With a resolute heart, the warrior addressed his adversary, saying, “Though I am steadfast in my manliness, I cannot bring myself to kill you, a woman.” His pride shone as he declared, “In all the three worlds, there is no man equal to me, O childish one.” Grasping his bow and arrows, he continued, “Though I am filled with desire for this maiden, hear my words. Even the Grandsire and the gods consider the lowest of demons worthy. O sinner, you were created by the lotus-born, having released but a single beloved woman. Here, you have received the boon of the Grandsire and have become victorious in battle, O Dānava. But now, with these sharp arrows, I will send you to the abode of Yama.” As the confrontation heightened, the goddess responded with swift precision. With four arrows, she struck down his four steeds, sending them to Yama’s realm. With a single arrow she felled his banner, and with another she wounded his very heart. Struck with faintness, the king bowed his head in pain for a moment. The goddess, surrounded by her companions, unleashed her might in all directions. Seeing his bow broken, the demon seized a shield and sword. Rushing forward, he was met by her skill—she split his sword in two with a pair of arrows. Now weaponless and chariotless, that lowest of Dānavas stood helpless. Yet, meditating on the Brahmāstra, he released at her a mere blade of grass, invoking the mighty weapon. At that very instant, he called upon the Brahmāstra’s power, but the goddess paused and, through her own meditation, neutralized its force. When the Brahmāstra proved ineffective, the foremost Dānava invoked the Agneyāstra, the fiery weapon. Many kinds of divine missiles he released in his desperation, but when all his weapons were exhausted, he summoned his supreme magic. With this, he projected a great-bodied buffalo, mountain-like in form. Undaunted, the goddess mounted that lion-shouldered beast and, with her spear, pierced its back. The demon, now fierce and wild, wielded sword and shield, crying out, “Stand, stand!” He struck with his raised sword, but the goddess swiftly deprived him of life. Filled with anger, she turned upon the other Dānavas, striking them so fiercely that, terrified and desperate for life, they fled to the depths of Pātāla. Witnessing her victory, all the Viśvadevas, Sādhyas, Rudras, Guhyakas, and Kinnaras showered the goddess with divine flowers from every side. They praised her, saying, “O great goddess, you have done rightly in slaying the most wicked. By your hand, the kingdom in heaven is restored to Vāsava; all the gods are pleased and will surely grant boons. May my holy hermitage arise here, renowned everywhere, and here, O gods, I shall always remain upon this supreme mountain.” Turning to the goddess, they proclaimed, “O goddess of the gods, those humans who see you in this form shall be endowed with knowledge of Brahman. Because you performed this fierce deed, slaying the Dānavas, this hermitage shall bear your name. And those who, on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight in the auspicious month of Āśvina, worship you here, O goddess, shall obtain the merit of the Gayā-śrāddha rite.