Om, with reverence we bow to Manasā, the Vaiṣṇavī, sister of the Nāgas, who is also known as Śaivī and Nāgeśvarī. She is the beloved of Jaratkāru, mother of Āstīka, and renowned as the remover of poison. It is said that whoever recites her twelve sacred names during worship—whether in fear of serpents, while lying down, afflicted by snakebite, or within a temple—will be freed from danger, without doubt. By reciting this hymn one hundred thousand times, perfection is attained, and the devotee becomes adorned with serpents as ornaments, and a serpent becomes their vehicle. Thus concludes the forty-fifth chapter, ‘The Hymn to Manasā,’ in the narrative of Manasā, within the dialogue between Nārada and Nārāyaṇa, in the Prakṛti section of the great Purāṇa, Śrī Brahmavaivarta. Nārāyaṇa then spoke: The meditation upon the goddess, as taught in the Sāma Veda, and the procedure for her worship, should be known. One should visualize her radiance like a white campaka flower, adorned with jeweled ornaments, endowed with great knowledge, and foremost among the wise and virtuous. After meditating thus upon the goddess, one should worship her with the root mantra itself, as spoken in the Veda, which fulfills the desires of devotees. This root mantra is declared as: ‘Om hrīṃ śrīṃ krīṃ aiṃ, to the goddess Manasā, svāhā.’ Whoever attains perfection in this mantra becomes accomplished in the world. O Brahman, at the time of the summer solstice, with offerings of jaggery and branches, and with sincere effort, on the fifth day called Mānasā, those who offer sacrifice to the goddess follow the prescribed procedure. Listen now to that account. Long ago, people on earth were afflicted by the fear of serpents. Then, the presiding deity of mantras was created from the mind. That maiden, Manasā, after her birth, went to the abode of Śaṅkara according to tradition. There, as the sage’s daughter, she served him for a divine thousand years. Śaṅkara granted her supreme knowledge and taught her the Sāma Veda, the seed-mantras of Lakṣmī, Māyā, and Kāma, the feet of Kṛṣṇa, the armor named ‘Auspiciousness of the Three Worlds,’ and the procedures of worship. He also taught her the most venerable hymn and the meditation that purifies the worlds. Having obtained supreme knowledge from Mṛtyuñjaya, Manasā became truly victorious over death. She then performed austerities for three ages for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul. Seeing the emaciated young girl, the ocean of compassion was moved by pity. When worshipped, he granted her a boon: ‘May you always be worshipped.’ She was first worshipped by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul, and also by Manu, the sage, and the serpent, the leader of men. In ancient times, Kaśyapa gave her in marriage to the great sage Jaratkāru. After the marriage, the great yogi, long wearied by austerities, found rest. The sage entered sleep, remembering the Lord of Sleep, and there his devoted wife, Manasā, contemplated in her mind. Without performing the evening twilight rite, which is perpetual for twice-born men, he who does not honor the former nor worships the latter, thinking, ‘This is prescribed by the Veda,’ instructed that sage. Then Jaratkāru spoke: The vows and observances of a wife who acts against her husband are in vain.