Whenever afflictions arise in the world, caused by demons and forces of evil, the Goddess declares that she will descend at that very moment to destroy the enemies and restore balance. She promises that whoever praises her daily with focused mind and devotion, reciting her hymns, will find all their troubles destroyed without doubt. Those who recount the stories of her victories—the destruction of Madhu and Kaitabha, the slaying of Mahishasura, and the defeat of Shumbha and Nishumbha—those who praise her supreme glory with single-minded devotion, especially on the sacred eighth, fourteenth, or ninth days, are blessed. For such devotees, no evil deed nor misfortune from evil actions will touch them; poverty and separation from their desires will not afflict them. They will not fear enemies, thieves, or rulers; nor will they face danger from weapons, fire, or floods. Thus, the Goddess urges her devotees to recite her glory and listen to it with devotion, for it is the highest means of well-being. Her glory dispels all obstacles, including those from great epidemics and the threefold calamities of life. Where her story is recited daily in her temple, she assures her presence will never leave that place. At times of offering oblations, worship, fire rituals, and great festivals, her entire story should be recited and heard. Whether offerings and worship are performed knowingly or unknowingly, she accepts them with delight, including any fire oblations made to her. During the autumn, at the time of the great worship or annual festival, whoever listens to her account with devotion will, by her grace, be freed from all afflictions and endowed with wealth and grain—there is no doubt about this. Hearing her greatness, the auspicious stories of her origins, and her valor in battle, makes a person fearless. Enemies are destroyed, auspiciousness arises, and the family of those who listen to her greatness rejoices. In all rites for peace, in cases of distressing dreams, and in severe afflictions caused by planets, one should listen to her story. Afflictions subside, the harsh torments of planets are calmed, and for those who have seen bad dreams, good dreams arise. For children afflicted by malevolent influences, her story brings peace; in cases of discord among people, it brings supreme harmony. For all those of wicked conduct, it greatly diminishes their strength; and merely reciting it destroys demons, spirits, and ghouls. With offerings of animals, flowers, precious substances, incense, perfumes, lamps, meals for Brahmins, and vessels of gold, day and night, one should perform sprinkling rites. With various enjoyments and gifts, as can be given each year, the satisfaction produced by hearing her noble account even once is immense. Hearing it removes sins, grants health, and provides protection from beings; reciting her birth story brings these blessings. When her deeds in battle and the destruction of wicked demons are heard, fear caused by enemies does not arise in people. The hymns composed by you, as well as those made by the Brahmarishis and Brahma, grant auspicious paths. Whether in the forest or at its edge, surrounded by wildfire, encircled by robbers in a desolate place, seized by enemies, pursued by lions or tigers, wild elephants, ordered to be killed by an angry king, imprisoned, tossed by the wind, standing on a ship in the vast ocean, or when weapons fall in fierce battle— in all terrible afflictions, even when tormented by pain, if a person remembers her deeds, they are freed from distress. By her power, lions and other beasts, enemies, and robbers flee from afar when her deeds are remembered. Having spoken thus, the Blessed Goddess Caṇḍikā, fierce in valor, vanished before the eyes of the gods. Freed from danger by the Goddess, all the gods, their enemies destroyed, resumed their rightful shares of the sacrifices as before. When the Goddess had slain Śumbha, the fierce enemy of the gods, of incomparable might and a destroyer of worlds, and also Niśumbha of great strength, the remaining demons fled to the underworld. Though eternal, the Blessed Goddess again and again takes form, O King, to protect the world. By her, this universe is deluded; she herself gives birth to the world; when propitiated, she bestows wisdom, and when pleased, grants prosperity. O lord of men, this entire universe is pervaded by her—by Mahākālī, the great doer. She alone, in time, becomes the great destroyer; she alone, unborn, becomes creation; she alone, eternal, brings about the existence of beings in time. At the time of prosperity among men, she herself is Lakṣmī, bestower of growth in the home; in her absence, she becomes Alakṣmī, arising for destruction. When praised and worshipped with flowers, incense, fragrances, and the like, she grants wealth, sons, intelligence in righteousness, and an auspicious path. O King, this supreme glory of the Goddess has been told to you; such is the power of that Goddess by whom this world is sustained. Knowledge, too, is produced by the divine Māyā of Viṣṇu; thus, you and this merchant, and likewise other discerning ones, are deluded, have been deluded, and others will also be deluded by her wondrous power.