She is pure and free from any trace of ego, ever virtuous and supremely dear to Nārāyaṇa himself. She is the very embodiment of Viṣṇu’s ornaments, the chaste and devoted one who stands humbly at Viṣṇu’s feet. Her nature is the essence of flowers—always pure, always bestowing merit upon those who approach her. In the age of Kali, when darkness and sin spread, she assumes the form of fire, burning away the dry fuel of accumulated wrongs. Even the holiest of places yearn for her touch and her sight, seeking her presence to purify themselves. To those who seek liberation, she is the bestower of freedom; to those who harbor desires, she fulfills them all. She is the supreme goddess of worship, the protector of the people of Bhārata. She is the beloved disciple of Śaṅkara, accomplished in the highest knowledge, and she is revered as the goddess and mother of serpents—beautiful, riding upon serpents, and honored by the lord of serpents himself. Perfected in yoga, she dwells among the serpents, embodying the highest austerity, the giver of the fruits of ascetic practice, and an ascetic herself. Among ascetic women, she is foremost and worthy of worship, and among all ascetics in Bhārata, she is revered. Her nature is of Brahman, supreme and intent upon the contemplation of the Absolute. She is the mother of Āstīka, the sage who stands foremost among ascetics. Among all mothers, she is the most venerable, known as Ṣaṣṭhī. An ascetic devoted to Viṣṇu and beloved of Kārttikeya, she is the one who grants sons and grandsons, nourishing the worlds. Supreme among those who care for children, she appears as an old woman in her yoginī form. It is she who is worshipped in the maternity chamber on the sixty-second day after a child’s birth, a rite to be observed with discipline always, and also desired for attaining higher purposes. She is accessible to children everywhere—in water, on land, and in the sky—even appearing to them in dreams. Born from the mouth of Prakriti, she bestows all auspiciousness, and so the wise call her Maṅgala Caṇḍī, the Auspicious Caṇḍī. Women worship her with devotion, offering the five sacred offerings. She destroys sorrow, distress, sin, misfortune, suffering, and poverty. Yet, when angered, the great goddess Maheśvarī can destroy the universe in an instant. Born from the forehead of Durgā, she manifested in battle against the demons Śumbha and Niśumbha, her divine and beautiful form shining with the brilliance of millions of suns. This goddess grants all accomplishments, is the supreme yoginī of perfection, eternally dark-complexioned through her devotion to Kṛṣṇa, and ancient beyond measure. With a single breath, she can destroy the entire universe. When worshipped properly, she grants dharma, wealth, pleasure, and liberation. She is the essential form of the chief principle—Prakriti and the earth itself. She is the very source of jewels, pregnant with treasures, and the refuge of all jewel mines. By her form, all beings are sustained, and she is the bestower of all wealth. O chief of sages, know now about the various powers of Prakriti. The goddess Svāhā, wife of Agni, is worshipped throughout the three worlds. Dakṣiṇā, the wife of the sacrifice, and Dīkṣā are honored everywhere. Svadhā, wife of the ancestors, is revered by sages, Manus, and men. Svastidevī, wife of Vāyu, is honored among the Viśvedevas. Puṣṭi, wife of Gaṇapati, is worshipped across the surface of the earth. Thus are her many forms and glories celebrated by all.