"O goddess, thou art the salvation, intelligence, glory, bashfulness, learning, advancement and inclination of all the worlds. Thou art identical with twilight, night, ray, sleep and the night of death (2). Thou art designated as the worshipful goddess Kātyāyani, Koushiki, observant of the vow of celibacy and the mother of Kārtikeya. Thou art highly powerful and dost practise hard austerities (3). O goddess, thou art Jayā, Vijayā, satisfaction, nourishment, forgiveness and mercy. Thou art clad in a blue silken raiment and the eldest sister of Yama (4). Thou art of various forms, art without any, hast dreadful and large eyes and art the protector of thy votaries (5). O great goddess, living on the summits of fearful mountains, in rivers, caves, and forest and being adored by Savaras,¹⁸⁹ Varvaras¹⁹⁰ and Pulindas¹⁹¹ thou dost traverse the worlds in a car consisting of peacock-feathered flags (6-7). Surrounded by cocks, goats, lambs, lions and tigers and worshipped by the ringing of bells thou dost always live in the mount Vindhyā (8). Thou dost hold trident, Pattisha and other weapons. The sun and the moon are thy flags. Thou art the ninth day of the dark half of the month and the eleventh day of the light half (9). Thou art the quarrelsome Rajani, the sister of Baladeva, the abode of all creatures, the death and the supreme end of all animals and the daughter of the milk-man Nanda who carries the victory of the gods. Thou dost wear bark, excellent cloth and art the dreadful twilight (10-11). Thou art of dishevelled hairs and the death. Thou art fond of wine and meat. Although thou art Lakshmi (of beautiful form) thou dost assume a dreadful form for the destruction of the Dānavas (12). Thou art Sāvitri¹⁹² of the Vedas, the mother of _mantras_, the celibacy of the maidens, the good luck of women, the external altar of the sacrifices, the gift of the priest, the plough of the cultivators, the earth of all creatures, the success of sea-faring merchants, the bank of the ocean, the first woman of the Yakshns,¹⁹³ Surasa¹⁹⁴ of Nāgas, art conversant with the knowledge of Brahman, initiation and great beauty. Thou art the effulgence of luminous bodies, Rohini of stars, the consummate prosperity in courts, forts, confluences of rivers and the full-moon (13–17). Thou art the goddess of learning in Valmiki,¹⁹⁵ the memory of Dwaipayana¹⁹⁶ the intellect of the Rishis in religious matters, the determination of the gods and dost live in all creatures as the goddess of wine adored by thy own deeds (18). O goddess, thou art the charming look of the thousand eyes of the king of gods, the Arani of the Agnihotra ascetics, the hunger of all creatures, the gratification, oblation, intellect and brain of the celestials, the receptable of all the Vasus, the hope of men and the pleasure of all those who are crowned with success. Thou art the direction, the contrary direction, the flame of fire, ray, Shakuni, Putanā, the terrible Revati,