Let us listen to the sacred story as revealed in these verses. There is a mighty one, who with the strength of his big toe crushed the body of Soma, the Lord, protector of the bodies of Upendra, Indra, Yama, and all the other gods. He is the lord of the Ganas, commander of the celestial armies, who once severed the tip of Sarasvati’s nose. May he, in his greatness, remove my sin. Among the divine, Mahalakshmi stands eldest and most excellent, adorned with the finest ornaments, granter of boons, and mother of the world. May she remove my sin. Greatly deluding and greatly fortunate, surrounded by hosts of great spirits, she is ever devoted to Shiva’s worship. May she remove my sin. Lakshmi, endowed with every virtue and mark, ever present everywhere, the goddess herself—may she remove my sin. The great goddess, imperishable daughter of Parvati, riding a lion, the sleep of Vishnu, the great illusion, Vaishnavi, worshipped by the gods—may she remove my sin. Durga, three-eyed, giver of boons, slayer of Mahishasura, ever devoted to Shiva, the mighty goddess—may she remove my sin. The Rudras, bearers of the universe, revered by all worlds, and all the truthful, mind-born ones—may they remove my fear. Spirits, ghosts, fiends, leaders of the hosts of goblins, and the goblins themselves—may they, intent upon my well-being, remove my sin. Having praised the divine with these words, one should complete the ritual by bowing with the head to the ground each month, O best of the twice-born. Whoever recites or even hears this divine hymn of dispelling, having cast off all sins, is honored in the world of Rudra. Those who desire a bride obtain a bride; those who seek victory attain victory; those who desire wealth gain wealth; those who wish for sons obtain many sons. One who seeks knowledge attains knowledge; one who desires enjoyment obtains enjoyment; whatever other desires a person has, by hearing or reciting this hymn, he attains them. All these desires are quickly fulfilled, and the reciter becomes dear to the gods, when this meritorious hymn is recited with a specific intention. Diseases arising from wind, bile, and the like do not afflict him; he does not die untimely, nor is he bitten even by serpents. Whatever merit comes from pilgrimages, sacrifices, gifts, and especially from vows, that merit, multiplied a crore-fold, is obtained by reciting this hymn. Even a slayer of cows, an ungrateful one, a hero-slayer, or a Brahmin-killer is purified. One who kills a refugee, betrays a friend’s trust, acts wickedly and sinfully, or kills mother or father—having cast off all sins, is honored in the world of Shiva. Having heard this meritorious hymn of dispelling, the sages asked, “Now, in connection with the giving of the liṅga, please tell us also about the vows.” The reply came: “I shall declare to you the auspicious vows, O best of sages, as spoken by Nandin to the wise son of Brahma. Having heard them from Vyasa, I shall relate them to you. On the eighth and fourteenth days of both lunar fortnights, whoever, eating only at night for one year, worships Shiva on those days, attains the fruit of all sacrifices and reaches the supreme state. By making the earth a vessel and eating only on festival days, a person attains in one day and night the fruit of a three-night vow. On the fifth day of both lunar months and on the first day of both fortnights, one should perform the milk-stream vow and obtains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice. On the dark eighth, by eating only at night until the dark fourteenth, one attains enjoyments and goes to the world of Brahma. Whoever performs for a year, eating only at night on each festival, remaining celibate, self-controlled, and devoted to meditation on Shiva, at the end of the year, feeding foremost Brahmins according to rule, attains the world of Shankara; there is no doubt about this. Fasting is superior to alms-food; alms-food is superior to food not begged; food not begged is surpassed by eating only at night; therefore, one should live by eating at night. Food is consumed by the gods in the forenoon, by the seers at midday, by the ancestors in the afternoon, and by beings like the Guhyakas at twilight. Surpassing all times, eating at night is best; eating sacrificial food, bathing, truthfulness, and moderation in food are to be observed. One who eats at night should perform fire rituals and sleep on the ground. Now, month by month, I will describe the supreme vow of Shiva. For the sake of righteousness, desire, wealth, and liberation, and for purification from all sins, whoever worships in the month of Puṣya and observes night-eating, speaking truth, controlling anger, subsisting on rice, wheat, and cow’s milk, should carefully observe fasting on the eighth day of both lunar fortnights. At the end of the month, on the full moon, having bathed Rudra, the great god, with ghee and the like, and worshipped him according to the rite, one should sleep on the ground. Giving barley and cooked rice with milk and ghee, one should feed worthy Brahmins and especially recite the Śānti hymn. Likewise, one should offer a tawny cow and calf to Shiva, the god of gods, the supreme lord, for the sake of well-being. O best of sages, he attains the excellent world of Vāhneyas; having enjoyed vast worlds there, he is liberated there itself. In the month of Māgha, whoever worships and observes night-eating, eating rice porridge mixed with ghee, with controlled senses, fasting on the fourteenth day in both lunar fortnights, should, on the full moon, give a ghee-soaked blanket to Rudra. Thus, the sacred story of the hymn and the vows is revealed, promising purification, fulfillment of desires, and ultimate liberation for those who follow with devotion and discipline.