The gods, seeking to destroy Tripura, began their preparations with great care and reverence. They fashioned a mighty bow, drawing upon the very fabric of the universe for its creation—the six seasons became the body of the bow, and the entire year formed its bowstring. Ajārā herself was made the string, and Sāmbikā became the sturdy part of this wondrous weapon. Time itself, recognized as the blessed Rudra, took the form of that very year; thus, Umā Kālarātrī, the fierce night of time, became the essence of the bowstring’s Ajārā. For the arrow, they invoked the one who had previously burned the pregnant Tripura, the three-eyed destroyer—this arrow was composed of Viṣṇu, Soma, Agni, and the three principal deities. Agni became the mouth of the arrow, Soma its tip, shining to dispel all darkness, while the union of their energies formed the shaft, and a brilliance like no other adorned the chariot’s wheel. To empower this great energy, Vasuki, king of serpents, released his potent poison, enveloping the weapon with added strength. The gods then constructed a divine chariot of dazzling radiance and approached the lord of the worlds, speaking humbly: “This chariot, victorious over the demon hosts, has been prepared for you. Let it be the means to rescue the gods, led by Indra, from calamity.” The supreme chariot, resplendent like the peak of Mount Meru and peerless in the three worlds, was praised by the gods, who cried, “Excellent!” as Shankara gazed upon it. Again and again, as the gods admired the chariot, the lord of immortals addressed Indra and the assembled deities: “As you have built such a chariot for me, O best among beings, let a swift charioteer, worthy of its splendor, be appointed.” At these words, anxiety swept over the gods, as if struck by arrows. They wondered in distress, “How shall this be accomplished? Who among us could be equal to Mahadeva? Even the wielder of the discus has surrendered to him.” Like oxen struggling under a mountain’s weight, the gods sighed, asking, “How can we do this?” Then, among the troubled gods, the lord of gods declared, “I shall be the charioteer,” and the eldest among them took up the reins. At this, a mighty roar, like a lion’s, arose from the gods and Gandharvas as they beheld Brahma himself, whip in hand, stepping forward as the charioteer. The blessed lord of all, seeing Brahma upon the chariot, declared him a worthy charioteer and ascended the chariot as Hara. But as the god mounted, the horses, overwhelmed by the weight of Hara, fell to their knees, and the dust was swallowed up. Perceiving the Vedas themselves trembling in fear and distress, the god, compassionate as a sorrowful son rescuing his parents, saved the suffering ancestors. Again, a lion’s roar thundered from the chariot, and the gods’ victorious cries echoed like the ocean’s roar. Taking up a whip made of the sacred syllable Om, the boon-giving, self-born lord urged on the steeds, guiding them according to their swiftness. The serpents, harnessed to the chariot, exhaled forcefully, as if devouring the sky and plundering the earth. Driven by the Self-born Brahma and Kapardin (Shiva), the swift horses sped forth like the winds at the time of cosmic dissolution. Upon the construction of the lofty banner, Nandi the bull, by Shiva’s will, took his place atop the banner staff. The radiant Bhargava and Angiras, bearing staffs and shining like the sun, stood guard at the chariot wheels, seeking Rudra’s favor. The blessed serpent Shesha, endless and the destroyer of enemies, holding a dart, protected both the chariot and Brahma’s couch. Yama mounted his fierce buffalo; the lord of wealth took his serpent; and the king of the gods, his elephant. Guha, the bestower of boons, climbed upon his peacock, radiant as a hundred moons and singing like a kinnara, and took his place on his father’s chariot, sharing the yoke. The blessed Nandishvara, trident in hand and radiant, stood behind and beside the chariot like the destroyer of worlds. The Pramathas, glowing with fiery brilliance and unmoving like blazing flames, followed Sharva’s chariot like crocodiles swimming after a great ocean vessel. The great sages—Bhrigu, Bharadvaja, Vasishta, Gautama, Kratu, Pulastya, Pulaha, Tapodhana, Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Parashara, Agastya, and others—were all present. They praised Hara, the unconquered and unborn, with special hymns and wondrous ornaments. The chariot, adorned with gold and shining like a mountain, moved through the sky like a winged peak. Surrounded by makaras, whales, and great fish, the splendid chariot advanced, shining brilliantly, like the ocean rising at the time of dissolution, its roar like thunderclouds struck by lightning. As the worlds worshipped the chariot with the god standing upon it, the Pramathas roared fiercely and the people shouted in praise, “Well done!” The lord’s voice resounded, the great bull bellowed, the victorious brahmins chanted, and the horses neighed, filling the air with a mighty sound. At that moment, the divine sage Narada, radiant as the moon, rose from the battlefield and swiftly reached the city of Tripura. There, ominous signs appeared among the Daityas, and the blessed ascetic Narada manifested in their midst. The assembled Danavas, cloud-like in appearance, rose to greet Narada, welcoming him with respectful words. Their lords honored him with arghya, water for his feet, and a honey-mixture, as Indra might honor Brahma himself. Narada, worthy of worship, accepted their homage and, ever ascetic, sat comfortably upon a splendid golden seat. As he sat, Maya, the lord of the Danavas, also took his place among his kin, as was proper, awaiting what was to come.