Freed from peril by the compassionate power of the Goddess, the gods—whose enemies had been vanquished—were once more able to reclaim their rightful shares in the sacred sacrifices, just as they had before. When the Goddess slew Śumbha, the formidable foe of the gods, mighty and fierce beyond compare, a destroyer of worlds, and also his powerful brother Niśumbha, the remaining demons, overwhelmed and defeated, fled down to the underworld. Though she is eternal, the Blessed Goddess again and again assumes various forms to protect the world, O King. Through her, this entire universe is both sustained and deluded; she is the very source of creation itself. When propitiated, she bestows wisdom, and when pleased, she grants prosperity. O lord of men, Mahākālī—the great doer—pervades all existence. She alone becomes the great destroyer when the time comes; she alone, though unborn, is creation itself; she alone, eternal, brings forth beings in the cycles of time. In times of prosperity among people, she is Lakṣmī, the bestower of abundance in every home; in her absence, she becomes Alakṣmī, the force of misfortune and destruction. When praised and worshipped with flowers, incense, fragrant offerings, and similar devotions, she grants wealth, sons, intelligence in the path of righteousness, and an auspicious journey through life. O King, this is the supreme glory of the Goddess that has been revealed to you—the power by which she sustains the world. Even knowledge itself arises from the divine Māyā of Viṣṇu; thus, you, this merchant, and others who are wise have been, are, and will be deluded by her wondrous power. Therefore, seek refuge in her, O great king, in the Supreme Goddess herself. When worshipped, she bestows upon her devotees enjoyment, heaven, and even liberation. Hearing these words, Suratha, the noble king, bowed reverently to the illustrious sage who had spoken so steadfastly. Weighed down by sorrow from his lost kingdom and deep attachment, he and the merchant set out at once to undertake austerities, yearning for a vision of the Divine Mother. They took up residence on the riverbank, where the merchant recited the supreme hymn to the Goddess, his heart full of longing. Together, they fashioned an image of the Goddess from earth and worshipped her with offerings of flowers, incense, fire, and libations. Fasting and self-controlled, their minds wholly focused, they even offered a blood-sacrifice, moistening the offering with drops from their own bodies. For three years they worshipped with unwavering discipline. At last, the Mother of the Universe, satisfied by their devotion, appeared before them and spoke with kindness: “Whatever you desire, O King, and you, delight of your lineage—let all that be granted by me, for I am pleased.” The king then requested that he might regain his kingdom in this very life, free from enemies, and, in another birth, enjoy unbroken sovereignty. The merchant, weary of worldly attachments, asked for knowledge that would cut the bonds of ‘mine’ and ‘I’—the wisdom that brings true freedom. The Goddess replied: “Within a few days, O King, you shall reclaim your kingdom, your enemies defeated, and your realm restored. And when your life ends, you will be born again on earth as Manu, named Sāvarṇi, son of the sun-god Vivasvat. O best of merchants, the boon you desire is granted; you shall indeed attain the knowledge you seek.” Having thus bestowed the boons as they had wished, the Goddess disappeared, praised and honored by their grateful devotion. Thus, Suratha, having received her blessing, would be reborn from the Sun as Manu Sāvarṇi, and the merchant would attain the liberating wisdom he had longed for.