The great army of the Daityas advanced, resplendent with a multitude of fragrances, praised by their many attendants, and resounding with the music of various instruments. At the forefront, the grandest chariots rolled forward, setting the tone for the march. Within this mighty host, heroes recounted tales of their valor, and the army, led by the lion among the Daityas, appeared in a terrifying and awe-inspiring form. The ranks swelled with fierce, intoxicated elephants, powerful horses, and splendid chariots, all bearing many banners. Thus, the Daitya army, bristling with might, set out for battle against the gods. From the sky, Vayu, the divine messenger, beheld this formidable force of Danavas. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he sped away to inform Indra. Arriving at the radiant assembly of the great-souled Mahendra, Vayu entered the midst of the gods and reported all he had seen. Hearing these words, Indra, the king of the gods, closed his eyes in contemplation and then spoke to Brihaspati, the mighty-armed preceptor: “A great conflict has arisen between the gods and the Danavas. What should be done now? Tell me the proper policy, full of wisdom and right means.” Brihaspati, the illustrious and noble-minded lord of speech, replied, “O best of gods, the path to victory is eternal and begins with conciliation. The fourfold policy—conciliation, division, gifts, and punishment—should be applied in order, according to place, time, enemy, and circumstance. Yet, a greedy and cruel person who has found support cannot be pacified when agitated, nor can the wicked, once resolved, be subdued. “Among the Daityas, conciliation is fruitless—they are united and prosperous, beyond division or persuasion by gifts. Thus, only one recourse remains: punishment. Conciliation with the wicked yields nothing, for they see such efforts as weakness, excessive compassion, or fear. Therefore, to subdue the wicked, reliance on strength is best. The virtuous must take action when attacked—this is their vow, for the wicked never change their nature. Even the good may sometimes wish to abandon their nature, but this is my counsel; now, you must decide, O king of the gods.” Thus addressed, Indra, the thousand-eyed, replied, “So be it.” Having considered Brihaspati’s words, he spoke in the assembly of the gods, “Listen attentively, O dwellers of heaven. You are the enjoyers of sacrifices, pure in nature, ever established in your own greatness, and protectors of the world. Yet, the Daitya chiefs oppose you without cause. For them, conciliation is useless; only punishment remains. Prepare for battle—assemble my army! “Let the weapons be honored and the deities of arms worshipped. Let the immortals ready the vehicles and chariots for me. Appoint Yama as commander of the army, and act quickly, O gods.” Thus instructed, the preparations began in earnest. A magnificent chariot, yoked with ten thousand steeds and adorned with golden bells, wondrous in its qualities, was brought forth by all the gods. Matali prepared an unconquerable chariot for Indra, while Yama, mounting his mighty buffalo, took his place at the head of the army. Surrounded by fierce attendants, Yama’s eyes blazed like the flames at the end of the age, filling the sky with his presence. Agni, mounted on a ram and holding a spear, stood ready, while Vayu, with an elephant goad in hand, displayed his immense speed. The blessed lord of waters rode a great serpent, and the lord of the Rakshasas soared through the sky on a chariot drawn by men. The dreadful god, armed with a sharp sword, stood firm in battle, and the god of wealth, with a lion’s roar, wielded a mighty mace. The Moon, the Sun, and the Ashvins, accompanied by their fourfold armies, stood together with kings and the Gandharvas, all adorned with gold. Their golden-yellow upper garments, chariots, armor, and weapons shone with various decorations, and their crests glittered high above, bearing banners of beryl and makara emblems. The Rakshasas, with crimson garments and blood-red hair, carried vulture banners, their great valor matched by their pure ornaments. They held pestles, swords, and maces, their chariots crowned with turbans. The great serpents roared like thunderclouds, hurling blazing meteors and lightning. The Yakshas, clad in black garments, wielded mighty bows and arrows. Fierce and adorned with gold and jewels, their banners bore the copper-owl. The army of night-wanderers shone, clad in tiger-skin upper garments, often bearing vulture-feather banners and ornaments of bone. The Kinnaras, dressed in white and bearing white-feathered banners, armed with pestles and dreadful to behold, roared with the cries of many creatures. Some rode intoxicated elephants, wielded fierce spears, and were adorned with strings of pearls and silver swan emblems. The banner of the lord of waters was a terrifying, smoky flag of fire, while Kubera’s banner was a bough of lotus-gem and great jewels. A raised banner shone as if reaching for the sky, and for Yama, a great banner of wood and iron was fashioned by a wolf. Upon the banner of the lord of the Rakshasas appeared the face of a ghost, while the gods bore golden lion banners, radiant as the moon and sun. Thus, the divine hosts, adorned and arrayed in all their splendor, stood ready for the great battle to come.