pestles, goads, and clubs. In their right hands they brandished threatening fingers, shields, spears, skulls, and nooses; they also carried bows, bells, axes, and tridents. The god among them, adorned with a garland of bells, crushed and destroyed all obstacles with explosive force. Then the Blessed Lord spoke of Surya, the Sun, standing majestically in a chariot drawn by seven horses, with a single wheel. In his hands he held two lotuses, an inkpot, a stylus, and a water pot. At the chariot’s left stood Pingala at the door, staff in hand, one of Surya’s attendants. On either side were two women with fly-whisks, and the queen, her radiance subdued. Alternatively, Bhaskara, the shining one, might be depicted alone, riding a horse. Around him, the guardians of the directions stood, each holding weapons, two lotuses in hand, bestowing boons, arranged in their proper order. These protectors, standing in the directions, bore hammers, tridents, discs, and lotuses. Surya, Aryaman, and the other protectors, four-armed, were seated upon a twelve-petaled lotus. Among them were Varuna, also known as Surya; Sahasramsu; Dhata, called Tapana; Savita; and Gabhastika. There too were Ravi, Parjanya, Tvashta, Mitra, and Vishnuka, each established in the zodiac signs from Aries onward, through the months from Margashirsha to Karttika. Each shone in their own hue: black, red, slightly red, yellow, pale, white, tawny, golden-yellow, parrot-green, and bright white, followed by smoky and blue. At the tips of the Sun’s rays were the powers: Ida, Sushumna, Vishvarchi, Indu, and Pramardini; Graharshani, Mahakali, Kapila, and Prabodhini; Nilambara, who dwells in the clouds, and Amrita. From Varuna onward, their respective colors adorned the ray-tips. Tejas, fierce and great, two-armed, held a lotus and a sword. Kundika carried a rosary and a moon; Kuja, a spear and a rosary; Budha, a bow and a rosary; Jiva, a water pot and a rosary. Shukra was adorned with a rosary of pots, a string of bells, and desired a necklace. Rahu bore a half-moon, while Ketu wielded a sword and carried a lamp. Ananta, Takshaka, Karkka, Padma, Mahabja, Shankhaka, and Kulika—these serpents, garlanded and hooded, shone with dazzling brilliance. In the zodiac sign of Makara, Varuna held a noose; Vayu, the wind god, bore a banner. In the sign of Mriga, Kubera, lord of wealth, wielded a mace and sat upon a ram. Ishana, with matted hair, rode a bull. The guardians of the worlds were two-armed; Vishvakarman held a rosary of dice; Hanuman, with a thunderbolt in his hand, stood firm, pressing the earth with his feet. The Kinnaras played vinas, Vidyadharas wore garlands and dwelled in the sky, while Pisachas were weak-limbed and Vetalas had distorted faces. The guardians of the fields carried spears, and the ghosts were large-bellied and emaciated. Again the Blessed Lord spoke: “I shall describe the eight groups of yoginis, beginning with Indra and ending with Ishana, in order: Akshobhya, Rukshakarni, Rakshasi, and Kripanakshaya; Pingakshi, Kshaya, Kshema, Ila, Lilalaya, Lola, Laktakeshi, Lalasā, and Vimalā. There were also Hutasha, Vishalakshi, Hunkara, Vadavamukhi, Mahakrura, Krodhana, Bhayankari, and Mahanana; Sarvajna, Tala, Tara, Rigveda, Hayanana, Sarakhya, Rudrasangrahi, Sambara, and Talajanghika. Among them were Raktakshi, Suprasiddha, Vidyujjihva, Karankini, Meghanada, Pracandogra, Kalakarni, and Varaprada; Chandra, Chandravali, Prapancha, Pralayantika, Shishuvaktra, Pisachi, Pishitasha, and Lolupa. Thus, the divine hosts and fierce mothers, the radiant gods and their attendants, all stood assembled in their wondrous forms, each bearing their own attributes, colors, and powers—guardians of the worlds, protectors of the directions, and bestowers of blessings and boons to all creation.