Struck with exhaustion and faintness, the king hung his head in defeat for a moment. Meanwhile, the goddess, radiant and fierce, moved in all directions with her divine companions, striking down foes on every side. The demon, seeing his bow shattered, seized a shield and sword, determined to continue the fight. But as he rushed forward, the goddess, swift and precise, cut his sword in two with a pair of arrows. Now weaponless and without his chariot, that lowest of the Dānavas stood helpless before her. In desperation, he concentrated his mind and invoked the power of the Brahmāstra, transforming a mere blade of grass into a deadly weapon and hurling it at the goddess. At that very instant, he unleashed the Brahmāstra’s might, calling upon its supreme destructive force. The goddess, pausing briefly, meditated upon the weapon herself, neutralizing its power through her own divine mastery. When the Brahmāstra failed to achieve its purpose, the foremost of the Dānavas invoked the Agneyāstra, the blazing missile of fire. Thus, he released many kinds of celestial weapons in rapid succession, each more fearsome than the last. But when all his weapons were spent, the powerful demon resorted to supreme magic, conjuring illusions with divine missiles. He projected before them a great-bodied buffalo, mountain-like in form and terrifying to behold. The goddess, undaunted, mounted the mighty, lion-shouldered beast. With her spear, she struck and pierced its back. Then, the demon, fierce and wild, wielded a sword and shield, crying out, “Stand, stand!” He struck at her with his raised sword, but in that moment, his life was taken from him. Filled with righteous anger, the goddess struck down the remaining Dānavas. Terrified, seeking only to save their lives, they fled into the depths of Pātāla. Witnessing her victory, all the Viśvadevas, Sādhyas, Rudras, Guhyakas, and Kinnaras gathered from every direction and showered the goddess with divine flowers in celebration. They praised her, declaring, “O great goddess, it is right and just that this most wicked being has been slain. By your power, the kingdom of heaven is restored to Vāsava, and all the gods rejoice. Surely, they will grant boons to the worthy, without doubt.” A sage then spoke: “May my holy hermitage arise here, renowned throughout the world. And here, O gods, I shall always remain, upon this supreme mountain. O goddess of the gods, those humans who behold you in this form will be blessed with the knowledge of Brahman. Because you have performed this fierce deed, slaying the Dānavas, this hermitage will forever bear your name. “Those who, on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight in the auspicious month of Āśvina, worship you here, O goddess, will receive the fruit of the sacred Gayā-śrāddha rite. For those devoted to fasting, all sins will be completely destroyed. Any man without a son, or any devoted woman, will quickly be blessed with a good son—there can be no doubt. He will overcome all enemies and attain sovereignty. “Agni himself spoke: Whoever comes here and performs the śrāddha rite in purity, O human, will never experience even the slightest fear of premature death. O goddess, he will never suffer fear from departed spirits anywhere. He will remain pure always, in this world and the next. Wherever he gives to the Brāhmaṇas, he will be free from disease. He will never be destitute in this world, under any circumstance. In this world and the next, happiness will always be his.” Thus, the goddess’s victory became a blessing for gods and mortals alike, her presence sanctifying the mountain and granting boons to all who worship her there with devotion.