There, O sage, the fierce Daityas arrived, fully armed and accompanied by their formidable forces. Without warning, they charged into battle, and the mighty host of the Mothers advanced to meet them. Enraged, Rudra unleashed his wrath upon the enemy army, felling them as a master of cattle might slaughter wild beasts. Seizing his axe, Rudra struck down all the great asuras, his mouth wide open in fury, hurling chariots, elephants, and horses together in a single sweep. With immense strength, he uprooted vehicles and their riders, casting them into the vast ocean. Like a masterful minister overpowering a king, he wielded his spear and crushed the enemies, splitting the Daityas and Danavas into two, three, and countless pieces. All around, heaps of Danujas lay scattered, resembling lifeless corpses upon the battlefield. The heroic Rudra did not relent; he struck down the asuras along with their horses, chariots, and elephants, just as Indra shatters mighty mountains with a storm of thunderbolts. Whirling his mace with great speed, he forcefully struck his enemies, reducing both chariot and warrior to ashes with his tremendous might. With thunderbolt-like weapons, he continued to strike them down, plundering the Daityas and their mounts, tearing apart the Danavas who raged with the fury of battle. In the midst of this destruction, the buffalo-demon and Tāraka, leader of the hosts, turned and fled. Yet, surrounding Rudra on all sides, the asuras, still enraged, pressed the attack. Ṣoṭaśākṣa fought with his trident, and Śataśīrṣa wielded his excellent sword. Bandhudatta struck a Daitya on the head with his spear, but the demon did not tremble, standing firm like the mountain Maināka. Nevertheless, Ekacūḍā slew him, tearing him apart with supreme weapons. The two mighty warriors did not falter, even as they shook the ranks of the enemy. Having overcome his foe, one of them rushed forward, armed, to challenge Kumāra. Raising his discus in anger, Kumāra blocked the son of Danu. Then, O Brahman, the two engaged in a swift, skillful, and marvelous battle. Sukakrākṣa hurled his own discus at the asura, and the Daityas cried out in anguish, "Alas! The buffalo-demon is slain!" Raktākṣa, with a hundred clenched fists, struck down the discus, but though he was powerful, he was rendered motionless by a single effortless arrow. Witnessing this, the mighty Makarākṣa, mace in hand, fled the battlefield, overcome with shame despite his noble spirit. Even Bāṇa, struck by the Makara-eyed one, turned his back and fled. Sword raised in hand, the demon ran from the lords of the Gaṇas. The other demons, defeated and terrified, sought refuge with Skanda. But when Skanda saw the fleeing demon, he pierced his heart with his spear, shattering his vital parts and causing him to fall lifeless to the ground. Abandoning the battlefield, that wicked one escaped to the mountain called Dimācala. Out of fear, he entered a dreadful cave, a stronghold, as the Gaṇas continued to slay the guilty in battle. Then, mounting his peacock adorned with a splendid crest of feathers, Skanda set out to slay Mahiṣāsura. Leaving Kailāsa, he journeyed to Himācala and then to Krauñca, finally entering the cave where his adversary awaited.