Alone upon the sacred slopes of Viśālā, the goddess undertook intense austerities. As the days passed and she remained absorbed in her practices, her mind became greatly agitated. From this inner disturbance, wondrous maidens began to manifest—gentle-eyed, with dark, curled hair, full lips, wide eyes, adorned in fine garments and sashes, anklets ringing on their feet, radiant in beauty. As her agitation grew, these maidens multiplied swiftly, appearing in hundreds of thousands, then tens of millions, each with distinct faces and forms. Witnessing these maidens upon the mountain, the auspicious goddess, empowered by her austerity, created a magnificent city filled with hundreds of splendid mansions. The city was adorned with wide streets, golden palaces, houses with inner pools, stairways of jewels, windows latticed with gems, and lush gardens nearby. Countless mansions and maidens filled the mountain. Among them, the principal names were Vidyutprabhā, Candrakānti, Sūryakānti, Gambhīrā, Cārukeśī, Sujātā, Muñjakeśinī, Ghṛtācī, Urvaśī, Śaśinī adorned with virtue, Cārukanyā, Viśālākṣī, Dhanyā, Pīnapayodharā, Candraprabhā the daughter of the mountain, Sūryaprabhā, Amṛtā, Svayaṃprabhā, Cārumukhī, Śivadūtī, Vibhāvarī, Jayā, Vijayā, Jayantī, Aparājitā, and hundreds of others. All these maidens were attendants of the goddess, carrying auspicious nooses and goads. Surrounded by them, the goddess sat upon her throne, radiant, as women fanned her with pure whisks. She undertook the vow of maidenhood, ready to resume her austerities, at the height of youth, most fortunate, with full and rounded breasts, adorned with garlands of campaka, ashoka, punnaga, and naga flowers. The goddess was worshipped on all her limbs, honored by sages, gods, noble women, and maidens. Though she enjoyed all delights in that splendid city, the goddess remained steadfast in her austerities. At that time, Narada, the divine sage and son of Brahma, arrived. Suddenly seeing this ascetic, the goddess spoke to Vidyutprabhā: “Let a seat be given, and quickly bring water for washing the feet and for sipping.” Vidyutprabhā, obedient and auspicious, offered Narada a seat, water for his feet, and arghya. Once Narada was seated and bowed, the goddess addressed him with joy: “Welcome, best of sages! For what reason have you come here from your world? Tell me what you wish to accomplish, so your time is not lost.” Narada, knower of all worlds, replied, “From Brahmaloka to Indraloka, and from there to this fierce mountain, I have come. Therefore, O goddess of the gods, I am here to see you, O auspicious one.” Having spoken, the illustrious sage gazed upon the goddess. For a moment, Narada was struck with wonder. He thought, “Ah, what beauty! Ah, what radiance! Ah, what composure! Ah, what youth! Ah, what freedom from desire in the goddess!” He felt disquiet, for nowhere among gods, gandharvas, siddhas, yakshas, kinnaras, or rakshasas had he seen such beauty. Filled with astonishment, Narada bowed to the boon-bestowing goddess, then rose into the sky and hurried to the city ruled by the lord of the daityas. This city, named Mahisha, lay at the ocean’s edge. There Narada encountered the asura, who had taken the form of a buffalo—a mighty hero, granted boons, destroyer of the gods’ army. The sage was received with devotion by the asura. Pleased, Narada described to him the goddess’s unsurpassed beauty, just as he had witnessed in the city of the gods. “O lord of the asuras,” Narada said, “listen attentively to the jewel among maidens, by whom the three worlds and all beings, moving and unmoving, have been obtained through boons. From Brahmaloka I have come, O daitya, to Mount Mandara; there I saw the city of the goddess, crowded with hundreds of maidens. There, the foremost maiden, an ascetic devoted to vows, is not seen among gods, demons, or yakshas. Such a beautiful one as she, O Daitya, I have never seen, wandering through the entire cosmic egg. All the gods, gandharvas, sages, siddhas, charanas, and leaders of the daityas worshipped her. Having seen that wish-bestowing goddess, I came here quickly; without conquering the gods and gandharvas, no one can win her.” Having spoken thus and pausing for a moment, Narada took leave and departed as he had come, vanishing instantly. Sri Varaha continued: When Narada had departed, the daitya-lord, his mind astonished after hearing of the auspicious goddess, began to ponder her deeply. Thinking only of her, he found no happiness. He summoned his mighty minister, Alamsharma, and his eight valiant, wise, and learned ministers: Praghasa, Vighasa, Shankukarna, Vibhavasu, Vidyunmali, Sumali, Parjanya, and the fierce one. These chief ministers, his foremost, addressed their lord, “Let the necessary action be done.” Hearing their words, the powerful lord of the Danavas, determined by Narada’s counsel, spoke with resolve, seeking the means to obtain the maiden.