Upon the earth, the goddess’s power was apportioned in many ways. Some beings were granted their share, inhabiting particular places and receiving offerings from mortals; others, stationed at doorways, would seize children and be content for hundreds of years. Still others found honor in the birthing chambers, taking hold at those openings, while some became takers of newborns. In homes, fields, ponds, reservoirs, and gardens, women who stood distracted and weeping became vessels for certain beings, who entered their bodies and found satisfaction. After these arrangements, Rudra himself, radiant and powerful, beheld the fallen Ruru and his army, the lord of the demons. The three-eyed god, seeing this, offered heartfelt praise to the goddess Chamunda. He declared, “Triumph, O Chamunda! Triumph, remover of beings! Triumph, all-pervading goddess! O Kalaratri, I bow to you. O universal form, auspicious and pure, three-eyed with strange eyes, fierce in appearance, O Shiva, O knowledge, O great illusion, O great awakening! Swift as the mind, victorious and expanding, fierce-eyed, agitated destroyer, great death, wondrous in form, fond of song and dance, auspicious one! Terrible, great Kali, remover of sin, holding a noose and staff, fierce in form, frightening one! O Chamunda, with blazing mouth, sharp fangs, mighty strength, seated upon a corpse, Shiva dwelling among spirits! Fierce-eyed, terrifying goddess, causing fear to all beings, grim, dreadful, great time, fierce one, Kali, Karali, powerful, O Kalaratri, I bow to you. O goddess with a dreadful face, O flame-mouthed, benefactor of all beings, goddess of all, I bow to you.” Pleased by Rudra’s praise, the supreme goddess spoke, “Choose a boon, O lord of gods, whatever lies in your heart.” Rudra requested, “O goddess, may those who praise you with this hymn receive your boons, O ever-present and true one. Whoever recites this threefold hymn to you with devotion shall gain sons, grandsons, livestock, and prosperity. Whoever hears this, with devotion, about the origin of the three powers, is freed from all sin and attains a state free from suffering.” Having thus praised Chamunda, Rudra vanished instantly, and the gods returned to heaven. Whoever knows and holds the threefold origin of the goddess is freed from all sin and attains supreme liberation. If a king deprived of his kingdom observes the ninth day with purity, fasting on the eighth and fourteenth days, within a year he regains a kingdom free from obstacles. This threefold power has been declared according to righteous conduct: the white, supreme creation is sattvic, established in Brahma; the same power is red in passion, called Vaishnavi; and the same is black in darkness, called Raudri, the goddess. Just as the Supreme Self is one yet manifests in three forms, so too the single power became threefold by necessity. Whoever hears this account of creation, the supreme auspiciousness of the triple power, is freed from all sin and attains the highest liberation. Whoever listens with devotion, steadfast on the ninth day, gains incomparable sovereignty and freedom from all fears. For the one whose home holds this written text, there will be no dreadful fear from fire, serpents, thieves, or similar dangers. And whoever worships it, even as it is kept in a book, with devotion and wisdom, all the three worlds and their beings are as if offered by him. Cattle, sons, wealth, grain, noble women, jewels, horses, elephants, servants, and vehicles quickly arise for the one whose home holds this; these surely come to him. Śrī Varāha then said, “This very secret has been declared to you, O bearer of beings; I have recounted the entire greatness of Rudra. There are nine crore forms of Chamunda, established in various distinctions; that fierce, dark power is called Chamunda. There are eighteen crore forms of Vaishnavi, it is said; that royal power is the sustaining Vaishnavi, and the Brahma power, established in sattva, is infinite. Among all these distinct forms, individually and separately, Lord Rudra is the master and pervader of them all. As many forms as there are of this great power, so many forms has Shankara created, and he always assumes the role of their lord. Whoever worships them, Rudra will be pleased; those goddesses and their attendants will grant success—there is no doubt.” Now, the triple power for Hari: the fierce vow—she who went to the blue mountain, her mind set on austerity. Having performed austerity for a long time, she sustains the entire world. In another age, by the goddess’s supreme austerity, the highest penance was accomplished. In the midst of the ocean, there is a city rich in jewels, a great forest. With countless hundreds of thousands, increasing ever more. Over a long period, those ancient cities of the guardians of the worlds came to be. As that great asura rose, the ocean’s waters swelled beyond measure. Within it, many enemies of the gods were concealed, their weapons and armor shining with wondrous variety.