The thousand-rayed Lord, fierce and resplendent, sovereign over gods and demons alike, shone brilliantly among the assembled deities. Riding his celestial vehicle, his hue gleaming like the delicate petal of a lotus, he radiated majesty just as the mighty sun ascends to the summit of Mount Sumeru, illuminating all. Indra, the thousand-eyed king of the gods, foremost among them, mounted upon Airavata, the king of elephants. He circled to the right of Rudra, intent on the destruction of the formidable city. Garuda, swift as the serpents he ruled, accompanied them. All around, perfected beings, Gandharvas, heroic gods, and the leaders of the divine hosts extolled Indra, the bestower of wishes, showering him with exquisite flowers and cries of “Victory!” In reverence, they bowed to him, their devotion as deep as that of a mother for her beloved son. The great deities—Yama, Agni, Kubera, Vayu, Nirriti, Varuna the lord of waters, Ishana, and Bhava—gathered together. Vīrabhadra, noble in battle, mounted the king of bulls and took his place at the southwest of the divine chariot, surrounded by fierce warriors with bristling hair. He, the god of gods, Triyambaka—great Time itself, blazing with immense brilliance, like another Mahādeva—stood ready to destroy the city, serving at the chariot with his attendants in the northwest. Skanda, born of fire, came as well, accompanied by Siddhas and Cāraṇas, with his mighty army, resembling the king of mountains, surrounded by divine leaders, riding his elephant. Gaṇeśa, the remover of obstacles, created hindrances for the lords of demons, but for the gods, he and his hosts cleared every path as they proceeded to the region of Īśāna. Kālī appeared, wild and fearsome, wielding a trident that shone like the darkness of night. Adorned with skulls, she shook her weapon, intoxicated from drinking the blood of great demons and gods. She moved with the madness of an elephant, her eyes rolling, accompanied by wild ghosts and spirits, her limbs wrapped in elephant hide, leading the way before the lord of hosts. Siddhas, Gandharvas, Piśācas, Yakṣas, Vidyādharas, serpent-kings, and the foremost gods bowed before the goddess, daughter of the snowy mountain, and praised her with shouts of victory. The divine mothers, destroyers of the gods’ enemies, honored by all the gods, came to the chariot with their own vehicles, banners, and hosts. Durgā, difficult to approach, mounted on the lord of beasts, her many arms wielding goad, trident, noose, axe, discus, sword, and conch. Her eyes blazed like a thousand suns, burning the path ahead. Though youthful, she was mighty, and she set forth to strike down the demons. Then, to slay Tripura, the god of the triple city, the chief lords of hosts—shining like Indra and the sun—advanced with elephants, horses, mighty lions, chariots, and bulls. With ploughs, blades, pestles, clubs, and even mountain peaks, they resembled mountains themselves as they marched before Maheśvara. Indra, the lotus-born Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and other gods and leaders approached the blessed Lord, offering salutations with their crowns and words of victory from all sides. The sages danced, holding their staffs, their hair matted in ascetic locks. Siddhas and Cāraṇas moved through the sky, showering flowers, while the greatest of Brāhmins infused the triple city with life from all directions. Surrounded by the lords of hosts and divine beings, together with Bhṛṅgī, the supreme yogi and lord of all hosts ascended his celestial vehicle, shining like Mahendra, ready to destroy Tripura. With him came hosts: Keśa, unclothed; Mahākeśa; Mahājvara; Somavallī; Savarṇa; Somapa; Senaka; Somadhṛk; Sūryavāca; Sūryapeṣaṇaka; Sūryākṣa; Sūrināmā; and the beautiful Sundara. Others too—Prakuda, Kakudanta, Kampana, Prakampana, Indra, Indrajaya, Mahābhīr, and Bhīmaka—joined the host. There were those with a hundred eyes, five eyes, a thousand eyes, great bellies, the tongue of Yama, a hundred horses, the one with a neck, and the one worshipped at the neck. Two-crested, three-crested, and five-crested beings gathered; shaven-headed, half-shaven, tall ones, those with a ghoul’s mouth, and the bearer of the Pināka bow. Some dwelt in the pippala tree, some ate embers, some were loose or slack-mouthed, some had eyes on their feet, some were unborn, and some Mars-like. There were those with goat faces, horse faces, elephant faces, or upward-turned faces—all manner of Rudras, surrounding the Lord, transcending all marks and characteristics. A multitude, thousands upon thousands, advanced with Soma, their energy rising, encircling the great god, the god of gods, the supreme lord, to burn the three cities, accompanied by countless hosts. The thirty-three gods, three hundred, three thousand, and more, approached from every direction. The mothers of all worlds, of hosts, and of beings followed behind the god. At the heart of this vast assembly shone the Lord of Hosts himself, seated at the center of the chariot, radiant like the moon among stars in a spotless sky. At his side stood the goddess Girijā, radiant and powerful, Gaurī, the all-pervading one, the very energy of Bhava. She shone with auspiciousness, holding a golden yak-tail fan in her hand, gleaming like a lotus. The mighty Lord’s form glowed, brightened by sacred ashes, with Ambikā beside him, like a white cloud in the sky lit by lightning. His gentle form, Śambhu, radiant as the moon, bore a golden bow and shone like the sky adorned with a rainbow, as the world shines with Meru. The Supreme Lord’s white parasol, mingled with rays of jewels, gleamed like the unbroken disk of the rising moon. Upon Śiva hung a red garland with fine cloth, shining and trailing to the parasol, like the sacred river cascading from a jeweled peak. Thus, with Indra, Brahmā, Agni, and the others bowing at his lotus feet, Śiva, together with Ambikā, advanced for the welfare of all worlds, towards the triple city, intent on its destruction.