With deep reverence and devotion, the worship of the Divine Mother is performed with great care and love. She is to be honored with white flowers and many kinds of fruits, with grains, cumin, sesame, salt, jaggery, milk, and ghee, each offered with a pure heart. White rice and sesame seeds are especially favored, and every fortnight, her worship begins from her sacred feet and rises upwards, as is proper, O beautiful-faced one. The devotee bows at her feet, saluting her as the giver of boons. At her ankles, homage is paid to Śrī; at her shanks, to Aśokā; and at her knees, to Pārvatī. Moving upwards, salutations are offered to Maṅgalakāriṇī at her thighs, to Vāmadevī at her hips, to Padmodarā at her belly, and to Kāmaśrī at her chest. Her hands are honored as Saubhāgyadāyinī, her arms as the beauty beloved of Hara, her face as the dweller in the mirror, and her smile as the giver of love. Gaurī is worshipped at her nose, Utpalā at her eyes, Tuṣṭi at her forehead, Kātyāyanī at her hair, and her head is venerated with special reverence. Salutations are offered again and again to Gaurī, Dhiṣṇyā, Kāntī, Śrī, Rambhā, Lalitā, and Vāsudevī, each name a facet of her infinite glory. After this worship, a lotus with twelve petals is to be drawn before her, using saffron and marking the center. On the eastern petal, Gaurī is placed; next, Aparṇā; on the southern petal, Bhavānī; and then Rudrāṇī. On the west, Saumyā, ever accompanied by Madana, is placed; in the northwest, Pāṭalā, fierce and powerful; and between them, Umā. At the center of the lotus, the auspicious Kumuda is placed with Rudra, and Lalita is set at the very heart of the lotus, all adorned with flowers, unbroken rice, or water, and greeted with respectful salutations. Auspicious songs and sounds are arranged, and virtuous women are honored, adorned with red garments, red garlands, and fragrant ointments. Vermilion and bathing powder are gently poured upon their heads, and bathing with vermilion and saffron is considered most desirable. The instructor, the revered guru, must also be worshipped with diligence, for where the guru is not honored, all actions become fruitless. Throughout the year, the Mother is to be worshipped with flowers suited to each month: blue lotuses in Nabhasya; bandhujīva flowers in Āśvayuja and Kārtika; lotuses in Śatapattraka; jasmine in Mārgaśīrṣa; yellow kuraṇṭaka in Pauṣa; kund and saffron flowers in Māgha; sinduvāra or jasmine in Māgha; and in Phālguna, Uma is especially honored. Jasmine and ashoka flowers are offered in Caitra; pāṭala in Vaiśākha; lotus and mandāra in Jyeṣṭha; fresh lotuses in Āṣāḍha; and kadamba and mālatī in Śrāvaṇa. For ritual purity, cow urine, cow dung, milk, curd, ghee, water from kuśa grass, bilva leaves, arka flowers, barley, and water from a cow's horn are used. Pañcagavya and bilva are partaken sequentially, as prescribed from Bhādrapada onwards. On the third day of the bright fortnight, the devotee, with a heart full of devotion, worships and honors the Mother with garments, garlands, and fragrant ointments. Yellow garments are given to men, kausumbha-colored clothing to women, and offerings of niṣpāva, ajājī, salt, sugarcane, and jaggery are made. Fruits, flowers, and golden lotuses are presented to her. The devotee prays: "Just as, O goddess, the Lord of gods never abandons you, so too, lift me from the ocean of endless suffering and worldly existence." The Divine Mother is known by many names: Kumuda, Vimalā, Anantā, Bhavānī, Sudhā, Śivā, Lalitā, Kamalā, Gaurī, Satī, Rambhā, and Pārvatī. During the months beginning with Nabhasya, prayers are offered for her pleasure, and at the end of the vow, a bed adorned with golden lotuses is offered. Worship is performed for twenty-four pairs, ten pairs, two pairs, or eight or six pairs, as appropriate each month. The guru is honored first, then the others, for this third-day rite is known to grant endless fruits. O goddess, remover of all sins, increaser of fortune and health, one should never transgress her out of greed for wealth. Whether man or woman, greed leads only to downfall. If a woman is pregnant, has just given birth, is fasting at night, is a maiden, or is ill and thus impure, then another should perform the rite with care. Whoever performs this third-day rite, which bestows boundless merit, is honored in the world of Shiva for a hundred million kalpas. Even one without wealth, by observing the fast for three years with the prescribed flower-mantra ritual, attains the same result. A woman, whether maiden or widow, who performs this vow, is cherished by the grace of Gauri and attains the same reward. Whoever recites or listens to the vow of the Mountain-daughter in this manner, wearing Indra's garments and offering their mind, is honored by gods, celestial maidens, and kinnaras. Now, another sacred rite is revealed, the third, which destroys sin and brings good fortune, as known by those versed in ancient traditions. When the month of Māgha arrives, on the third day of the waxing fortnight, one should bathe in the morning with cow's milk and sesame seeds. The goddess herself is bathed with honey and sugarcane juice, then anointed with fragrant water and saffron. After worshipping her right limbs, her left are also honored. Salutations are offered to Lalitā, beginning with her feet and ankles, then to her shins and knees for peace, and her thighs for prosperity. Madālasā is worshipped at the waist, Amalā at the abdomen, Madanavāsinī at the breasts, and Kumudā at the hollows. Mādhavī is honored at the arm and hand, Kamalā at the smiling face, Rudrāṇī at the forehead, and Śaṃkarā at the hair. Viśvavāsinī is worshipped at the crown, Kāntī at the head, Madanā at the forehead, and Mohanā at the eyebrows. Candrārdhadhāriṇī is honored at the eyes, Tuṣṭī at the mouth, Utkaṇṭhinī at the throat, and Amṛtā at the breasts. Rambhā is worshipped at the left side, Viśokā at the waist, Manmathādhiṣṭhā at the heart, and Pāṭalā at the abdomen. Thus, with devotion, ritual, and loving care, the worship of the Divine Mother is performed, drawing the devotee ever closer to her grace and liberation.