King Suratha, once powerful and radiant, was vanquished in battle by his enemies. His ministers and counselors seized all the wealth from his treasury, leaving him utterly bereft. Stripped of his riches and glory, Suratha was expelled from his city. Mounting his horse, the king ventured alone into the forest, seeking solace in hunting. Yet, wandering through the desolate wilderness, his mind was troubled and restless. In time, Suratha came upon a peaceful hermitage, the abode of the sage Sumedhas. The hermitage was serene, filled with tranquil creatures and surrounded by groups of the sage’s devoted disciples. The king, whose splendor still shone despite his misfortune, stayed there for some time under the care of Sumedhas, a sage renowned for his far-reaching vision. One day, after Sumedhas had completed his worship, Suratha approached him, bowed respectfully, and spoke of the sorrow that plagued his heart. “O sage,” he said, “though I know the truth and have no heirs, constant grief disturbs my mind. Even though I have been conquered and lost everything, attachment to my kingdom and possessions still arises within me. What should I do? Where can I find peace? I seek your grace—please guide me, best of those who know the Vedas.” Sumedhas replied, “Listen, O king, to the supreme and wondrous account of the incomparable greatness of the Goddess, who fulfills all desires. The Great Goddess pervades the universe and arose from Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva. She seizes the minds of all beings, restraining them for the sake of delusion. She creates and sustains the entire universe, and at the time of dissolution, withdraws everything in the form of Shiva. She is the giver of desires, the dark night of time, difficult to overcome. She is Kāli, destroyer of the universe, and Kamalā, the abode of lotuses. All the world is born in her, established in her, and in the end, dissolves into her. Thus, she is the Supreme beyond the supreme. Only those who receive the grace of the Goddess overcome delusion—never otherwise.” Hearing this, Suratha asked, “Who is this Goddess you speak of? Please tell me, O sage, who deludes beings and what is the cause? From what does she arise? What is her form and nature? Kindly tell me everything, O lord of the earth.” Sumedhas replied, “O king, listen as I describe the true nature of the Goddess and recount how she arose and by whom, she who pervades the universe. When the god Nārāyaṇa, master of yoga, had withdrawn the universe, he lay asleep upon the serpent Śeṣa, stretched out on the cosmic ocean. Overcome by deep sleep, Janārdana—the god of gods—from whose ear wax arose the demons Madhu and Kaitabha, remained in slumber. These two terrifying demons sought to kill Brahmā, the lotus-born god. Seeing them approach, Brahmā was seized by overwhelming anxiety, for Nārāyaṇa, the lord of the gods, was still asleep, and the fierce demons were near. Brahmā pondered, ‘What shall I do? Where shall I go? How can I find safety?’ Then, a thought arose in him: he remembered the Goddess, whose power kept Hari in deep sleep. Brahmā took refuge in the Goddess, Sleep, the source of all creation, and prayed: ‘O Goddess, sustainer of the world, granter of devotees’ wishes, O cosmic Māyā, great Māyā, auspicious one who lies upon the ocean, all beings are subject to your command, fulfilling their tasks as you direct. You are Kālarātri, Mahārātri, Moharātri, fierce with intoxication; all-pervading, sovereign, worthy of honor, the sole treasure of supreme bliss. You are greatly worshipped, Māyā, sweet as honey, earth herself; supreme among all that is higher and lower. Modesty, nourishment, forbearance, fame, beauty, compassion—all these are your forms. You are charming, worshipped by the world, and embody waking and other states. Supreme mistress, devoted to supreme bliss, though one, you are of a single form and also twofold, possessing dual nature. You are the threefold Veda, the abode of the three aims of life, the essence of the fourth state, mistress of the five elements, ruler of the sixth, bestower of the seven sevens of blessings, Lady of the Vasus, sovereign of the nine planets, delightful with nine moods and arts, sovereign of the nine, worshipped in the ten directions, pervading the ten quarters, of elevenfold form worshipped by the eleven Rudras, pleased by the eleventh lunar day, leader of the eleven hosts, with twelve arms, source of the twelve suns, goddess of thirteenfold form, beloved of the thirteen hosts, chief goddess of all gods, bestower of boons to Indra and the fourteen, mother of the fourteen Manus, the fifteenth lunar day, the Sixteenth, with sixteen arms, composed of the sixteen digits of the moon. Your divine body is pervaded by the rays of the moon of sixteen parts; thus is your form, O Goddess of the gods, beyond qualities, source of tamas. By you, the Blessed Lord, God of gods, Lord of Lakshmi, was seized, and those two fierce demons, Madhu and Kaitabha. For their destruction, awaken the Lord of gods.’ Thus, praised by Brahmā, the Goddess Tamasi, beloved of the Blessed Lord, was invoked for the slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha, revealing her supreme greatness and the mystery of her cosmic presence.