When the fierce battle raged, the unconquerable Hara, Lord Śiva himself, took on the form of Time and restrained the mighty demon before him. With unwavering resolve, the bull-bannered god struck the demon in the chest with his trident, a blow of divine power. Yet, the tide of battle turned as Nandi and his valiant army were overwhelmed by the demons known as the Andhakas. Amidst this chaos, Vināyaka, Meghavāha, and Somanandī—the one born of lightning—joined the fray. Armed with tridents, spears, javelins, mountain peaks, and axes, they fought fiercely. But the exceedingly powerful lord of the demons hurled them a hundred yojanas away with a mighty force. Undeterred, these warriors, shining as brilliantly as the sun of Time, rushed once more toward Bhairava. Bhairava Rudra, fierce and resolute, took up his fearsome trident and entered the battle. In that moment, he sought refuge with the god Vāsudeva, the unborn and all-pervading Lord. Vāsudeva, standing by the goddess’s side, had come for the destruction of the enemies of the immortals. By the greatness of Keśava—by his divine sport alone—the tumult of battle was brought to an end. The swift one, defeated, turned his face from the conflict and fled. For the good of the world and his devotees, the Lord then made his way to Mandara. There, the twice-born sages gathered together and approached him, radiant as the sun. Śiva beheld Nandī, Bhairava, and Keśava, the divine ones, and greeted them. The Lord, in affection, smelled Keśava’s head and embraced him warmly. The goddess, in reverence, bowed her head at the Lord’s feet. Bhairava, standing respectfully at his side, bowed and spoke of Viṣṇu’s greatness. The blessed Lord seated himself with the goddess on an excellent throne. All came to Mandara and saw the god of gods, the three-eyed one, seated in majesty. The army of the Daityas, longing for a vision of the Lord, assembled before him. The goddesses, eager and devoted, bowed and sang praises. There they beheld Nārāyaṇa, the flawless god, seated upon his divine throne. Having bowed to Lord Īśāna, the noble women respectfully questioned him: “Who is this, radiant in form, with eyes like lotus petals?” The great yogi, the imperishable lord of beings, replied: “The Lord, ever established, manifests himself in many ways. Yet, in truth, this one alone is known—the soul of the universe: Bhavānī and also Viṣṇu. They call me Keśava, the god, and the goddess as Ambikā. Viṣṇu is the creator and the cause, the giver of the fruits of enjoyment and liberation. Vāsudeva is the creator and protector, the soul of the universe, facing all directions. He is the deliverer, the person, the self, the one supreme state. Peaceful, true, ever-blissful—this, the Upaniṣad calls the supreme state. This alone is the highest goal among all the paths of beings. I see all this as one; whoever knows this unity is truly liberated. Know only the One—then you will attain bliss. Those who worship the Lord with divided vision are not dear to me. Though they endure suffering for countless aeons, they are not freed. Having understood this properly, the Lord should be meditated upon in every difficulty. There are some who do not bow to Nārāyaṇa, the god, nor to the goddess, daughter of the Himalaya.” Thus, the Lord revealed the unity of the divine, the supreme truth, to all who had gathered, bestowing wisdom and peace upon the assembled gods, sages, and devotees.