The gods, deeply troubled, gathered and addressed the radiant Sun, acknowledging him as the ancient source of all creation, whose relentless fire could consume the worlds. They implored him, now arisen in his full glory, to bring peace and not scorch the realms of the gods, for he was the witness of all deeds. They praised his all-pervading radiance, which blazed forth at the commencement of the Yajurveda, and spoke of his divine chariot wheel, known as Time, which dispels all darkness. The sages, they recalled, declared the Sun to be the very essence of all that moves and does not move, the first among the gods. Varuṇa and Yama, too, were said to embody the power of the grandsire, and the Sun was recognized as both the past and the future. The gods honored him as the dispeller of darkness, revered in all the celestial realms, while the ancestors urged, “Proceed to peace.” Through Vedānta he was known, and in sacrifices he was invoked; truly, he was Viṣṇu himself. Thus, with devotion, the gods praised him and pleaded, “Protect us, O auspicious one, do not overpower us.” Hearing their pleas, the great shining Sun assumed a gentle and benevolent form, his radiance now a blessing for the gods. The scorching torment that had afflicted the gods was pacified, and on the seventh day, the Sun manifested upon the earth. It is said that whoever worships the Sun with such devotion will be granted the fruits of their desires by Bhāskara. Thus, the ancient tale of the Sun was recounted. Now, listen to another account from the first Manvantara. Long ago, there was a powerful demon named Andhaka, who, endowed with a boon from Brahmā, brought all the gods under his sway. Terrified, the gods abandoned Mount Meru and sought refuge with Brahmā, the four-faced grandsire. When they arrived, Brahmā asked them the reason for their distress, and they replied, “O Lord of the world, we are oppressed by Andhaka. Protect us, O grandsire, we bow to you.” Brahmā confessed his inability to protect them, explaining that he had granted Andhaka a boon making him invulnerable unless his body touched the earth. Only Rudra, the fierce destroyer, could overcome such power. Brahmā thus urged them all to seek refuge with mighty Śarva, the great god residing on Mount Kailāsa. Brahmā and the gods proceeded to the abode of Bhava. Rudra welcomed them and asked what was to be done. The gods pleaded, “Protect us, O Lord, from the wicked-minded Andhaka.” Even as they spoke, Andhaka himself arrived with a great army, intent on slaying Bhava and seizing his wife, the daughter of the mountain. The gods, alarmed by Andhaka’s approach, quickly armed themselves and rallied behind Rudra. Rudra, meditating upon the great serpents Vasuki, Takshaka, and Dhananjaya, transformed them into bracelets, a girdle, and a sacred thread for himself. Then, the demon king Nila, taking the form of a mighty elephant, charged towards Bhava, appearing as formidable as Indra’s own elephant. Nandi recognized the demon and pointed him out to Virabhadra, who, assuming the form of a lion, swiftly struck the elephant down. Virabhadra tore open the hide of that dark elephant and offered it to Rudra, who then donned it as his garment, becoming known as the wearer of the elephant hide. Clad in the elephant hide and adorned with serpent ornaments, Rudra seized his terrible trident and, with his attendants, pursued Andhaka. A great battle erupted between the gods and the demons; Indra, Skanda, the guardians of the worlds, and all the hosts of gods fought valiantly. Witnessing the fierce conflict, Narada hurried to Narayana and reported the war raging on Kailāsa. Hearing this, Janardana mounted Garuda, took up his discus, and joined the battle against the demons. Yet, even with Hari’s support, the gods were soon overpowered and turned to flight. Seeing the gods routed, Rudra himself confronted Andhaka, and a hair-raising duel ensued. Rudra struck Andhaka with his trident, but wherever Andhaka’s blood touched the earth, countless fierce Andhakas sprang forth from each drop. Witnessing this marvel, Rudra impaled Andhaka on his trident and began a wild dance, holding the demon aloft on its tip. Meanwhile, the countless Andhakas that arose were cut down by the discus of the supreme lord Narayana. Yet, from the streams of blood and frost, more demons continued to emerge, pierced again and again by the trident. Enraged, Rudra released a flame from his mouth, which took the form of a goddess known to the Yogis as Yogeshwari. Other goddesses were also created, each bearing her own form, brought forth by Vishnu, Brahma, Kartikeya, Indra, Yama, Varaha, and the supreme Vishnu. One of these goddesses, Maheshwari, was fashioned for the purpose of raising up the netherworld; together, these were known as the eight mothers. Thus, from the bodies of the deities, and as determined by the knower of the field, these causes arose. These eight mothers are known as Desire, Anger, Greed, Pride, Delusion, Envy, Deceit, and Malice.