Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was seated upon the Vajra Seat at the base of the Bodhi tree shortly after subduing Māra and becoming a perfect buddha. The great general of the gods, the lord of the gaṇas, Mahākāla, glorious lord Mahākāla who has dominion over the lords of the desire realm, approached the Blessed One, prostrated at the Blessed One’s feet, sat to one side, and addressed him, saying, “Honorable Blessed One, please accept my vidyā as a gift:

oṃ śrīmahākāla gaṇaguti svāhā namaḥ śrīmahākāla gaṇe gutiśāya namo yoginaṇīna tadyathā | oṃ hile hile kite kiteni cite citeni svāhā |

“Chanting this vidyā will bind all beings who cause illness and diseases, all grahas, all beings who cause plague, all bhūtas, evil magic, and the evil eye upward through the Heaven of Controlling the Emanations of Others. It will bind them downward through the hell realms. It will bind them outward to the surrounding mountains.

“Moreover, I promise and vow to be a guardian of temples and maṇḍalas, to be a physician who treats the illness of the three poisons, to be the vital support of all vidyā holders, to be the warrior spirit of all yogins, and to be the sovereign lord of those who subdue Māra, as well as to completely destroy the rākṣasa city of Laṅkāpūrī, to reduce to dust the yakṣa daughters and rākṣasīs who flash like lightning, and to protect the teaching of the Three Jewels.”