Next 3 chapters of Devī Māhātmya form its second part, praising Goddess as Mahālakṣmī (powerful, 18-handed form of Lakṣmī) or Mahiṣāsura Mardini, who resides at our heart chakra, and helps us tame raja guna within us, with all its desires and passions.

Rajo guna dwells in the middle part of our brain, placed in the very innermost part of our head, which is known as our limbic system. This is the place where our emotions take place — where most of the key hormones regulating our mood are being produced. Interestingly this is also the most “flexible” or plastic part of our brain, which can experience significant changes due to variety of stimuli. It also plays a key role in our learning processes and memory — because we mainly learn and memorise through emotions.

This is also the part of our brain which can become significantly fired up when we go into “fight or flight” mode, our most intense response to stress — because when our desires are not fulfilled, we easily go into anger or frustration.

Both anger and desire arise from rajo guna, the mode of passion. When they take over and when our limbic system gets triggered and starts sending us big “danger” signs, we simultaneously lose access to more evolved functions of our brain such as critical thinking, remembering things, creativity and compassion. In Devī Māhātmya it is metaphorically represented as demon Mahiṣāsura, who renders all the gods, representing our inner faculties, weak and powerless. Only when all those inner powers, devas within us, become mobilised and united together, focused on a single goal, from their combined light is born the Goddess who is the only one capable of defeating a shapeshifting Mahiṣāsura: Goddess Mahālakṣmī.

These 3 chapters (2-4) are traditionally recited and contemplated upon on the second day of Navaratri.