O Lord, if you do not intervene, these beings will forcibly consume me as well. Please listen, O Lord of gods, to the one food I declare for them. Tell me, O beautiful one, O great lord Kalaratri, what should be done. Let them especially touch or cover a man. Let others, when worshipped, seize a breach in the house of childbirth. In homes, fields, ponds, reservoirs, and gardens, let them enter. By entering the bodies of beings, you will attain some satisfaction. In the speed of mind, victory, expansion, fierce-eyed agitation, and destruction, you, O fierce one—great Kāli, Kālikā, destroyer of sin—holding a noose and a staff, in terrifying and dreadful form, O Cāmuṇḍā, with flaming mouth, sharp teeth, and immense strength, you will fulfill your purpose. The supreme goddess was pleased and spoke: "Choose a boon, O lord of gods, whatever is in your mind." Rudra replied, "O goddess, be the bestower of boons to them, ever-present everywhere." Just as this threefold manner has been attained through devotion, whoever knows this threefold origin of the goddess indeed attains the boon. When a king, deprived of his kingdom, observes the ninth day with purity and discipline, within a year he regains a kingdom free from obstacles. This is the supreme white creation, sattvic, established in Brahman. This here is the black, tamasic, fierce goddess, so proclaimed. For the sake of purpose, the one power became threefold. Freed from all sin, one attains supreme liberation. He has no fear of fire, slaughter, serpents, thieves, or similar dangers. By this, everything in the three worlds, both moving and unmoving, becomes subject to him. Jewels, horses, cows, male and female servants, all become his. Śrī Varāha said: I have now recounted in full the greatness of Rudra. There are ninety million forms of Cāmuṇḍā established, and one hundred eighty million forms of Vaiṣṇavī. She who is established in sattva, who is both of Brahman and Śakti, is declared to be infinite. The Lord is indeed all—Rudra; he is all-pervading and the master of all. Thus ends the ninety-sixth chapter, named "The Secret of the Three Powers," in the Triśakti Māhātmya of the Śrī Varāha Purāṇa. Varāha continued: By knowing this, one is freed from sins—of this there is no doubt. When Rudra was first created by Brahmā, O beautiful-faced one, Brahmā, out of curiosity, took him upon his shoulder. At birth, the fifth head spoke thus: Kapālin, Rudra, Babhru, Bhava, Kairāta, Suvrata—these were the future names given to Rudra. Then, with the nail of his left thumb, the wise Rudra struck the prājāpatya head. When that prājāpatya head was severed, the three-eyed one stood there. Rudra asked, "How will this sin of mine be destroyed? Tell me, O virtuous one." Brahmā replied, "By performing the proper observance, joined with discipline, through your own power." Thus addressed, Rudra, by Brahmā of the unmanifest form, stood there and Mahādeva split that head into three.