A devotee, filled with longing, approached the auspicious goddess and prayed with a heart full of hope: “Grant me beauty, grant me fame, grant me good fortune, O blessed one. Bless me with a son, bestow wealth, and fulfill all my desires.” In this spirit of devotion, it was taught that one should honor the brāhmaṇas with food and present a pair of garments even to one’s teacher. After worshipping Vināyaka and the planets, prosperity and the fruits of the rite are surely attained. Puṣkara, the wise sage, then began to speak: “Let me explain to you the sacred Māheśvara bath—a rite that increases the victory of kings. This powerful practice was once imparted by the sage Uśanas to Bali, lord of the Dānavas. Before sunrise, one should seat oneself and bathe in the morning, pouring water from pots while reciting sacred words: ‘Om, obeisance to the blessed Rudra, to Bala, to the one whose body is smeared with white ash. Victory, victory! Silence all enemies, break them in quarrels and disputes. Om, churn, churn all those on the path; that fierce, thousand-rayed one who at the end of the age seeks to burn, may he protect this worship and your life. May Shiva, the fire of dissolution, destroyer of Tripura, the very essence of all gods, protect your life. Write, write, seal! Svāhā.’ After bathing with the five nectars, one should worship the trident-wielding Lord. There are other sacred baths, each bringing victory and blessings. Bathing with ghee greatly increases lifespan; cow dung brings prosperity; cow urine destroys sin. Bathing with milk grants strength and intelligence, while curd increases prosperity. Water from kuśa grass removes sins, and the five products of the cow grant all attainments. Water from the roots of śatamūla brings every benefit; water from a cow’s horn conquers enemies. Bathing with palāśa, bilva, lotus, and kuśa brings all auspiciousness. To protect oneself from harm and increase lifespan, fame, virtue, and intelligence, one may bathe with vacā, two types of turmeric, and musta. Bathing with water in which gold, silver, or copper has been placed brings auspiciousness, while water infused with jewels brings victory. Water with priyangu seeds bestows good fortune. Fruit water gives health, and water from the dhātrī fruit brings supreme prosperity. Bathing with sesame and mustard confers prosperity and, again, with priyangu seeds, good fortune. Bathing with lotus, water-lily, and kadamba flowers leads to prosperity; water from the balā tree grants strength. Above all, bathing with water from Viṣṇu’s feet is the most exalted of all baths. For those who seek solitude, the rite should be performed at sunrise, fastening a jewel to the hand while reciting the Akraṇḍayati hymn. A jewel made of kuṣṭha, pāṭhā, vacā, dry ginger, and conch metal becomes the lord of all desires, for the blessed Hari is the supreme lord. By worshipping Hari alone, all desires are fulfilled. After bathing him with ghee and milk and honoring him, ailments of bile are removed. Offering five types of mudga beans frees one from diarrhea, and bathing with the five products of the cow dispels diseases caused by wind. Bathing twice with oils removes phlegmatic disorders, and special worship with ghee, oil, and honey is supreme, known as the bath of three tastes. This sacred bath uses ghee-water, oil, honey, sugarcane juice, and milk, celebrated as the bath of three sweetnesses. Ghee, sugarcane juice, oil, and honey bring prosperity; the triple white ointment is made of camphor, usira, and sandalwood. Sandalwood, agarwood, camphor, musk, and saffron—these five ointments are offered to Vishnu to grant all desires. Three fragrant substances—camphor, sandalwood, and saffron; musk with camphor and Malaya sandal—fulfill all wishes. Nutmeg with camphor, sandalwood, and three types of cooling substances—yellow, white, and pure white—are used, as well as black and red, making five colors in total. Lotus, padma, and three cooling substances are used in the worship of Hari. Saffron, red lotuses, three reds, and red lotuses again—by worshipping Vishnu with incense, lamps, and other offerings, peace arises for all. In a quadrangular altar, brāhmaṇas in groups of eight or sixteen perform the sacred homa with sesame, ghee, barley, and grains, numbering in the hundreds of thousands and millions. Puṣkara continued: “The king should perform this rite each year on his birth star, and every month, at the solar transition, he should worship the deities beginning with the Sun and Moon. At the rising of Agastya, Agastya and Hari are to be worshipped during the four months, observing the festival of rising and resting for five days. In the bright fortnight of Proṣṭhapada, beginning from the first day, a dwelling for Indra should be constructed in the eastern direction from the tent. There, Indra’s banner is to be established, and both Śacī and Indra are to be worshipped. On the eighth day, with the sound of instruments, the thread staff is brought in. On the eleventh day, fasting is observed; on the twelfth, the banner is raised, and the lord of gods and Śacī are worshipped, adorned with cloth and placed in a pot. With reverence, the devotee prays: ‘Grow, O Indra, conqueror of foes, slayer of Vṛtra, lord of the oven; O great and blessed god, you have come to dwell on earth. You are the eternal lord, devoted to the welfare of all beings; with infinite brilliance, you are the king who increases fame and victory. These gods increase your radiance: Indra, bringer of good rains, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha, Karttikeya, and Vinayaka, along with the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sadhyas, Bhrigus, the directions, the Maruts, the guardians of the worlds, the planets, Yakshas, and the rivers. May the oceans, Shri, the earth, Gauri, Chandika, and Sarasvati set your radiance in motion. Victory to you, Indra, lord of Shachi!’ ‘By your victory, may auspiciousness always come to me. Be gracious to the kings, the brāhmaṇas, and all people. By your favor, may the earth always be abundant with crops. May there be auspiciousness without obstacles, and may all afflictions be calmed.’ By worshipping Indra with this mantra, one who has conquered the earth attains heaven. Painting Bhadrakali on cloth and worshipping her at the time of Ashvini brings victory. On the eighth day of the bright fortnight, with flowers and other offerings, worship is offered to weapons, bows, banners, umbrellas, royal insignia, and other arms. Staying awake at night, offerings are given; on the second day, the sacrifice is performed again, addressing Bhadrakali, Mahakali, and Durga, the destroyer of difficulties. Thus, through these sacred rites and devotions, prosperity, victory, and auspiciousness are attained by the devoted and the wise.