The charioteer was commanded, “Drive the chariot along the very path where she surely stands.” For many had already traveled that way—the path by which she had departed, O King. Suddenly, a great meteor fell from the sky, striking the orb of the sun, and those seated in the chariot, gripped by terror, lost control and discharged much urine. Yet, undisturbed by these dreadful and ominous signs, he disregarded them all. With a thunderous roar, releasing a volley of arrows, he bellowed, “Stop, stop!” He declared, “Whoever can restrain the wrathful buffalo in battle—” and then, approaching the goddess herself, spoke to her with pride, “Neither my strength, nor my fortune, nor my wealth is childish. Surely, I know the truth: you are arrogant, O beautiful one. Though I am resolved in manliness, I do not have the heart to kill you, a woman. In all the three worlds, there is no man equal to me, O childish one.” Grasping his bow and arrows, he continued, “Though filled with desire for the maiden, still, hear my words. The Grandsire and the gods have even considered the lowest of demons worthy. Having released a single beloved woman, you, O sinner, were created by the lotus-born. Here you have received the boon of the Grandsire and you are victorious in battle, O Dānava. But now, with these sharp arrows, I will send you to the abode of Yama.” But in that very moment, the goddess responded with her own might. With four arrows, she brought down his four steeds, sending them to Yama’s realm. With a single arrow, she cut down his banner; with another, she wounded his heart. Struck with faintness, the king hung his head in defeat for a moment. The goddess, surrounded by her companions, struck out in all directions. The demon, his bow broken, seized a shield and sword. As he rushed forward swiftly, the goddess, with a pair of arrows, cut his sword in two. Now weaponless and bereft of his chariot, that lowest of Dānavas stood vulnerable. Meditating upon the Brahmāstra in his mind, he released a mere blade of grass at her, invoking the supreme weapon. At that very moment, O heaven-dwellers, he called upon the Brahmāstra. The goddess, pausing for a moment, meditated upon that weapon as well, O best of kings. But when the Brahmāstra proved ineffective, the foremost Dānava invoked the Agneyāstra. Thus, many kinds of celestial weapons were released by him at that time. When all his weapons were exhausted, the powerful Dānava resorted to supreme magic, conjuring divine missiles, O lord of gods. He projected a great-bodied buffalo, mountain-like in form. Then, the goddess mounted her lion-shouldered beast. With her spear, the goddess of the gods pierced the buffalo’s back. The demon, wielding sword and shield, cried out fiercely, “Stand, stand!” Raising his sword, he struck, but his life was taken in that instant. Then, filled with anger, the goddess struck the Dānavas again. Terrified and desperate to save their lives, they fled and entered Pātāla, the netherworld. All the Viśvadevas, Sādhyas, Rudras, Guhyakas, and Kinnaras, from all directions, showered the victorious goddess with divine flowers.