She, the revered one to whom people like myself offer respectful salutations, stands at the heart of this tale. And he, the great-souled one whose banner bears Garuḍa, is the one being spoken of—there is truly no one higher than him. Neither I nor any other embodied being surpass him. With hands joined in reverence, he stood before Acyuta, seeking permission. After performing an auspicious rite, the god graciously granted his consent. “O sage among the twice-born,” he said, “please explain all this to Śikhidhvaja on my behalf. For the victory of Skanda and the slaying of the buffalo demon, may Viṣṇu, the unborn, whose hand bears the discus, bestow well-being. May Pāvaka grant well-being to you, O rider of the peacock. May Kāvyā and Saturn always grant you auspiciousness. May Mṛkaṇḍu, his descendants, and the seven great sages bring you well-being. May the Yakṣas, Piśācas, Vasus, and Kinnaras—these ever-vigilant beings—grant you well-being. May the mighty hosts of spirits and their chiefs, ever ready, always grant you well-being. May you have safety from those with many feet, and also from those without feet. May Pāśī protect the west, and Lakṣmāmaśu the north. May Vāyu guard the northwest, and Śiva the northeast. May Musatī, the plough-bearer, the discus-bearer, and the bowman protect the intermediate directions. May Mādhava, resounding with the melody of the Sāma Veda and full of glory, protect you from all sides.” Having bowed to all the gods, he rose up from the earth. Those beings who could assume any form followed the youth, taking the shapes of birds. Together with the mighty Skanda, eager to slay the great demons, they descended swiftly to the earth. Flying at great speed toward their destination, they made a terrifying sound. They entered Pātāla, the abode of the demons, through a chasm in the ocean, accompanied by Virocana, Jambha, Kujambha, and the demon as well. Wondering, “What is this?” they quickly approached Andhaka. Disturbed by the tumult, the demons gathered together to consult about the sound, O Nārada. Then Pātālaketu, lord of the demons, arrived in Rasātala. He approached Andhaka and spoke in distress: “I have made every effort, with force, to destroy him. O king, I do not know the man against whom I sent my arrow. He vanished from the hermitage, then followed me from behind. Out of fear of him, I reached the southern ocean. Some roar like thunder, others roar in reply. Others, armed with golden weapons, cry, ‘Let us kill Tāraka today.’ Abandoning the great ocean, I have fallen, overwhelmed by fear. Out of fear, he completely abandoned his own city of Hiranyapura.” Hearing these words, Andhaka addressed Meghasvana: “Both Mahisha and Taraka, along with Bana, the foremost among the powerful, and their followers, have gone out to the battlefield, ready for war.