On the auspicious day dedicated to Budha, those who observe the prescribed discipline find that their wealth is never diminished. The ritual calls for setting aside two fingers’ worth of rice and using eight handfuls for the observance. A seeker of liberation should partake of this food with sincere devotion and faith, placing it reverently on a fresh mango leaf and eating it with kusa grass. When the rice is mixed with the sour kalambika, it bestows the desired fruits. After worshipping Budha with five offerings at a water-side shrine, one should donate, according to their means, a gourd filled with rice. The mantra for Budha is “buṃ budhāya svāhā,” and the worship should include a lotus and other sacred items. Budha is envisioned as dark-complexioned, holding a bow and arrow, seated in the center of a leaf and its limbs. The story of Budha’s eighth day is especially meritorious, and the wise are urged to listen to it. In the ancient city of Pataliputra lived a noble Brahmin named Vira. His wife was Rambha, and their excellent son was Kaushika. They also had a daughter named Vijaya, and among their household was a cowherd named Vrisha. One summer, Kaushika took Vrisha to the Ganges to enjoy the season’s delights. But while playing, Vrisha was seized by other cowherds and thieves and dragged away by force. Rising from the waters of the Ganges, Vrisha wandered distressed through the forest. Meanwhile, Vijaya went to fetch water, accompanied by her brother Kaushika. Thirsty and searching for lotus stalks, Kaushika arrived at a lake. There, he saw divine women engaged in worship and other sacred rites, and he was amazed. Approaching them, he humbly begged for food, saying, “I am hungry, and so is my brother.” The women replied, “Perform the vow, and we will give you food; do the vow.” For the sake of his wife and his wealth, Kaushika worshipped Budha as instructed. Taking two leaves, he ate the food that was given. The women then departed, but Kaushika and his companion gained both wealth and satisfaction from what they had received. Having recovered what was taken by the thieves, Kaushika returned home as night fell, bowed to the distressed Vrisha, and then slept peacefully. Later, seeing his daughter Vijaya grown into a young woman, Vira wondered sorrowfully, “To whom should I give my daughter?” In his sorrow, and because of the vow’s merit, he resolved, “To Yama.” After Vira and Rambha passed away, Kaushika undertook a vow for the sake of the kingdom, bestowed the great realm of Ayodhya, and gave his sister Vijaya to Yama. Yama said to her, “Become a householder in my city.” But when Yama was away, Vijaya did not open the door. She then saw her own mother, bound by Yama’s noose, standing as a captive. Anxious, Vijaya recalled the vow Kaushika had spoken, which grants liberation. She performed this vow and was freed from her bondage. Thus, it is said, one should observe this vow. By the power of its merit, Vijaya ascended to heaven and dwelled there happily. Brahmā then spoke of another vow: Those who drink eight buds of the aśoka tree on the bright eighth day of the month of Caitra, under the star Punarvasu, will never experience sorrow. The devotee prays, “O aśoka, beloved of Hara, born in the spring month, I drink you, tormented by sorrow—always remove my sorrow.” Thus is the aśokāṣṭamī vow. Brahmā further explained: On the bright eighth day in the month of Āśvayuja, joined with the star Uttarāṣāḍhā, falls the great Navamī. Bathing and giving gifts on this day yield inexhaustible merit. On this pure Navamī, one should worship Durgā. This vow is of great merit and is practiced by Śaṅkara and other great beings. Beginning from the sixth day, without asking, and for the king’s victory over his enemies, one should always feed a maiden, accompanied by recitation and fire offerings. In the worship and related rites, the mantra is: “O Durgā, O Durgā, O Protectress, svāhā.” The nine goddesses are to be honored with elongated syllables, ending with “obeisance.” Using six words—“obeisance, svāhā, vaṣaṭ,” and so on, beginning with the heart and ending with the little finger—one should perform the ritual for Śivā. On the eighth day, one should make nine wooden houses, or even just one, and install the goddess there, whether the image is made of gold or silver. She may be worshipped on a spear, sword, book, cloth, diagram, skull, shield, bell, mirror, forefinger, or wealth. The goddess is depicted bearing a banner, drum, and noose in her left hands, and a spear, mallet, trident, thunderbolt, sword, and goad in her right. She is adorned with arrow, discus, and rod, and in her various forms, she has sixteen arms, except for the collyrium and drum. The nine goddesses are Rudracaṇḍā, Pracaṇḍā, Caṇḍogrā, Caṇḍanāyikā, Caṇḍā, Caṇḍavatī, Caṇḍarūpā, and the exceedingly fierce Caṇḍikā. The ninth is fierce and intense, shining like the radiance of a middling fire; its colors are yellow, swift, dark, blue, smoky, and shining. It is tawny, pale, pressed, and green as well. Its name is “mahiṣa”; its form is that of a sword’s tip, with a protruding jaw and clenched fist. Reciting the ten-syllable mantra, the devotee is not bound by anyone. Then, with a sword five or fifteen fingers in length, or with a trident, the sacrifice is performed; or one may worship the emblem, the sandals, or even in water. One should protect the diverse worship, and fast on the eighth day; for five years, a buffalo or a goat should be offered, slain at the end of the night, according to the prescribed rite. The blood and other offerings arising from Kali should be presented: in the southwest to Pūtanā, in the northwest to the evil Rākṣasī, in the northeast to Carakī, and in the southeast to Vidārikā. Brahmā then described the great Kauśika mantra, which yields immense fruit: “Om, obeisance to Mahākauśikā! Om hūṃ hūṃ, shine forth, lala lala, kulva kulva, culva culva, khalla khalla, mulva mulva, gulva gulva, tulva pulla pulla, dhalva dhulva, dhuma dhuma, dhamadhama, slay, slay, burn, burn, command, command, tear, tear, tremble, tremble, shake, shake, fill, fill, possess, possess, om hrīṃ om hrīṃ haṃ vaṃ vaṃ huṃ taṭataṭa madamada hrīṃ om hūṃ, obeisance to Nairṛtā!” This mantra should be offered to Nirṛti, and with it, the offering is consecrated. In front of the goddess, the king should bathe, set up a parasol, and prepare the sacrificial cake; after slaying with a sword, he should offer it to Skanda and Viśākha. The worship of the Mothers and goddesses should also be performed at night: Brahmāṇī, Māheśī, Kaumārī, and Vaiṣṇavī as well. Thus, through these sacred observances, vows, and worship, the devotee accrues great merit, gains liberation, and receives the blessings of the divine.