After three days of journeying along the road, Cāmuṇḍa finally arrived at the place called Śirīṣa. News of her coming quickly reached Balakhāni, a mighty warrior, who assembled an immense army of a hundred thousand soldiers and marched out from the city to meet her. His younger brother, Sukhakhani, another heroic soul, accompanied him with his own forces. Balakhāni, riding upon a pigeon, unleashed his power and destroyed the enemy’s army. A fierce and devastating battle erupted between the two sides, leaving both armies in ruin. When dawn broke, the warriors performed their ritual bath and other morning rites. Balakhāni mounted his chariot, while Cāmuṇḍa rode upon the back of a great elephant. The two valiant fighters, each bearing sword and shield, joyfully devoted to the goddess, began to duel, severing arrows with arrows. In the heat of battle, as many drops of blood fell from the body of Raktabīja, from each drop sprang forth fierce warriors, intoxicated and wild. Balakhāni bravely engaged these new foes. Meanwhile, Sukhakhani, the younger brother, was remembered for his earlier offering of oblations to the god of fire. Through this devotion, he had obtained a splendid fiery arrow, capable of destroying enemies. Balakhāni, seeing the devastation wrought upon the enemy, became fearful of incurring the sin of killing a Brahmin. To avoid this, he disguised himself as a woman. With only five hundred thousand soldiers remaining, all slain, he made his way to Dehali. When Cāmuṇḍa appeared in the guise of a woman, the lord of the earth was filled with wonder, pondering, “How will victory be mine, and how will Sukhakhani survive?” Their mother, known as Brahmi, pure and devoted to her husband, then assumed the form of Brahmin women and went to Balakhāni’s house. By good fortune, it was declared that the two sons were great heroes and destroyers of enemies. Brāhmī spoke, saying, “The auspicious arrow belongs to Pāvaka.” Knowing this, the messengers set out toward Dehalī. Upon hearing this, the king approached Mahādeva, the consort of Umā. Sūta then spoke: “O sage, in the southern direction there is a lake named Bindu. On its shore lay a village, stretching for a yojana. In that village lived a king born in the lineage of Viṣvaksena. Through the power of celibacy, his energy was established in his head. He worshipped Prajāpati, the foremost of gods, with sacrifices. After ten months, a daughter was born to him, an abode of all virtues. When she reached twelve years of age, she shone with radiant beauty. At her father’s command, the kings were quickly summoned. Kings from various lands arrived, accompanied by their chief warriors, coming to the village of Bindugaḍha, where a great festival was held. The king stationed his own army to protect all the assembled kings. He observed all the kings and approached the one adorned with auspicious marks. There were forty and fifty, surrounded by those of measured age. Seeing him, who resembled himself and was protected by those filled with delight, the heroic Lakṣaṇa took the excellent hand. All the earth-kings, along with their powerful forces, gathered for this auspicious event.