At the lofty summit of Mount Vindhya, the goddess Durga stood, radiant and resolute, praised by the assembled sages. She had come for the destruction of the demons, her presence both a promise and a warning. Around her, the apsaras gathered, offering comfort to Katyayani, their hearts free from sorrow, their faces serene in the company of the divine. Among those who witnessed this scene, the two foremost demons, Chanda and Munda, caught sight of the ascetic woman—Durga herself. As messengers of Mahishasura, they hurried to the queen of the Daityas and described what they had seen: “There is a goddess, a maiden of immense power, surpassing all divine beauties in her grace. She bears three eyes, having conquered three fires, and her throat has subdued the conch. Her breasts, formidable fortresses, have been made so by love alone, knowing your valor, transformed by desire into mechanisms of defense. For those who fear and hesitate in love, it is as if a staircase has been built, and in the ascent, the sweat of Manmatha flows for the one fearful of you, O demon. The seal of that house of beauty was granted by the king of love himself. It is like a city, well-fortified, guarded by the ramparts of the lord of desire, and for the sake of dwelling, the god of love has settled people there as in a land. The creator, exhausted after creating, gave it into the palm for examination. Having seized the worlds, like one newly created, he stands with virtue gained only by beauty. By their command, a garland of jewel-like nails appeared, shining as stars in the sky. We saw her as we wished, but know not who she is, whose daughter, or whether she is merely some young girl. Go yourself to Vindhya and see; do what you desire and what is fitting for you.” With his mind resolved, the buffalo demon declared, “There is no buffalo here.” He reflected, “Wherever one comes from, O Brahmin, in whatever manner, he is led or goes on his own.” Then, the great lord of the asuras commanded Ugrāyudha, Cikṣura, and Raktabīja to proceed. Arriving at the mountain’s base, these sons of Danu set up camp, ready for battle. With them came Dundubhi, son of Maya, crusher of enemy armies and the one who strikes the drum. Dundubhi approached Durga and announced, “O maiden, I am the messenger of the great asura, the matchless son of Rambha, renowned in battle. Speak truly, without delusion, the message that the son of Rambha has spoken.” Seated comfortably on the highest seat, the son of Rambha had proclaimed, “Just as the gods, defeated by me in battle, now wander the earth bereft of strength, I am Indra, I am Rudra, I am the sun; in all the worlds, O girl, I am the lord. Whoever has faced me in battle, whether spirit or yaksha, none has wished to live. O wide-eyed one, today in the month of Śrāvaṇa, my hard-won achievements have gathered here. Therefore, accept me as lord of the world; I am a worthy husband for you, mighty and powerful. It is true, the lord of the dānavas is supreme on earth; it is true, the gods have been defeated in battle. If today the buffalo demon is given to me, I will truly accept him as my husband, by the force of truth. He would even give his own head for your sake—what bride-price could there possibly be, if it is to be given here and now to you both?” Hearing these words, Durga smiled gently, her heart filled with compassion for all beings, both moving and unmoving. She replied, “He who conquers me, born of this lineage, in the forefront of battle—he alone shall become her husband.” The messenger returned and reported everything accurately to the buffalo demon. Desiring to fight, the demon came to the peak of Mount Vindhya, to Sarasvatī, and appointed the demon Namara as the leader of his army. As the armies gathered, Durga herself, taking a portion of her own forces, rushed forth swiftly, ready to meet the challenge and fulfill her divine purpose.