Thus, the sacred vow of Aśokāṣṭamī is revealed. Brahmā spoke: On the bright eighth day in the month of Āśvayuja, when the auspicious star Uttarāṣāḍhā is present, this day is known as the great Navamī. On this occasion, bathing, making gifts, and other acts of merit become inexhaustible in their rewards. On this pure Navamī, one should worship the goddess Durgā. This is a vow of immense merit, practiced by Śaṅkara and other great beings. Beginning from the sixth day, without even being asked, and especially for the king’s victory over his enemies, one should always feed a maiden, accompanied by the recitation of mantras and fire offerings. In all worship and related rites, the mantra to be used is: “O Durgā, O Durgā, O Protectress, svāhā.” The nine forms of the goddess are to be honored with mantras of elongated syllables, each ending with “obeisance.” Using six sacred words—“obeisance, svāhā, vaṣaṭ,” and others—starting from the heart and ending at the little finger, one should perform the ritual for Śivā. On the eighth day, one should prepare nine wooden houses, or at least one, and within it, install the image of the goddess, which may be fashioned from gold or silver. The goddess should also be worshiped on a spear, sword, book, cloth, or sacred diagram; or with a skull, shield, bell, mirror, forefinger, or wealth. Durgā is depicted as bearing a banner, drum, and noose in her left hands, and a spear, mallet, trident, thunderbolt, sword, and goad in her right. She is further adorned with arrow, discus, and rod, and her many forms possess sixteen arms, except for those holding the collyrium and drum. The nine fierce goddesses are named: Rudracaṇḍā, Pracaṇḍā, Caṇḍogrā, Caṇḍanāyikā, Caṇḍā, Caṇḍavatī, Caṇḍarūpā, and the exceedingly fierce Caṇḍikā. The ninth form is especially intense, glowing like the radiance of a middling fire—yellow, swift, dark, blue, smoky, and shining, tawny and pale, pressed and green. This form is called “mahiṣa,” with the shape of a sword’s tip, a protruding jaw, and a clenched fist. By reciting the ten-syllable mantra, the devotee is freed from all bonds. Then, with a sword five or fifteen fingers in length, or with a trident, he should perform the sacrifice. Alternatively, he may worship the emblem, the sandals, or even worship in water. He must protect the diversity of the worship and fast on the eighth day. For five years, he should offer a buffalo or a goat, slaying it 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 spoke of the great Kauśika mantra, which bestows abundant fruit. The mantra is as follows: “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 sacrificial 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 the cake to Skanda and Viśākha. The worship of the Mothers and other goddesses should also be performed at night: Brahmāṇī, Māheśī, Kaumārī, Vaiṣṇavī, Vārāhī, Māhendrī, Cāmuṇḍā, Caṇḍikā, Jayantī, Maṅgalā, Kālī, Bhadrakālī, and Kapālinī. Durgā, Kṣamā, Śivā, Dhātrī, Svāhā, and Svadhā are also venerated. The goddess is to be bathed with milk and other sacred substances by maidens and women. The devotee should offer food to the twice-born and even to heretics, and distribute banners, leaves, flags, and garments during chariot processions. All this is performed on the great Navamī, which bestows victory, sovereignty, and other blessings. Brahmā continued: On the ninth day of the bright fortnight of Āśvina, the devotee should worship the goddess with a single meal, reciting her mantra one hundred thousand times for the benefit of both goddess and brāhmaṇa. Again, on the ninth day of the bright fortnight in Caitra, the goddess is worshiped with dāmanaka flowers, bringing longevity, health, prosperity, and unconquerability. On the tenth day, eating only once, the devotee should give ten cows, and after giving gold in all directions, he becomes lord of the universe. On the eleventh day, the worship of the sages is performed for universal benefit, and at the end, the wealthy and those with sons are honored in the world of the sages. These sages are Marīci, Atri, Giri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Pracetas, Vasiṣṭha, Bhṛgu, and Nārada. At the beginning of Caitra, worship is performed with garlands made from dāmanaka flowers. The eighth day is called Aśoka, the ninth is Vīra, and the tenth is Damana; likewise, the ninth and eleventh are also known by these names. Brahmā then described the twelfth day joined with the star Śravaṇa, which grants both enjoyment and liberation. The eleventh and twelfth days, when accompanied by Śravaṇa, are especially auspicious. This day is called Vijaya; worship of Hari and other rites performed then are inexhaustible in merit, whether by a single devotee, by fasting at night, or by one who requests it. On this twelfth day, one should fast or subsist on alms, avoiding pulses, meat, honey, greed, and false speech. One must also abstain from exercise, sexual activity, daytime sleep, and the application of collyrium, as well as from stone-ground food and lentils. In the month of Bhādrapada, the bright twelfth day joined with Śravaṇa is known as the great twelfth, and fasting on this day yields immense results. Bathing at the confluence of rivers on this day, especially when joined with Budha, brings great merit. In a water-filled pot, one should worship a golden image of Vāmana, adorned with a pair of white garments, an umbrella, and a pair of shoes, and then worship the head with the mantra “Om namo Vāsudevāya.” In the same manner, the devotee should worship the face for Śrīdhara, the throat for Kṛṣṇa, the chest for Śrīpati, and the arms for the bearer of all weapons. The abdomen is worshiped for Vyāpaka, the belly for Keśava, the genitals for the Lord of the three worlds, and the thighs for the sustainer of all. The feet are worshiped for the soul of all. One should offer ghee-rice as food, give pots and sweets, and keep vigil throughout the night. Thus, these sacred observances and worships, as spoken by Brahmā, bestow inexhaustible merit, victory, and the highest blessings upon the devoted.