Together with the mighty Skanda, eager to destroy the great demons, the hosts of divine heroes prepared themselves for battle. Filled with strength and valor, they were called upon to quickly descend to the earth, ready to confront the forces of darkness. Moving with incredible speed, they soared through the skies toward their destination, their approach heralded by a terrifying, thunderous sound that echoed across the realms. Their path led them to Pātāla, the deep underworld abode of the demons, which they entered through a great chasm in the ocean. There, in the shadowy depths, resided formidable asuras such as Virocana, Jambha, Kujambha, and others. Startled by the sudden, ominous noise, these demons wondered, “What is this?” and hastened to consult Andhaka, their powerful leader. Disturbed by the strange sounds, the demons gathered together to discuss what might be threatening their domain. At that moment, Pātālaketu, the lord of the demons, arrived in Rasātala, visibly distressed. Approaching Andhaka, he spoke with agitation, recounting his ordeal: “I have exerted all my strength and force to destroy him, O king, but I do not even know the man against whom I shot my arrow. He vanished from the hermitage, only to pursue me from behind. Driven by fear of him, I fled all the way to the southern ocean. Some among them roar like thunder, while others answer with their own mighty roars. There are those, armed with golden weapons, who declare, ‘Let us slay Tāraka today.’ Overcome by terror, I abandoned the great ocean and now find myself overwhelmed by fear. Even he, out of dread, has completely forsaken his own city of Hiranyapura.” Upon hearing these words, Andhaka turned to Meghasvana and addressed him. He summoned the greatest of the demon warriors: Mahisha, Tāraka, and Bana, renowned for their strength and power. With their own formidable followers, these asura leaders assembled and marched out to the battlefield, fully prepared for war. The Daityas, armed and accompanied by their vast forces, arrived at the battleground. Suddenly, they launched a fierce attack, but the powerful host of the Mothers—divine feminine warriors—advanced to meet them. In the midst of this chaos, the enraged Rudra entered the fray, striking down the enemy army with the ruthless precision of a master slaughtering his herd. Rudra, taking up his mighty axe, slew the greatest of the asuras. With his mouth wide open in fury, he hurled chariots, elephants, and horses together, uprooting and casting their vehicles and riders into the vast ocean. Like a skilled minister subduing a rebellious king, he wielded his spear with mastery, crushing the enemy ranks. The Daityas and Danavas were split apart—some in two, some in three, others into many pieces. All around, heaps of Danujas lay scattered like corpses upon the ground. The hero struck down the asuras, along with their horses, chariots, and elephants, felling them as Indra would great mountains with a storm of thunderbolts. Whirling his mace with astonishing speed, he struck his foes with tremendous force, reducing both chariot and warrior to ashes. With bolts as hard as thunder, the mighty one continued his onslaught, laying low the Daityas and their mounts, plundering and tearing apart the wild, battle-maddened Danavas. At last, the buffalo-demon and Tāraka, the leader of the asura hosts, fled the battlefield. Yet even as they tried to escape, they found themselves surrounded on all sides by the enraged divine warriors. The fierce Ṣoṭaśākṣa attacked with his trident, while Śataśīrṣa wielded his excellent sword. Bandhudatta, with a swift blow, struck the Daitya on the head with his spear, and thus the tide of battle turned decisively against the asuras.