Vasistha remained as before, residing within the water jar. Then, from that vessel, the tranquil and illustrious sage Agastya was born, radiant and white, possessing four arms, and bearing an eye, a sacred thread, and a water pot. In one region of the Malaya mountains, Agastya, following the Vaikhanasa tradition, undertook severe austerities, accompanied by his devoted wife and surrounded by brahmins. After a long period, Agastya witnessed the world greatly afflicted by the demon Taraka. Filled with righteous anger, he drank up the ocean itself—the very abode of Varuna. This extraordinary act pleased all the bestowers of boons, beginning with Shankara. Brahma and the blessed Vishnu themselves appeared before Agastya, offering him a boon, saying, “Choose a boon, O sage, whatever you desire.” Agastya requested, “For twenty-five crores of Brahma’s thousand-year cycles, let me dwell in a celestial vehicle on the southern path. Whoever worships me at the rising of my celestial vehicle shall, in turn, become the lord of the seven worlds.” The gods replied, “So be it,” and departed as they had come. Thus, it is taught that the wise should always offer arghya to Agastya. A question arose: “How should the offering of arghya be made to him, O Lord? Tell me the proper procedure for the worship of Agastya.” The reply was given: At dawn, the learned should bathe at sunrise or at night, wearing white garments and garlands, and holding white sesame seeds. He should place a flawless pot, adorned with garlands, cloth, and ornaments, filled with five kinds of gems, a vessel of ghee, various foods and fruits, and a copper vessel. At the mouth of the pot, he should place a golden figure of a man the size of a thumb, with long arms, four faces, and seven kinds of grains wrapped in cloth. With a bronze vessel, unbroken rice, and a conch shell, he should, reciting mantras, give it to a foremost Brahmin, lifting it up with undistracted mind, facing the south, to one with a large belly and long arms. If able, he should also give a white cow with a calf, adorned with silver hooves and a golden face, full of milk, with a calf-bell, bowing to a Brahmin. All this should be given by a man for seven days, or ten, or more, as some say, until the seventh sunrise. Then, with reverence, he should bow to Agastya, reciting: “Resembling the flower of the Kash plant, born of fire and wind, son of Mitra and Varuna, O pot-born one, I bow to you. O lord of gods, beloved of jewels, who causes the growth and decay of the Vindhya, remover of clouds, water, and poison, resident of Lanka, I bow to you. To him who consumed Vātāpi, who once dried up the ocean, the glorious lord of Lopamudra—again and again I bow to him. O princess, greatly fortunate, wife of the sage, beautiful-faced Lopamudra, I bow to you; accept my arghya.” Performing this every year, one does not fall, and the rite bears fruit. After performing the homa, one should refrain from eating the fruit; whoever offers arghya according to this rule attains this world, endowed with beauty and health; with the second, the world of Bhuvar; and then, the highest heaven. He who offers seven arghyas attains the seven worlds; and whoever performs this throughout his life attains the supreme Brahman. Whoever here reads or hears this account of the offering to the sage born of the twin seers, or even gives it thought, is worshipped by hosts of immortals in Vishnu’s abode. Then a question was asked: “O Janardana, tell me of that which grants prosperity and health, brings inexhaustible merit in the next world, and bestows both enjoyment and liberation.” In response, it was recalled that long ago, when the goddess asked, the destroyer of cities, seated atop Mount Kailāsa, spoke about the illusion of the world. Now, that story would be told—righteous, delightful, granting the fruits of enjoyment and liberation. “Listen attentively, O Devi, to the supreme worship for men and women alike, which yields endless merit. In the months of Nabhasya or Vaiśākha, or at the head of the auspicious path, on the third day of the bright fortnight, one should bathe well, using yellow mustard seeds. One should apply to the forehead a tilaka made from cow’s gall, mixed with cow urine, warm cow dung, curd, and sandalwood—this always bestows prosperity and health and is dear to Lalitā. On the third day of each fortnight, a man should wear clean garments, and a woman, if self-restrained, should wear red clothes. A widow should wear garments dyed with red ochre, a maiden should wear white clothes. Then, the goddess should be bathed with pañcagavya, then only with milk, then with honey, and likewise with water scented with flowers. She should be worshipped with white flowers and various kinds of fruits, with grains, cumin, sesame, salt, jaggery, milk, and ghee. She should be worshipped with white rice and sesame seeds, and always honored from the feet upwards, O beautiful-faced one, on each fortnight. Salutations are offered to the giver of boons at her feet, to Śrī at her ankles, to Aśokā at her shanks, and to Pārvatī at her knees. To Maṅgalakāriṇī at her thighs, to Vāmadevī at her hips, to Padmodarā at her belly, and to Kāmaśrī at her chest, salutations. To Saubhāgyadāyinī at her hands, to the beauty of Hara’s beloved at her arms, to the dweller in the mirror at her face, to the giver of love at her smile, salutations. Salutations to Gaurī at her nose, to Utpalā at her eyes, to Tuṣṭi at her forehead, to Kātyāyanī at her hair, and to her head as well. Salutations to Gaurī, to Dhiṣṇyā, to Kāntī, to Śrī, to Rambhā, to Lalitā, and again and again to Vāsudevī. Having thus worshipped her properly, one should draw a lotus in front, with twelve petals, using saffron and marking the center. On the east, one should place Gaurī; next, Aparṇā; then, on the south, Bhavānī in the same way; and then Rudrāṇī. On the west, one should place Saumyā, ever dwelling with Madana; in the northwest, Pāṭalā the fierce; and between them, also Umā. Thus, the sacred rites and worships are performed, bestowing prosperity, health, merit, and ultimately, liberation.