If he should be pleasing to you, and you likewise dear to him—such was the message entrusted to the goddess. Thus addressed by the messenger, the goddess responded with measured words. “A messenger,” she said, “is always declared inviolable everywhere. Go, and tell that wicked, lowly demon Mahiṣa: all this effort has been made by me for your destruction.” Overwhelmed by great fear, astonished by her beauty, and entirely struck by her words, the messenger departed. When Mahiṣa heard this, O King, he was tormented by the arrows of desire for the goddess. Driven by this passion and the challenge before him, he ordered, “Assemble an invincible army on Mount Arbuda.” At his command, a mighty fourfold army was arrayed—well-equipped and formidable. There appeared elephants, fully armored and mounted by fierce warriors. Horses, spotless and swift as the wind, shone with great radiance. Chariots were fashioned to resemble flying palaces, and the foot soldiers were massive in form, mighty archers endowed with immense strength. There were one hundred thousand elephants, and three times as many chariots. Having gathered this multitude, Mahiṣa surrounded the mountain from afar. As he beheld the goddess, absorbed in deep meditation, he was again afflicted by the arrows of desire. Approaching her, he declared, “Hearing of your beauty, O lovely-faced one, I have come. I have sixty thousand wives, O pure-smiling one. Your austerity is unworthy, child; enjoy pleasures as you desire.” Though thus addressed, the goddess gave him no reply. Seeing his greed and insolence, the goddess became filled with anger. She spoke harsh words, repeatedly commanding, “Go, go!” But Mahiṣa, together with his ministers, surrounded her on all sides. Then the supreme lady, the goddess, laughed aloud. Her foes, well-armored and armed, were possessed of great wrath. All together, they rushed at the buffalo demon. A fierce battle then arose between the hosts of the goddess and the armies of the demons. Enraged, the buffalo demon—struck down by his ministers’ blows—became furious. Mounting his excellent chariot, he addressed his charioteer: “Having slain her, today I shall cross the difficult shore of wrath. Drive the chariot along the path where she surely stands. Many have gone along that path by which she departed, O king.” At that moment, a great meteor fell from the sky, striking the orb of the sun. Seated thus, the demon’s followers were so terrified that they discharged much urine. Yet Mahiṣa disregarded all those terrible and dire omens. Releasing arrows and roaring, he shouted, “Stop, stop! Whoever restrains the wrathful buffalo in battle—” With pride, he approached the goddess and spoke: “Neither my strength, nor my fortune, nor my wealth is childish. Surely, I know the truth: you are arrogant, O beautiful one.” Thus, the stage was set for the great confrontation between the goddess and the mighty demon Mahiṣa.