The great goddess, steadfast and resolute, turned to the demon messenger and spoke with unwavering authority: “Go, noble messenger, and convey my words to your master. If he truly possesses greater strength, let him fulfill my promise—let him prove it in truth.” The demon, having heard the goddess’s bold declaration, respectfully listened and then returned to Shumbha, recounting the entire exchange from beginning to end. Upon hearing the messenger’s unpleasant report, Shumbha, the mighty lord of the asuras, was seized by a furious rage. His face darkened with anger, and he summoned Dhumraksha, a formidable demon commander. “Listen well, Dhumraksha,” Shumbha commanded, “and obey my words. Go at once and bring that wicked woman to me—drag her here by her hair if you must, or kill her if she resists. Waste no time.” Receiving this grim order, Dhumralochana, the powerful asura, set out at the head of an immense army—sixty thousand fierce demons marched with him. They journeyed to the snowy mountains, where the goddess resided in her radiant splendor. There, Dhumralochana approached her and bellowed, “O auspicious one, submit at once to the lord of the demons! Accept mighty Shumbha and enjoy all pleasures, or I will seize you by your hair and drag you before him!” The goddess, serene and unshaken, replied, “What you say is true, O mighty one. King Shumbha is indeed an asura, and so are you. Tell me, what will you do?” Provoked by her words, the demon lord rushed forward, weapons drawn, intent on violence. But in that very instant, the great goddess let out a thunderous roar and reduced Dhumralochana to ashes. Then, riding her divine lion, she fell upon his army, scattering the demons in all directions. Overcome by terror, they fled, crying out in confusion and falling unconscious. News of this devastating defeat quickly reached Shumbha. Shumbha’s fury blazed higher still, his face contorted with wrath. Consumed by anger, he called forth his fiercest champions—Chanda, Munda, and Raktabija—sending them in turn to subdue the goddess. These three mighty asuras, famed for their valor, advanced fearlessly, intent on capturing her by force. Yet the world-protecting goddess stood ready. As they attacked, she seized her spear and hurled it mightily to the earth. In the ensuing battle, the goddess slew the asuras and their armies, and news of their destruction reached the ears of Shumbha and his brother Nishumbha. Determined, both Shumbha and Nishumbha emerged together, brimming with vigor, and launched themselves into a fierce and terrible battle against the goddess. Yet her power was supreme—she subdued and slew both demon brothers, ending their tyranny. Having vanquished Shumbha, the foremost of the asuras, the All-pervading Goddess was lauded by the gods and praised by the supreme Goddess of Speech herself. Thus, her most wondrous manifestation was revealed: she who appears as Kālī, Mahālakṣmī, and Sarasvatī in succession, creating the universe in her many forms. She alone upholds and dissolves the cosmos; she is the refuge of all, dispelling the world’s delusion. That Great Māyā, most worthy of worship, is the accomplisher of all noble aims. Śrī Nārāyaṇa continued: Upon hearing these sacred words from the sage, the king sought refuge in the gracious Goddess, the fulfiller of all desires. With fasting, self-control, and unwavering concentration, he worshipped her clay image with deep devotion. At the culmination of his worship, he offered his own blood as oblation, a gesture of utmost surrender. Moved by his devotion, the compassionate Lady of the gods—the very source of the universe—appeared before him, radiant and pleased. She spoke gently, “Ask for a boon.” The king requested from the great Goddess the destruction of his own delusion, supreme knowledge, and a kingdom free from obstacles. The Goddess replied, “O King, I grant you a kingdom free from obstacles and the knowledge that destroys delusion—all within this very life. And hear further, O ruler of the earth: In your next birth, you shall be born as Bhānu and become Sāvarṇi. In that Manvantara, you will attain the position of Manu, endowed with great prowess, and by my boon, you will have a vast and prosperous lineage.” Having thus bestowed her blessings, the Goddess vanished. By her grace, the king became the lord of the Manvantara. O holy one, thus have the birth and deeds of Sāvarṇi been described; whoever reads or hears this sacred account attains the grace of the Goddess. Now, listen to the wondrous origin of the remaining Manus, for even remembering this brings forth devotion to the Goddess. The six sons of Vaivasvata Manu—Karūṣa, Pṛṣadhra, Nābhāga, Diṣṭa, Śaryāti, and Triśaṅku—were all mighty and illustrious. These six journeyed to the sacred banks of the Kālindī river. There, they mastered their breath, abstained from food, and each fashioned a separate image of the goddess from earth, worshipping her with reverence and various offerings. Endowed with great strength, they practiced severe austerities—subsisting on dried leaves, living on air, drinking only water, inhaling smoke, absorbing the sun’s rays, and enduring great hardship in succession. Their constant worship, performed with unwavering devotion, purified their intellects and destroyed all delusion. Absorbed in single-minded contemplation of the goddess’s feet, they perceived the entire universe within themselves. At the end of twelve years, a wondrous vision appeared to them—the Lady of the Universe revealed herself, responding to their steadfast austerity.