इति निश्चितचेतस्के वशिष्ठे तापसे शुचौ । अशूद्रान्न परीपुष्टे तुष्टोहं चंडिकेऽभवम्
iti niścitacetaske vaśiṣṭhe tāpase śucau | aśūdrānna parīpuṣṭe tuṣṭohaṃ caṃḍike'bhavam
ดังนั้น เมื่อวสิษฐะ—ดาบสผู้บริสุทธิ์และมีจิตแน่วแน่—มิได้หล่อเลี้ยงด้วยอาหารจากศูทร ข้าพเจ้า จัณฑิกา ก็พึงพอใจอย่างยิ่ง
Caṇḍikā (Devī)
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Vasiṣṭha, serene and radiant, sits in an ascetic posture with a water-pot and staff; offerings of food are present but he refuses certain fare; Caṇḍikā’s unseen presence is indicated by a red-gold aura or a lion-emblem banner, signifying her satisfaction.
Purity of conduct and unwavering resolve in austerity attract divine grace.
The chapter context is Kāśī, with the narrative moving toward Kedāra-kṣetra’s manifestation and praise.
It implies strictness in sustenance during tapas (discipline in accepting food), though no detailed rite is enumerated here.