With banners and pennants unfurled, the sky was transformed into a spectacle, resembling a mass of storm clouds flashing with lightning. The gods, accompanied by those bearing thunderbolts and others, emerged for battle just as they had before. The thunderous beat of drums echoed across the heavens, sounding like clouds rumbling at the end of an age. The gods engaged the Daitya armies in a battle of extreme ferocity, and a tremendous uproar arose from both sides as warriors shouted their war cries. The rumbling of chariots and the sharp twang of arrows created an immense noise, while the clanging of bows and the crash of weapons filled the world with sound. Observing this chaos, all beings believed that the untimely dissolution of the world had arrived. The night, veiled by clouds, shone with flashes that moved like lightning across the sky. The swift gods shattered their adversaries with iron arrows. Some warriors struck horses with horses, others battered their enemies with maces and staffs. Those gods who had drunk the nectar took refuge in their aerial chariots, and, having assumed divine forms, rushed upon the Daityas. Fierce in battle, the gods slew the Daityas with many kinds of weapons, desiring Indra’s sovereignty and the defeat of their foes. They fought with fire-barriers, knives, spears, wheels, and spikes, as well as javelins, stones, hundred-slayers, nooses, and palm-sized weapons. The battlefield became crowded with chariots, horses, elephants, and foot soldiers. Thus, eight thousand warriors fought in a most terrible war. In fear, all abandoned the realm of the gods and fled. At this time, Vairochani, devoted to Narayana, ruled over the three worlds. He performed horse sacrifices with the intent of pleasing Vishnu. For the sake of pleasing the gods, sacrifices are performed by twice-born men. Meanwhile, Aditi, mother of the gods, saw her own sons and was deeply distressed. For some time she remained seated, continuing to stay in her sorrow. She subsisted first on fruit, then on fallen leaves, and meditated upon the essence of bliss, contemplating the Self by the Self. Hearing of Aditi’s relentless austerity, the deceitful Daityas approached her and asked, “Mother, for what purpose do you perform austerity, exhausting your body? Abandon this, so full of suffering, which causes the wasting of the body. The body must be protected by those intent on the pursuit of dharma. Rest comfortably, O blessed one; do not distress us, your sons. Whether cows or other animals, wherever there are cows or trees, even if one is poor, afflicted by disease, or has gone to a foreign land, whether it is in food, or in water, or in wealth, or among loved ones—a virtuous woman whose life is bound to her husband must accompany him to the forest. A house deprived of children is just as a mortal deprived of his mother.” Though thus addressed by the Daityas, Aditi did not waver, remaining absorbed in meditation. Seeing her unwavering resolve, the Daityas became filled with anger and resolved in their minds to kill her. With their fangs, they produced fire and in a moment burned the forest. Yet, by that same fire, the Daityas who had come to violate her were themselves burned.