The gods, led by Brahma, gathered with a singular purpose—to fashion a divine chariot of unmatched splendor for the great battle to come. With profound wisdom, they made the moon and sun the chariot’s wheels, one of silver and the other of gold, while the dark and bright lunar fortnights became its two sides. The gods themselves, with Brahma at their head, shaped the rims and the intricate mechanisms of the chariot, each device a marvel of celestial craftsmanship. Encircling this wondrous vehicle were the mighty serpents Kambala and Ashvatara, along with two others, their forms coiled protectively around the chariot. Present, too, were Bhargava, Angiras, Budha, and Angaraka, lending their power to the assembly. Shani was also there, and together all these exalted deities made the sky itself the chariot’s glorious covering. The gods adorned the chariot with a double-tongued banner, three-fluted and golden, glittering with gems, pearls, and sapphires, and surrounded by eight-faced gods. Upon the chariot were inscribed the names of the sacred rivers: Ganga, Sindhu, Shatadru, Chandrabhaga, Iravati, Vitasta, Vipasha, Yamuna, and Gandaki. Sarasvati, Devika, and Sarayu, too, were present, all these revered rivers collectively known as Veṇu upon the chariot. As for the arrows, they were the mighty Nāgas: Dhṛtarāṣṭra and those of courtesan origin, those born of Vāsuki’s line, and the Raivata clan—serpents proud and swift, their faces marked with many signs. Surasā, Saramā, Kadrū, Vinatā, Śuci, Tṛṣā, Bubhukṣā, Sarvogrā, Mṛtyu, and Sarvaśama joined, each lending their unique essence. Even Brahmavadhyā, Govadhyā, Bālavadhyā, and Prajābhayā became maces and spears, approaching the chariot in readiness. It was the age of Kṛtayuga, the golden age; the officiants of the fourfold sacrifice, the four castes, and the waters themselves, adorned with golden earrings, came into being. This age, resembling a great yuga, was fixed at the head of the chariot, firmly bound by the mighty Nāga Dhṛtarāṣṭra. The Ṛgveda, Sāmaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda became the four noble horses of the chariot. Their ornaments were the gifts of charity, led by the supreme gift of food, in their thousands. Two lotuses, along with the Nāgas Takṣaka, Karkoṭaka, and Dhanaṃjaya, became the tail-binders of these steeds. All the rites—mantras, sacrifices, rituals—arising from the sacred Oṃkāra, and all calamities, remedies, animal sacrifices, and offerings, were present on this chariot. The sacrificial upavāhas, or yokes, adorned with thousands of jewels, pearls, and corals, shone brilliantly. Oṃkāra itself was the goad, with the Vaṣaṭ call at its tip. The goddesses Sinīvālī, Kuhū, Rākā, and the auspicious Anumati were the yokes of the horses, their forms turning the steeds as needed. Banners of black, yellow, white, and madder-red, pure and beautiful, fluttered in the wind. The bow was crafted from the six seasons, the year became its bowstring, Ajārā was the string itself, and Sāmbikā formed the sturdy part of the bow. Time itself was Rudra, the blessed one, and the year was known as him. Therefore, Umā Kālarātrī became Ajārā, the bowstring. The arrow was he who burned the pregnant Tripura, the three-eyed one, composed of Viṣṇu, Soma, Agni, and the three deities. Its mouth was Agni, its tip was Soma, the dispeller of darkness; the union of their energy formed the arrow, and brilliance held the chariot wheel. To further strengthen the energy, Vasuki, king of serpents, released his potent poison to envelop it. Having fashioned this divine chariot of wondrous brilliance, the gods approached the Lord of the Worlds and declared, “This chariot has been prepared by us, victorious over the hosts of demons. Let it be for the rescue from calamity of the gods, led by Indra.” The supreme chariot, resembling the peak of Meru, the best in all three worlds, was praised by the gods with cries of “Excellent!” as Shankara gazed upon it. Again and again, they exclaimed “Excellent!” as the lord of immortals addressed Indra and the other gods: “Such a chariot you have constructed for me, O best among beings. Let a swift charioteer, matching its splendor, be appointed.” Hearing these words, the gods were struck with anxiety, as if pierced by arrows. “How shall this be accomplished?” they wondered. “What other god could be equal to Mahadeva? Even the wielder of the discus has taken refuge in him.” Like oxen straining under a mountain’s burden, all the gods sighed, asking, “How shall this be done?” Then, among them, the lord of gods spoke to those troubled by the world’s weight, saying, “I shall be the charioteer.” The eldest, Brahma, took up the reins of the horses. A great lion’s roar arose among the gods and Gandharvas as they beheld Brahma, whip in hand, assuming the role of charioteer. The blessed lord of all, seeing the Grandsire upon the chariot, declared him worthy and ascended the chariot, Hara himself. As the god ascended, the horses, overwhelmed by the weight of Hara, fell on their knees, and the dust was swallowed up. Seeing the Vedas trembling with fear and distress, the god rescued the suffering ancestors as a sorrowful son would rescue his parents. Once more, a mighty lion’s roar thundered from the chariot, and the gods’ victory cries resounded like the ocean. Taking up a whip made of Oṃ, the boon-giving, self-born Brahma urged on the steeds, instructing them according to their speed, and thus, the divine chariot was set in motion for the deliverance of the gods.