With deep reverence, Dhuṇḍha prayed, “May my devotion to your lotus feet always remain unwavering.” Turning to the great Lord, he pleaded, “If you are pleased, O great Lord, quickly grant this boon.” Dhuṇḍha spoke further, “And those humans, O Supreme Lord, who see you—hearing the words of Dhuṇḍha spoken by the linga, O illustrious one—they will always remain free from great sins. They will obtain supreme desires and become foremost among the hosts.” Having received the boon, Dhuṇḍha, with palms joined in gratitude, spoke again. The linga, pleased by Dhuṇḍha’s devotion, declared, “So be it,” O Parvati. By whose mere sight, success always comes to people. Those who worship the supreme Lord Dhundheshvara with devotion, he alone is virtuous in the world, he alone is dear to me. The merit that arises from a hundred Rajasuya sacrifices—mental, verbal, physical, or secret sins—all these quickly depart upon seeing Dhundheshvara. Thus, I spoke, O Devi; that Dhundha, leader of the hosts, shone together with the Ganas and became most pleasing to me. This, O Devi, has been told to you—the power that destroys sin. Sri Mahadeva continued, “When the Lord of the universe is seen, sin is destroyed.” In the Vaivasvata cycle, there was a great demon named Ruru, immense in size, with sharp fangs and terrifying. By him, the gods were shaken from their positions and left the abode of the immortals. Their wealth was taken away, and they went to Brahma. Knowing Ruru to be invulnerable, that mighty one, wicked in mind, slew those who were righteous and others as well. At that time, the earth was without recitation of scriptures or sacrificial exclamations. The gods and all the great sages were greatly distressed. Then, suddenly, a body appeared before them all. From that body arose a divine being with lotus-like eyes. She spoke to all the gods, “For what reason have I been created, O gods?” The gods heard her auspicious words. Hearing this, that goddess laughed repeatedly with a loud laugh. Fierce ones appeared, bearing noose and goad, their faces wreathed in garlands of flames. All of them, O Great Goddess, went where Vajra, the mighty asura, was. The ends of the directions were filled with many weapons and missiles that had been released. Then battle was joined by that goddess against the enemies of the gods. Seeing his army turn away, Vajra employed his magic. He created the tamasic illusion, hard to overcome, by which maidens become bewildered. As darkness spread there, the goddess became overcome with fear. There, where the skull-bearing Hara stood established in the form of a liṅga, Vajra, knowing the gods along with the goddess had been defeated, then, in the divine forest of Mahākāla, surrounded by hundreds of millions of chariots, declared, “Today I will slay the gods, together with that thoroughly wicked one.” At that very moment, Nārada, the best of sages, arrived. He told the gods of their defeat at the hands of Vajra. In the Mahākāla forest, O Lord, the gods were struck down.