O King, I do not know the identity of the man against whom I loosed my arrow. No sooner had I fired, than he vanished from the hermitage, only to reappear, following me from behind. Driven by fear of this mysterious pursuer, I fled until I reached the southern ocean. There, the air was filled with tumultuous roars—some thundered like the clouds, while others answered back in kind. Among them, warriors armed with golden weapons cried out, "Let us slay Tāraka today!" Overwhelmed by dread, I abandoned the vast ocean behind me, consumed by terror. So great was this fear that he, too, forsook his own splendid city of Hiranyapura. When these tidings reached Andhaka, he addressed Meghasvana with determined words. United in purpose, Mahisha, Tāraka, and Bāna—the foremost among the powerful—gathered their followers and marched out to the field, prepared for war. Upon that battleground, O sage, the Daityas arrived, armed and attended by their formidable forces. Suddenly, they charged, and the fierce host of the Mothers advanced as well. Enraged, Rudra struck down the enemy army, felling them as a master of cattle slaughters his herd. Seizing his axe, he slew the great asuras, his mouth agape in wrath, hurling chariots, elephants, and horses together in a single sweep. With tremendous might, Rudra uprooted and flung vehicles, along with their riders, into the vast ocean. He crushed the foe as a wise minister subdues a king, wielding his spear with supreme skill. He split the Daityas and Dānavas in twain, in three, and into countless pieces, until heaps of Danujas lay scattered, lifeless, across the plain. The hero struck down asuras and their horses, chariots, and elephants, just as Indra shatters mighty mountains with a downpour of thunderbolts. Whirling his mace with blinding speed, he struck his enemies forcefully, reducing chariots and their warriors to ashes with a single blow. With bolts as hard as thunder, the mighty one felled his foes, plundering the Daityas and their mounts, tearing apart the Dānavas wild with battle-fury. At last, the buffalo-demon and Tāraka, leader of the hosts, turned and fled. Yet, their forces surrounded Rudra from all sides, fighting with rage. Ṣoṭaśākṣa attacked with his trident, Śataśīrṣa with his excellent sword, and Bandhudatta struck a Daitya on the head with his spear. But even though struck, the Daitya did not tremble, standing firm like the mountain Maināka. Ekacūḍā then slew him, tearing him apart with supreme weapons, though the two mighty ones did not falter, even as the hosts shook around them. Having vanquished his foe, Ekacūḍā rushed forward, armed and resolute, to challenge Kumāra. Angered, Kumāra raised his discus, blocking the son of Danu. Then, O Brahman, the two engaged in a swift, skillful, and marvelous duel. Sukakrākṣa released his own discus at the Asura, and suddenly, the Daityas cried aloud, "Alas! The buffalo-demon is slain!" Yet Raktākṣa, with a hundred clenched fists, struck down the discus. Though powerful, he was rendered utterly motionless by a single, effortless arrow.