At the conclusion of the Mandāra Saptamī vow, the devotee, wishing for prosperity, should place the sacred offering atop a pot and, according to his means, present it along with gifts of cows. With reverence, he offers salutations to the Lord of Mandāra, the divine resident of Mandāra, and prays to the Sun, “Deliver us from the ocean of worldly fear.” One who observes the Mandāra Saptamī in this manner becomes purified of all sin, enjoys happiness in this very world, and rejoices in heaven for an entire age. This vow is like a lamp that dispels the dreadful darkness of accumulated sin, and the one who undertakes it attains every cherished desire. Even those who simply recite or listen to the account of the Mandāra Saptamī, which bestows the fruits of all aspirations, are freed from all sins. Furthermore, there is another sacred observance: the auspicious Śubha Saptamī. By observing this vow, a person is freed from disease, sorrow, and suffering. In the holy month of Āśvayuja, after bathing and reciting prayers, remaining pure, and having Brahmins recite sacred hymns, one should begin the Śubha Saptamī. With devotion, the worshipper honors a tawny cow with fragrant substances, garlands, and ointments, proclaiming, “I bow to you, born of the Sun, abode of all worlds; I honor you, whose body is auspicious and beneficent, for the attainment of all perfections.” After this, the devotee prepares a prastha of sesame seeds with a copper vessel, and fashions a golden bull adorned with fragrances, garlands, and jaggery. With various fruits and foods, ghee, and sweet rice, he makes offerings at the two prescribed times, praying, “May Aryaman be pleased.” Having consumed pañcagavya, he sleeps on the ground without envy, and, at dawn, honors the twice-born Brahmins with devotion. Each month, the devotee gives a garment, a golden bull, and a cow made of gold in this manner. At the end of the year, he presents a bed furnished with a sugarcane staff and jaggery, complete with bedding, vessels, and a seat. To a knower of the Veda, he gives a prastha of sesame seeds in a copper vessel and a golden bull, saying, “May the Soul of the Universe be pleased by all this.” Whoever, learned, performs the auspicious Saptamī in this way, gains great prosperity and fame in every birth. Honored by hosts of Apsarases and Gandharvas, he dwells in the abode of the gods as a lord of hosts until the dissolution of the cosmos; at the beginning of the next cycle, he becomes ruler of the seven islands. This Saptamī is so powerful that it is said to destroy the sins of a thousand Brahmin-murders and a hundred embryo-murders. Even one who merely reads, hears, or witnesses this offering, is freed from all sins and attains lordship among the Vidyādharas in this very body. As long as a man performs the Saptamī, endowed with the sevenfold observance, for seven years, he becomes lord of the seven worlds in succession and ultimately attains the supreme abode of Murāri. Then, a seeker inquires, “O destroyer of sorrow, what vow or fast on earth can lift a person from the mass of grief caused by separation from loved ones or from the fear of existence, and also bring prosperity?” The answer comes: “This which you ask is dear to the world and difficult even for the gods to obtain. Yet, because of your devotion, I will declare the vow, secret among gods, asuras, and men.” This is the auspicious Viśoka Dvādaśī vow, meritorious when observed in the month of Āśvayuja. The learned should begin it on the tenth day, eating lightly and observing the proper discipline. Facing north or east, after brushing the teeth, on the eleventh day one should fast, having duly worshipped Keśava or Śrī, and say, “I will eat properly on the following day.” Observing the discipline and sleeping, the worshipper rises at dawn, bathes with all herbs and pañcagavya water, dons white garlands and garments, and worships Śrī with lotuses. With devotion, he offers salutations to the remover of sorrow at the feet, to the bestower of boons at the shanks, to Śrī at the knees, and to the one who lies on the waters at the thighs. He bows to Kandarpa at the secret part, to Mādhava at the waist, to Dāmodara at the belly, and to the Vast One at the sides. He honors Padmanabha at the navel, Manmatha at the heart, Sridhara at the chest, and Madhujit at the hands. To the wielder of the discus, obeisance at the left arm; to the wielder of the mace, at the right arm; to Vaikuntha at the throat, and to Yajnamukha at the mouth. He salutes the abode of freedom from sorrow at the nose, Vasudeva at the eyes, Vamana at the forehead, and Hari at the eyebrows. He bows to Madhava at the hair, to the Universal Form at the crown, and to the Soul of all at the head. Having thus worshipped Govinda with fruits, garlands, and ointments, the devotee joyfully prepares a mandala and constructs a sthaṇḍila—a square platform, smooth and pleasing, surrounded by three embankments, each raised to the height of a finger and two fingers wide, with the wall above the sthaṇḍila reaching eight fingers high. Using river sand, he fashions an image of Lakshmi with a winnowing basket, places the basket on the sthaṇḍila, and worships Lakshmi, offering repeated obeisance to the goddess, to Peace, to Lakshmi, to Fortune, to Nourishment, to Satisfaction, to Rain, and to Joy. He prays, “O Viśokā, for the removal of sorrow, may you grant boons to me; may Viśokā bring prosperity and all attainments.” Wrapping the basket in white cloths, he worships it with fruits, various garments, and a golden lotus. Throughout the nights, the wise drink water with darbha grass and arrange for singing, dancing, and celebration. After three watches of the night have passed, having slept and risen, the devotee approaches and worships Brahmin couples—three or one according to his means—offering garments, garlands, and ointments, and honoring those lying on beds with the prayer, “Obeisance to the one who lies on the waters.” Thus, by observing these sacred vows with devotion and purity, one is freed from sorrow and sin, attains prosperity, and is blessed with happiness in this life and beyond.