O blessed one, I have heard your sweet words before; indeed, even I, steadfast as I am, was once deceived by them. A virtuous woman who does not give up even her life for her husband, though noble and good, is looked down upon by the wise. Your displeasure with me is great, and my dark form is the cause; even your playful speech is timely—how could it be otherwise? Therefore, your dark complexion is not approved by the virtuous and is not accepted; I cannot remain here, abandoning my ascetic practice. If your austerity is of this kind, what is the use of such penance? By my wish or your own, take on another color. But I do not wish to change your color myself or by any other means; by worshipping Brahmā with austerity, I will quickly become Gaurī. By my grace, Brahmā formerly attained the state of Brahmā; so, O great goddess, what will you accomplish by austerity? All the gods, beginning with Brahmā, have attained their positions from you; yet, by your command, Brahmā worshipped you with austerity. Long ago, I was born as Satī, the daughter of Dakṣa, and in this way I obtained you, the Lord of the world, as my husband. In the same way, even now, I wish to please the twice-born Brahmā with austerity to become Gaurī; what fault is there in this? Let it be told here. Thus addressed by the great goddess, Vamadeva, as if smiling, did not restrain her, desiring to fulfill the purpose of the gods. Then, after circumambulating her husband, the devoted wife, controlling her sorrow at separation, went to Mount Himavat. Out of affection, she chose again that very place where she had previously performed austerities with her companions, to undertake penance. There, seeing her father and mother at their house, she bowed, informed them of what had happened, and, with their consent, Sati again went to the forest of penance. She set aside her ornaments, bathed, and adopted the pure attire of an ascetic. Resolving to perform the most severe and extremely difficult penance, she constantly fixed in her mind the lotus feet of her husband. Meditating on that transient liṅga according to the external rites, she worshipped it at the three junctions of the day with forest flowers, fruits, and the like. She always held the thought: “He alone, assuming the form of Brahma, will grant me the fruit of this penance,” and thus performed her austerity. As she was thus practicing penance, after much time had passed, a certain great tiger, with evil intent, appeared before her. Even as that exceedingly wicked one approached, his body became stiff, as if painted with patterns, near her. Even seeing that tiger, who had come with evil intent, the goddess, by her nature, did not distinguish him as she would an ordinary being. But he, his whole body paralyzed and tormented by hunger, thought, “For me, there is no other meat but hers,” and remained there constantly. Constantly watching the goddess, he stood before her day and night, as if engaged in her worship. In the goddess’s heart, compassion arose: “He is ever my devotee, and I am his protector from evil beings.” By the power of her compassion, all three impurities were instantly destroyed in him, and the tiger then recognized the goddess. His hunger ceased, his bodily stiffness vanished, his innate wickedness was gone, and satisfaction arose within him. Then, realizing his own fulfillment with supreme feeling, he immediately became a true devotee and served the supreme goddess. He, having become the remover of evil even among other wicked beings, wandered in the forest of penance. The austerity of the Goddess grew intense, even more severe in nature; and because of the Daityas' persistence, the gods sought refuge with Brahmā. Afflicted by their enemies, the gods made known their suffering, and recounted how Śumbha and Niśumbha had received their boons through satisfaction. Hearing of the gods' distress, the Creator, filled with compassion, remembered the story whose cause and foundation was the destruction of the Daityas. Thus entreated, Brahmā, accompanied by the gods, went to the Goddess's hermitage, recalling in his mind the deliverance of the gods from suffering, to be accomplished by his own effort. There, the foremost of the gods beheld the supreme Lady Bhavānī, established in the highest austerity, as if she were the very foundation of the universe. He bowed to her, the Mother of the world, wife of his own brother Hari and of Rudra, the noble daughter of the Lord of Mountains. Seeing Brahmā arrive, the Goddess, together with the hosts of gods, offered him the proper arghya and welcomed him with due rites. Having first responded to her words of hospitality and praised her, the lotus-born one then inquired, as if unaware, about the purpose of her austerity. “With such severe austerity, O Goddess, what is to be accomplished here? For all the fruits of austerity are subject to your will alone. He who is the Lord of all worlds, that Supreme Lord, having attained him as your husband, you have already obtained the fruit of austerity. Or perhaps all this is but your sport and play; yet, it is remarkable, O Goddess, how you endure separation from the Lord. At the beginning of creation, it is said you were born from the Lord; then, among beings, you were my first-born son.