As the fierce Daityas surged forward onto the battlefield, their voices rang out with cries of “Stop! Stop!” A dreadful conflict erupted between these mighty asuras and the formidable band of goddesses who stood against them. The earth soon became a grim tapestry of fallen Daityas, their bodies pierced by arrows, writhing in agony like serpents whose backs had been broken in wrath. Many of the Daityas had met gruesome ends: some had their hearts split open by spears, others had their chests crushed by heavy maces, and still more had their heads cleaved by axes or their skulls shattered by clubs. The carnage was not limited to the warriors alone—chariots, horses, elephants, and foot soldiers, all wounded and broken, lay scattered across the battlefield. Some Daityas had their bellies pierced by tridents and their necks severed by sharp swords, their ranks falling rapidly to the relentless assault. Amidst this devastation, only Ruru remained from the Daitya host. Seeing his entire army slain before his eyes, Ruru, in desperation, resorted to his magical powers. By his illusion, a deep and bewildering darkness enveloped the battlefield, confounding both the goddesses and the gods alike. The goddess, however, responded with her own formidable power, dispelling the darkness with a mighty blow against Ruru. As she struck him, the veil of illusion was torn away, revealing the Daitya’s true form. Realizing his defeat, Ruru, the Dānava, fled swiftly into the depths of Pātāla, the netherworld. Yet even there, the Supreme Goddess was present, standing before him with her goddesses, her anger undiminished. The terrified Daitya lord found himself face-to-face with the goddess and her fierce retinue. With but the tip of her nail, she severed Ruru’s head, seized his skin, and then, emerging from Pātāla, she returned to Puṣkara mountain. There, the gods looked on in awe as the radiant maiden, surrounded by her great and diverse army, appeared before them bearing Ruru’s head and skin as trophies. The Supreme Goddess then took her seat at her place of penance, attended and surrounded by the illustrious goddesses. Soon, the goddesses, eager and hungry from their battle, approached her and pleaded, “We are hungry, O Goddess, grant us the boon of food.” The goddess pondered deeply, meditating on how she might satisfy their hunger, but despite her efforts, she could find no suitable food for them. Turning her thoughts to Mahādeva, Rudra, the Lord of Creatures, she meditated upon the mighty, three-eyed one. From her meditation, Rudra himself appeared before her and spoke: “O Goddess, great enchantress, what task do you wish to accomplish? Speak your mind.” Śivadūtī, the emissary of Śiva, replied, “O God, you dwell among the goats, taking the form of a goat; these goddesses will devour you as their desired food, with reverence. O Lord of gods, for their food you should give something here, for these mighty ones threaten me with their tridents in their hunger. Otherwise, they may even devour me, so, seeing me, quickly provide suitable food.” Rudra responded, “Śivadūtī, let me tell you of something from a former age. At Gaṅgādvāra, my attendants destroyed Dakṣa’s sacrifice. There, the sacrificial animal, becoming a deer, fled swiftly. I struck it with an arrow, and it was sprinkled with blood. Because of the scent of a goat, the gods named me Ajagaṃdha. You too shall be called Ajagaṃdha, and I will provide other food as well.” He continued, “Listen, O Devi. I will tell you of a suitable food for them. Any woman who is pregnant, or who wears another woman’s clothing, or who touches another woman, especially a man—if someone forcibly takes a child just one year old from the earth—let these goddesses eat and be content for many hundreds of years. Others, unhonored, may seize a breach in the birthing chamber. Those who steal newborns will dwell in homes, fields, ponds, lakes, and gardens. Among them, those women who constantly weep will have their bodies consumed by others, and some will attain satisfaction.” Shivaduti, however, objected, “What you have given is contemptible and causes distress to the people; you do not understand the true essence of Shankara. That which brings shame and afflicts the people should not be given as their food, O Shankara.” Rudra replied, “When Skanda was consecrated by me in Avanti, at the completion of his ceremonial head-shaving, the mothers arrived and prepared an unprecedented food. The hosts of gods came from heaven to partake of the mothers’ offering. In their house were present the foremost gods like Brahma, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Yakshas, all the Guhyakas, the peaks of Meru, the rivers like Ganga, all Nagas, elephants, Siddhas, birds, and destroyers of demons. Dakinis, Vetalas, and all the planets were also present. O Devi, what need is there to mention all that was created here by Brahma? All that food was freely given, chosen and celestial.” Shivaduti answered, “Give them the food prepared, rare even in heaven—prepared with affection, sweet, delightful, well-cooked, and carefully made; sometimes eaten by none other, O Supreme Lord.” Thus addressed, the great god Maheshvara spoke for the sake of their food, in the presence of Parvati. “I have prepared food by many methods; all has been expended, and nothing else is seen here. Now that you have arrived, tell me what I should give; what unprecedented thing should I give, especially to you all?” So, the exchange between the goddess and Mahadeva continued, seeking a fitting and worthy sustenance for the divine mothers, as the gods looked on in reverence and awe.