All beings, without exception, are able to act only because they are endowed with the power of the Goddess; without her, they would be utterly powerless, unable even to move. She alone, O King, is the very cause of the universe—the Supreme Goddess. Therefore, you should worship her, O foremost among men, and perform sacrifices in her honor. Worship her with the highest devotion, following the prescribed rites, for she is Mahālakṣmī, Mahākālī, and also Mahāsarasvatī. She is the Goddess of all beings, the source of all causes, the giver of every desired object. She is peaceful, easily pleased, and filled with compassion. By merely uttering her name, she bestows the fruits one seeks. In times past, even the gods—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara—worshipped her. Ascetics seeking liberation, disciplined and self-controlled, worship her in many ways. Even if her name is spoken faintly or only mentioned in passing, she grants the desired blessings, even those that are exceedingly difficult to obtain. Sometimes, when a frightened person in the forest cries out 'ai ai' upon seeing a tiger or some other beast, even such incomplete utterances please her, and she bestows the boon they seek. In this context, O best of kings, the story of Satyavrata is well known. We, the sages of purified minds, have witnessed this in assemblies of Brahmins, and the wise often recount his example. Let me now narrate to you, O King, all of this in detail as I have heard it. Satyavrata was a Brahmin, utterly ignorant and unlettered. One day, having heard a sacred syllable from the mouth of a Kolan—a member of a low caste—he pronounced it himself. By chance, he omitted the nasal dot in the syllable, yet, through this very circumstance, he became foremost among the wise. By simply uttering the vowel 'ai', he pleased the Goddess, and the Supreme Lady, moved by compassion, made him the king of poets. At this point, King Janamejaya, filled with curiosity, asked, "Who was this Brahmin named Satyavrata, O best of the twice-born? In which land was he born, and what was he like? How did he hear the word, and in what manner did he utter it? What kind of attainment did he receive at that very moment? How was Bhavani—the all-knowing, all-pervading Goddess—pleased? Please narrate this delightful story to me in detail today." Suta replied, "Thus questioned by the king, Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, spoke words that were noble and pure, filled with meaning." Vyāsa said, "Listen, O King, to a sacred ancient tale, which I once heard in an assembly of sages, O descendant of the Kurus. Once, during my pilgrimage to holy places, I arrived at the Naimisha forest, sanctified and frequented by sages. After paying my respects to all the ascetics, I remained in their excellent hermitage, where the sons of Brahmā, liberated while living, observed great vows. There, in a gathering of Brahmins, a conversation arose. Jamadagni, having taken his seat, questioned the sages. He said, 'O blessed ascetics, a doubt troubles my mind. In assemblies of sages, I wish to be freed from uncertainty. Of all the gods—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Indra, Varuṇa, Agni, Kubera, Vāyu, Tvaṣṭā, Skanda, and the lord of hosts; Sūrya, the Ashvins, Bhaga, Pūṣan, the lord of night, and the planets as well—who is most worthy of worship and bestows the desired fruits? Who is always easy to serve, quickly pleased, and bestows honor? Let the sages, all-knowing and steadfast in their vows, declare this swiftly.' When this question was posed, the sage Lomaśa spoke: 'O Jamadagni, listen now to what you have asked. The power most worthy of service by all who desire auspiciousness is the Supreme Prakriti—the primordial, all-pervading, ever-auspicious Goddess. She alone is the mother of the gods, including the great souls like Brahmā. She is the root of primordial nature, the very source of the tree of worldly existence. It is said that when the Goddess is remembered or her name is uttered, she grants whatever is desired. She is always compassionate and, when worshipped, bestows boons. I will now recount a story—let the sages listen to this auspicious tale—how a twice-born received the Goddess's blessing simply by uttering her sacred syllables. In the land of Kosala, there lived a Brahmin named Devadatta. Being childless, he performed a ritual sacrifice for the sake of obtaining a son, following the prescribed rules. He went to the bank of the Tamasā river, erected an excellent pavilion, and invited Brahmins learned in the Vedas and skilled in sacrificial rites. He properly constructed the altar, installed the sacred fire, and performed the putreṣṭi sacrifice according to tradition. He appointed Suhotra, the foremost sage, as the Brahma priest; Yājñavalkya as the Adhvaryu; and Bṛhaspati as the Hotar. Paila was made the Prastotar, Gobhila the Udgātṛ, and other sages were included in the assembly, all duly honored with gifts. The Udgātṛ, the best among singers of the Sāma Veda, sang the Rathantara hymn, composed of the seven notes, with proper intonation. However, due to repeated breathing, his voice broke again and again. Devadatta, annoyed, spoke sharply to Gobhila, 'You are a fool, O foremost of sages! Because of you, the intonation has been spoiled in this ritual performed for the desire of a son.' Gobhila, greatly enraged, replied, 'Your son will be a fool, deceitful, and devoid of speech. In all living bodies, the process of inhalation and exhalation is very difficult to control. I am not at fault in this matter of intonation, O wise one.' Hearing these words of the great-souled Gobhila, Devadatta, frightened by the curse, spoke to him in great distress..." Thus, the story continues, revealing how, through the grace of the Goddess, even the most unlikely devotee can be transformed and blessed beyond imagination.