O blessed one, you are now instructed to go to Vaikuṇṭha, where well-being and peace shall be yours. There, free from all traces of greed, delusion, desire, anger, and violence, you shall dwell in joy, accompanied by your consort, and your days will pass in happiness. In every world, you will be the object of great worship, and that worship will be offered with delight and reverence. Humans, Manus, gods, great sages, and all those who seek liberation will perform this worship in your honor, in every age, following the proper and established methods. According to the procedure taught in the Kāṇva tradition, through meditation and praise, the wise will fashion a golden bead, anoint it with fragrant sandalwood, and recite the sacred texts at the time of worship and upon its completion. In the beginning, even the great deities—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara—performed this worship, and all the gods, Manus, kings, and men followed their example. Then Nārada, eager to know more, addressed the Lord: “Tell me, O best of those who know the Veda, about the offerings used in worship—food, flowers, sandalwood, and all such things. My heart is keen to hear.” Nārāyaṇa replied: “I shall explain the procedure for the worship of Sarasvatī, the revered mother of the world. This worship is to be performed on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of Māgha, or on the day when studies are begun. After bathing and completing one’s daily duties, one should establish a sacred pot with devotion. Ganesha, the Sun, Fire, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and the goddess Śivā—all these deities must be meditated upon as will be described, and their presence invoked within the external pot. As for offerings, whatever is prescribed in the Vedas for worship and food presentation should be used: fresh butter, curd, milk, puffed rice, sweets made of sesame, swastika-shaped confections, sugar, unbroken grains of white rice, clarified butter, oblations seasoned with salt, and various other dishes. Cakes, swastika-shaped treats, ripe mango fruits, coconut and its water, saffron, ginger root, and ripe, well-prepared fruits according to the season and place—all these are appropriate. Fragrant white flowers, richly scented white sandalwood, garlands of white blossoms, and ornaments of pearls and gems should also be offered. Whatever is seen or heard in the scriptures, and all forms of meditation praised and celebrated in the Vedas, are to be employed. One should meditate upon Sarasvatī herself: radiant in white, smiling, exceedingly charming, clad in garments purified by fire. She is to be worshipped with devotion by the hosts of gods, by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and all others. Thus meditating deeply from the very root, the wise offer everything with a full heart. For those whose chosen goddess is Sarasvatī, O sage, auspiciousness always prevails. At the heart of all these offerings lies the supreme Vedic mantra of eight syllables, culminating in Sarasvatī’s name in the fourth case and invoking her as the wife of Fire. That mantra is: ‘Śrīṃ Hrīṃ Sarasvatyai Svāhā.’ Long ago, Nārāyaṇa, the ocean of mercy, bestowed this mantra upon Vālmīki. Bhrigu gave it to Śukra at Pushkara during the solar festival. Brahmā, pleased, gave it to Bhrigu at the Badarika hermitage, and Vibhāṇḍaka gave it to the wise Ṛṣyaśṛṅga on the sacred Mount Meru. Śiva imparted it to the sage Kaṇāda and to Gautama, while Śeṣa gave it to Pāṇini and the wise Bharadvāja. By reciting this mantra four hundred thousand times, perfection is attained. Now, O foremost of Brāhmins, hear of the sacred armor that was given by the Creator in ancient times.