By the grace and will of Mahadeva, the great Maheshvara, may all these powers swiftly bring satisfaction to people, dispelling their troubles and fulfilling their needs. When these forces are pleased, may they remove every evil deed and misdeed, all the weight of great sins, and whatever else stands as an obstacle in one’s path. Through their favor, let all difficulties be utterly destroyed—whether in marriages, or in any rites performed for prosperity and well-being. In the pursuit of virtuous acts, in worshipping teachers and deities, in arranging recitations and sacrifices, and even in the fourteen kinds of journeys one may undertake, may these blessings bring peace. Likewise, in matters of bodily health and enjoyment, in the giving of happiness and wealth, and among the old, the young, and the afflicted, may serenity always prevail. Soma, Ambu, the ocean, Savita, wind, and fire—these are spoken of as sources of power. Kālajihva, who became the son dwelling in Tāla, is established in their tongues and afflicts those who are impure. There are two sons called Parivarta, both deformed and misshapen, O twice-born one. These two wander, dwelling upon treetops, in moats, ramparts, and the vast ocean, roaming among the branches of trees belonging to Gurviṇī. Parivarta is found in the krauṣṭuka bird, and from another womb comes the embryo. Neither tree, nor mountain, nor rampart, nor even the great ocean or a moat should be crossed by a weak pregnant woman. Such a woman bears a son named Piśuna, who clings to the limb. He enters the bones and marrow, consuming the strength of men lacking self-control, and also the offspring of hawks, crows, pigeons, vultures, and owls. The bird seized five of them; the gods and demons took them: Death seized the hawk, Time took the crow, Nirṛti seized the owl, which brings great fear, disease—the lord of afflictions—seized the vulture, and Yama himself took the pigeon. It is said that these beings are the causes of sin. Therefore, if hawks or the others settle upon someone’s head, for one’s own protection, O best of twice-born, rites of peace should be performed. Likewise, if such birds nest or are born in the house, a man should avoid a house over which a pigeon has settled. If a hawk, pigeon, vulture, crow, or owl enters the house, O twice-born, he should report their entry to those dwelling there; such a house should be abandoned, and the wise should perform rites of peace. Even in a dream, the sight of a pigeon is not auspicious. Six offspring are spoken of, as well as those at the edge of the cheek. Listen now regarding the period of menstruation in women and its duration: the first four days, and likewise another thirteen days; another eleven days are counted for the birth of offspring, on another day for approaching, and on yet another for offering śrāddha. On festival days, another period is set apart; therefore, the wise avoid these times. The son of a destroyer of pregnancy is slain, and a maiden is also deluded. One enters the womb and consumes it; another, after eating, causes delusion. From her delusion are born serpents, frogs, and turtles, as well as other reptiles and creatures, or again from excrement. For six months, a pregnant woman who eats meat without restraint—who stays at night beneath a tree’s shade, or at a crossroads, or in a cemetery or place of bones, or without an upper garment, or who weeps at midnight—then a dark spirit enters that woman. Likewise, there is one called Kṣudraka, the destroyer of crops by name. He always destroys the crop when he finds a breach. On an inauspicious day, whoever begins, unsatisfied, loses the yield. He enters the fields at the end of the season. Therefore, the rite should be performed on an auspicious day, after worshipping the moon. One should begin and complete the work, joyful, satisfied, and with companions. The maiden called Niyojikā is difficult to endure, and her four daughters are known as Pracodikā. Intoxicated, mad, and careless, these women always incite men. They enter to destroy, urging what is harsh: unrighteousness disguised as righteousness, desire disguised as lack of desire, adversity disguised as prosperity, bondage disguised as liberation. Unruly and without purity, they separately mislead men. Men entered by them fall away from their goals. Their entry into the house occurs when the sky is red at dusk. Where offerings to Dhātā and Vidhātṛ are not given at the proper time, while eating or drinking with companions, with drops of water, among nine women, their transmission occurs, and offspring are quickly born. Of the hostile ones, three sons: the water-taker, the receiver, and another—the darkness-coverer. When polluted by contact with lamp oil, or when the threshing floor is crossed, where there are pestle and mortar, footwear, garments of women, winnowing baskets and similar items, or where a seat is dragged by the foot, where people neglect worship and engage in leisure within the house, and where fire is brought facing south and then carried elsewhere, there the daughters of hostility, incited, become active. One, dwelling on the tongue of men and women, is a liar who speaks falsehood. She is called the Instigator, who causes slander in the house. Another, who listens inattentively, is exceedingly wicked. One of them seizes upon the words spoken and acts as the receiver; another, overtaking the minds of people, covers them with darkness and is evil-minded.