Savitri, filled with righteous anger, turned to the Brahmins and all the officiating priests, and pronounced a curse upon them. “For the sake of accepting gifts and performing fire-offerings, you shall wander the forests in vain,” she declared. “Driven by greed, you will always frequent holy places and fields, ever content with eating others’ food, yet perpetually unsatisfied in your own homes. By conducting sacrifices for the unworthy, by accepting disgraceful gifts, and by amassing wealth in vain, so too shall all your expenditures and efforts be fruitless.” Her wrath did not stop there. Savitri’s curse extended to the gods themselves—Indra, Vishnu, Rudra, and Agni—as well as to Brahma and all Brahmins. “Because of this,” she said, “you shall become like the dead among the dead—there is no doubt.” Having uttered these words, Savitri left the assembly in indignation. She journeyed to the sacred site of Pushkara, the foremost of holy places, and took up residence there. Meanwhile, Lakshmi, the virtuous and radiant wife of Shakra (Indra), approached Savitri and spoke to the gathered young women, “I will not remain here in this assembly. I shall go where I do not hear any sound.” Hearing this, all the women returned to their own homes. Savitri, still seething, was prepared to curse even these divine women for having abandoned her. “Because these goddesses have left me and departed,” she declared, “I, greatly enraged, will curse them as well. Lakshmi will never dwell in one place; she will be fickle, of wavering mind, and will remain among the foolish. Among Mlecchas, Parvati’s followers, the base and impure, the cursed and the wicked—among such people, by the effect of my curse, will Lakshmi dwell.” Having pronounced this, she then cursed Indrani, the wife of Indra. She foretold, “When Indra, stained by the sin of Brahmin-slaying, is seized and his wife suffers misery, and when Nahusha seizes the kingdom, then Indrani will seek you and beg for relief. How will this foolish woman not approach me, who am Indra? If I do not regain Shachi, I will destroy all the gods. Then you, terrified and lost, distressed in the house of the lord of speech, will dwell in misery, proud one, by my curse.” Thus, at that time, all the wives of the gods were cursed by Savitri. None would find joy in children; day and night, they would burn with sorrow, reviled as barren—even Gauri, the gentle consort of Shiva, was not spared. But as Gauri wept, she was comforted by Vishnu. “Do not weep, wide-eyed one,” he said gently. “Come here, ever-auspicious lady. Enter the assembly, offer the girdle and the linen garment, accept the vow, and I shall bow at the feet of Brahma for you.” Yet Gauri replied, “I will not do your bidding. I will go where I do not hear any sound.” Having said this, she ascended and stood upon a mountain at that place, while Vishnu stood before her with joined hands, bowing in supreme devotion. Vishnu then praised her, saying, “She who is everywhere, present in all beings, manifest in all directions—whatever exists, whether manifest or unmanifest, is not seen without you. Yet, in these sacred places, she is to be seen by those who seek accomplishment. She should be remembered by those desiring the earth. I declare to you: Savitri, named Pushkara, is the foremost of holy places. “In Varanasi, she is Vishalakshi; in Naimisha, she bears the linga; in Prayaga, she is Lalita Devi; in Gandhamadana, she is Kamuka. In Manasa, she is called Kumuda; in the sky, she is Vishvakaya; in Gomanta, she is Gomati; in Mandara, she wanders at will. In Chaitraratha, she is Madotkata; in Jayanti and in Hastinapura; in Kanyakubja, she is Gauri; in Amba, on the Malaya mountain. “In Ekamra, she is Kirtimati; in Vishva, she is Vishveshvari; in Karnika, she is Puruhasti; in Kedara, she is the giver of the path. She is Nanda on the slope of the Himalaya; in Gokarna, she is Bhadrakali; in Sthanu Ishvara, she is Bhavani; in Bilvaka, she is Bilvapatrika. “On Shri Shaila, she is Madhavi Devi; in Bhadrabhadra Ishvara, she is Bhadra; in Varaha Shaila, she is Jaya; in Kamalalaya, she is Kamala. At Rudrakoti, she is Turudrani; at Kalanjara, Kali; at Mahalinga, Kapila; at Karkota, Mangleshvari. “At Shaligrama, she is Mahadevi; at Shivalinga, Jalapriya; at Mayapura, Kumari; at Santana, Lalita. At Utpalakshi, she is Sahasrakshi; at Hiranyaksha, Mahotpala; at Gaya, she is Mangalā; at Purushottama, she is Vimala. “At Vipasha, she is Amoghakshi; at Patala, Punyavardhani; at Suparshva, Narayani; at Trikuta, Bhadrasundari. At Vipula, she is Vipula; at Malayachala, Kalyani; at Kotitirtha, Kotavi; at Madhavivana, Sugandha. “At Kubjamraka, she is Trisandhya; at Gangadvara, Haripriya; at Shivakunda, Shivananda; at Devikatata, Nandini. At Dvaravati, she is Rukmini; at Vrindavana, Radha; at Mathura, Devaki; in Patala, Parameshvari. “At Chitrakuta, she is Sita; at Vindhya, Vindhyanivasini; at Sahyadra, Ekavira; at Harishchandra, Chandrika. At Ramana, she is Ramatirtha; at Yamuna, Mrigavati; at Karavira, Mahalakshmi; at Vinayaka, Rumadevi. “At Vaidyanatha, she is Aroga; at Mahakala, Maheshvari; at Pushpatirtha, Abhaya; at Vindhyakandara, Amrita.” Thus did Vishnu extol the goddess, revealing her many forms in sacred places throughout the world, honoring her presence and power in all creation.