The women approached and said, "Perform the vow, and we will provide you with food; do the vow." Moved by concern for his wife and the desire for prosperity, he and his wife devoted themselves to the worship of Budha. Accepting the offering, he took two leaves and ate the food given to him. Afterward, the women departed, and the couple, through their observance, gained wealth and enjoyed its fruits. Later, having received gifts from thieves, he returned home at nightfall. He respectfully bowed to the distressed hero and then slept peacefully through the night. In time, he saw his daughter, now grown into a young woman, and pondered, "To whom should I give my daughter?" Out of sorrow, and because of the results of his vow, he declared, "To Yama." When his parents had passed on to heaven, Kauśika undertook a vow for the sake of the kingdom. He bestowed the great kingdom of Ayodhya and gave his sister in marriage to Yama. Yama instructed her, "Become a householder in my city." However, when Yama departed elsewhere, she did not open the door. In that moment, she saw her own mother, bound by the noose, standing as a captive. Distressed by this vision, she learned of the vow prescribed by Kauśika, a vow that grants liberation. She performed the vow, and through its power, she was set free. Therefore, it is said, one should observe this vow. By the merit of her observance, she ascended to heaven and dwelt there in happiness. Brahmā then spoke: "Those who partake of eight buds of the aśoka tree on the bright eighth day of the month of Caitra, under the star Punarvasu, will never know sorrow." The prayer is offered: "O aśoka, beloved of Hara, born in the spring month, I partake of you, tormented by sorrow—always remove my sorrow." Thus is the aśokāṣṭamī vow. Brahmā continued: "On the bright eighth day of Āśvayuja, joined with the star Uttarāṣāḍhā, is the great Navamī. Bathing, giving gifts, and similar acts performed then yield inexhaustible merit. On this pure Navamī, one should worship Durgā. This is a great vow, of immense merit, practiced by Śaṅkara and others. "Beginning from the sixth day, without being asked, and for the king's victory over enemies, one should always feed a maiden, accompanied by recitation and offerings into the sacred fire. In 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.' With six words—'obeisance, svāhā, vaṣaṭ,' and so forth—beginning with the heart and ending with the little finger, one should perform the ritual for Śivā. "On the eighth day, one should construct nine wooden houses, or even just one. In that house, the goddess is to be installed, whether in the form of gold or silver. She may be worshipped on a spear, sword, book, cloth, or diagram; with a skull, shield, bell, mirror, forefinger, or wealth. She bears a banner, drum, and noose in her left hands; and a spear, mallet, trident, thunderbolt, sword, and goad in her right. With arrow, discus, and rod, Durgā is adorned with weapons; the remaining forms have sixteen arms, except for the collyrium and drum. "Her forms are many: Rudracaṇḍā, Pracaṇḍā, Caṇḍogrā, Caṇḍanāyikā, Caṇḍā, Caṇḍavatī, Caṇḍarūpā, and the exceedingly fierce Caṇḍikā. The ninth is fierce and intense, resembling the glow of a middling fire; it is yellow, swift, dark, blue, smoky, and radiant. It is tawny and pale, as described; 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. "Having recited the ten-syllable mantra, one is not bound by anyone. Then, with a sword five or fifteen fingers in length, or with a trident, the sacrifice is to be performed; or one may worship the emblem, the sandals, or even in water. Protect the diverse worship, and fast on the eighth day; for five years, offer a buffalo or a goat, and slay it at the end of the night. "According to the prescribed rite, the blood and other products arising from Kali are to be offered: in the southwest, to Pūtanā; in the northwest, to the evil Rākṣasī; in the northeast, to Carakī; and in the southeast, to Vidārikā." Brahmā further explained, "The great Kauśika mantra is here described, 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 should be offered to Nirṛti. With the Mahākauśika mantra, the offering is consecrated. In front of her, 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. "Worship of the Mothers and goddesses is also performed at night: Brahmāṇī, Māheśī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, as well as Vārāhī, Māhendrī, Cāmuṇḍā, Caṇḍikā, Jayantī, Maṅgalā, Kālī, Bhadrakālī, and Kapālinī. Durgā, Kṣamā, Śivā, Dhātrī, Svāhā, and Svadhā—salutations to you! The goddess should be bathed with milk and other substances by maidens and women. "One should worship the twice-born and even heretics by giving food; with banners, leaves, and flags, and with garments during chariot processions. On the great Navamī, this worship is performed, which grants victory, sovereignty, and other blessings." Brahmā continued: "On the ninth day of the bright fortnight of Āśvina, one should worship with a single meal; the devotee should recite the mantra one hundred thousand times for the goddess and for the brāhmaṇa. On the ninth day of the bright fortnight in Caitra, worship the goddess with dāmanaka flowers; by this, one attains long life, health, prosperity, and is unconquered by enemies. "On the tenth day, eat only once, and at the end, give ten cows; after giving gold in all directions, one becomes lord of the universe. On the eleventh day, worship the sages, which benefits all; at the end, the wealthy and those with sons are honored in the world of the sages. The sages are Marīci, Atri, Giri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Pracetas, Vasiṣṭha, Bhṛgu, and Nārada. "At the beginning of Caitra, worship with garlands made from damana flowers. The eighth day is known as Aśoka, the ninth as Vīra. The tenth day is called Damana, and likewise, the ninth and eleventh days are so designated." Thus, through the observance of these sacred vows and rites, one gains prosperity, liberation, and happiness, as taught by the ancient sages and revealed by Brahmā himself.