She is the revered Mother, the great sovereign Queen, enthroned in majesty upon the auspicious lion-seat. Born from the sacred fire-pit of pure consciousness, she rises forth for the sake of the gods, radiant with the brilliance of a thousand rising suns. In her four arms, she holds the noose, embodying the power of passion, and the goad, aglow with the force of wrath. Her very form is the mind itself; her bow is fashioned from sugarcane, and her five arrows are the subtle elements of creation. From her own crimson radiance, the entire universe is submerged and illumined. Her hair is adorned with champaka, ashoka, punnaga, and other fragrant blossoms, crowned with rows of rubies that shine with celestial light. Upon her forehead, the crescent moon of the eighth lunar day glows, and her face bears a musk-mark like the gentle blemish of the moon. Her mouth is as resplendent as the auspicious archway of Cupid’s palace, attended by the goddess Lakshmi of the face, while her eyes move as gracefully as swimming fish. Her nose gleams like the staff of a freshly blossomed champaka flower, and the brilliance of her nose ornament outshines the stars and the moon. Her ears are adorned with enchanting clusters of kadamba flowers, and her earrings resemble the orbs of the sun and the moon. Her cheeks outshine the glow of a padmarāga gem mirror, and her lips put to shame the beauty of fresh coral and bimba fruit. Her teeth glisten in two perfect rows, like the sprouts of pure knowledge, and the fragrance of camphor and betel leaves from her mouth pervades all directions. Her sweet conversation surpasses even the music of the veena, and her gentle words and radiant smile immerse Kamesha’s mind in bliss. Her chin is incomparable in beauty, and her neck is adorned with the auspicious marriage thread tied by Kamesha himself. Her arms are adorned with golden armlets and bracelets, and she wears a splendid necklace of gems with swinging strings of pearls. Her breasts are the precious price for the jewel of Kāmeśvara’s love, like the fruits of a creeper of fine hair rising from her navel. Her waist, slender as a creeper and marked by three graceful folds, appears shaped only by the weight of her breasts and the binding of her middle cloth. Her hips shine, wrapped in radiant crimson and orange garments, adorned with a beautiful jeweled girdle of tinkling bells. Her thighs are soft and known only to Kāmeśa, her knees resplendent with the radiance of ruby crowns. Her shanks are encircled by red indragopa insects, her calves are as shapely as the bowstring of the god of love, and her ankles are hidden, while her feet surpass the beauty of a tortoise’s back. The radiance of her toenails dispels the darkness of ignorance for those who bow to her, and her twin feet outshine the brilliance of lotuses. Her auspicious lotus feet are adorned with gem-studded anklets, her gait as graceful as a swan’s, and she is the very treasure-house of supreme beauty. She is entirely crimson, flawless in every limb, adorned with all ornaments. Seated on the lap of Shiva as Kāmeśvara, she is his auspicious consort, holding her beloved under her own control. She dwells atop the central peak of Mount Meru, sovereign of the splendid city, residing within a mansion of wish-fulfilling jewels, established upon the seat formed by the five Brahmas. She abides in the great lotus forest, within the grove of kadamba trees, and in the midst of the nectar ocean as Kāmākṣī, fulfiller of desires. Her splendor is praised by assemblies of divine sages, and she is accompanied by an army of powers, prepared for the destruction of the demon Bhaṇḍāsura. She is attended by the herd of elephants mounted by Sampatkari and surrounded by countless millions of horse-mounted warriors. Seated upon the chariot of the ruler of the chakra, adorned with every kind of weapon, she is attended by Mantrini, herself seated upon the chariot of the Geya Chakra. She is also seated in the chariot of the Kirichakra, preceded by Dandanatha, within the fiery ramparts cast up by a garland of flames. She delights in the valor of the Shaktis, eager to destroy Bhandasura’s army, keenly watching the display of the Nityas’ heroic might. She rejoices in the valor of young warriors preparing to slay Bhandasura’s sons and is pleased by the destruction of Vishanga, accomplished by her minister’s wisdom. She is filled with joy at the heroic power of Varahi, who took the life of Vishukra, and by a mere glance from Kāmeśvara’s face, she brings forth the illustrious Lord Ganesha. She rejoices as the great Ganesha shatters obstacles and magical devices, and she rains counter-weapons against the missiles released by Bhandasura. From her fingernails arise the ten forms of Narayana, and the fire of the mighty Pashupata weapon incinerates the demon armies. Her realm is emptied of Bhaṇḍāsura and his assembly, incinerated by Kāmeśvara’s missile, and her glory is extolled by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Indra, and the foremost of the gods. She is the medicine that revived Kāmadeva, who was burned by the fire of Śiva’s third eye; her lotus face is the very form of the exalted Vāgbhava-kūṭa. Her form is the middle section, from throat down to waist; she is the single flame of the Śakti division and bears the region below the waist. She is the essence of the root mantra, her body the threefold root division; she delights solely in the nectar of the Kula and protects the secret of the Kula. She is the noble lady of the Kula tradition, abiding at its culmination, the mistress and uniter of Kula, yet beyond Kula, dwelling at the end of the sacred path, ever devoted to sacred observances. She resides in the Mūlādhāra, breaking the Brahma-knot; she shines in the Maṇipūra, breaking the Viṣṇu-knot. She dwells in the space of the Ajna chakra, breaking open the knot of Rudra, and seated upon the thousand-petaled lotus, she pours forth the essence of nectar. Her radiance is like a streak of lightning, established above the six chakras; she is the great power, Kundalini, subtler than the fiber of a lotus—resplendent, supreme, and all-pervading.