With deep reverence, the sage began to instruct the king in the proper way to perform a supreme sacrifice. He explained that, first, one must mentally select the brāhmaṇas, appointing the Brahmā, Adhvaryu, Hotṛ, and Prastotṛ, all in accordance with established rules. The Udgātṛ, Pratihartṛ, and other members of the assembly—these best of the twice-born—should be honored with care, following tradition, though all this is to be done within the mind. The five fires—prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, samāna, and udāna—should be established on the altar in the prescribed manner. At this time, prāṇa becomes the gārhapatya fire, apāna the āhavanīya, vyāna the dakṣiṇāgni, and samāna the āvasathya fire. Udāna is considered the fire of the assembly; these five fires possess supreme power. The offering itself should be conceived in the mind as formless, supreme, and pure. In this mental sacrifice, the mind itself becomes both the Hotṛ and the sacrificer, while the deity of the sacrifice is none other than Brahman—formless and eternal. The fruit-giving, attribute-less Power, ever bestowing detachment and auspiciousness, is the very foundation of all knowledge of Brahman, pervading and abiding everywhere. With this intention, the twice-born should offer the substance into the fires of the vital breaths. Afterwards, having made the mind free from all supports—even from the vital breaths—let him, through the path of the mouth of the Kundalini, offer into the eternal Brahman, by his own direct experience, the great Goddess who is identical with his own self. Through samadhi, by yoga, he should meditate with an undisturbed mind on the Self abiding in all beings and all beings abiding in the Self. When he sees the Self in all beings, he beholds that auspicious One; and having seen her, he becomes a knower of Brahman, whose form is existence, consciousness, and bliss. Then, O King, all things beginning with Maya are burned away; only the karma already begun remains as long as the body endures. At this point, he becomes liberated while living, and upon death, attains final liberation. He is one who has fulfilled his purpose, O dear one, by worshipping the Mother of the universe. Therefore, with all effort, the glorious Lady of the world should be meditated upon, listened to, and reflected upon, according to the words of the Guru. O King, a sacrifice performed thus grants liberation—there is no doubt. Other sacrifices, driven by desire, are subject to decline. One should perform the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice according to rule, desiring heaven; this is the instruction of the Vedas, and the wise declare it thus. Yet, when the merit is exhausted, they enter the world of death according to their inclination; therefore, the mental sacrifice is superior and truly imperishable. That sacrifice is not fit for a king desiring victory; the serpent sacrifice you performed earlier was tamasic. The enmity of the wicked Takṣaka was carried out, O King; for his sake, countless other serpents were slain by you in the fire. Now, perform the Devi-sacrifice, properly established according to rule, O best of kings, as was done formerly by Vishnu at the beginning of creation. Likewise, you should do so, O king of kings; I will declare the procedure to you. Brahmins are present, O king, most learned in the rules and the Vedas. They are skilled in the establishment of the Devi's seed and expert in the path of mantra; they will be the officiating priests, and you alone will be the sacrificer. Having performed the sacrifice according to rule, and given the merit gained from the rite, O great king, rescue your father who has fallen into misfortune. The sin arising from disrespecting Brahmins, difficult and leading to hell, as well as the fault from the curse, has been incurred by your father, O sinless one. Likewise, when the king met a terrible death from a snakebite, death did not come to him on the ground, nor on a bed of sacred grass. He did not die in battle, nor while bathing or giving gifts in the Ganges; his death, O best of the Kurus, occurred in the palace, deprived of such rites. All the sufferings of hell, O best of kings, have one cause there; and for him, that exceedingly rare cause did not arise. Wherever breath remains, knowing that death has arrived, even in the absence of means and in great distress, one is helpless. But when, with a pure mind, one attains dispassion and thinks, "This body made of the five elements—what sorrow is there in it for me?" and, "Today, as it falls as it will, I am liberated, without qualities, imperishable; since the elements themselves are perishable, what is there to lament?" and, "I am truly Brahman, not bound to worldly existence, always free, eternal; my connection with the body is established by karma"—then, all those things, both auspicious and otherwise, are released through the human body, as it is the means for experiencing pleasure and pain. Freed from this extremely dreadful and terrifying bondage of worldly existence, if one contemplates thus, even without bathing or giving gifts—if one attains death in this way, one is freed from the suffering of birth; this is said to be the highest state, rare even for yogis. Your father, O tiger among kings, after hearing the curse spoken by the sage, held on to attachment for his body and did not attain dispassion. He thought, "My body is healthy, my kingdom is free from enemies; how can I die willingly? Let those who know mantras be brought here." Then the king used medicine, gems, mantras, and the highest devices, and also ascended to the palace. He did not bathe, did not give gifts, did not remember the Goddess, nor did he lie on the ground, considering fate to be supreme. Immersed in the dreadful ocean of delusion, he died in the palace, killed by a snake, having committed sin due to the influence of the Kali age and by insulting the ascetic. By such actions, one must certainly go to hell; therefore, O best of kings, rescue your father from that sin.