Thus, after being addressed, the mighty Daitya leader turned to his general, Virupaksha, whose form was as dark and radiant as a great blue-black thundercloud. He commanded, “Bring swiftly the army of elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry, by which I shall conquer the gods and Gandharvas, who are difficult to defeat in battle.” Virupaksha, ever obedient, moved quickly. He summoned forth the vast, unconquered army—endless in its expanse. Each Danava warrior there was equal in prowess to one wielding the thunderbolt, and each sought to overcome a god by his own strength. Among the foremost Danavas, there were ninety million, and each had amassed followers matching his own might. Within this immense host, countless thousands of great-souled Daityas, undistracted and resolute, formed the battle array. Eager for combat, the Daityas advanced to destroy the army of the gods. Riding in wondrous chariots adorned with many banners, wielding diverse and fearsome weapons, and assuming terrifying forms, they danced with dreadful, raised arms, eager to conquer the gods. Śrī Varāha continued: Then, the Daitya Mahisha, master of many forms and great strength, mounted a maddened elephant, desiring to ascend Mount Meru. Arriving at Indra’s city, Mahisha, with his companions, charged at Śatakratu and the gods. The gods, filled with wrath, responded in kind. Taking up their weapons and mounts, the delighted gods mounted their vehicles and rushed into battle against the Asuras. A tumultuous and hair-raising battle broke out, fierce with mighty warriors roaring at each other. There, Añjana, Nīlakukṣi, Meghavarṇa, Balāhaka, Udarākṣa, Lalāṭākṣa, Subhīma, and Bhīmavikrama—these eight Daityas, along with Svarbhānu, charged at the Vasus. Likewise, twelve other Daityas, each according to their number, attacked the Ādityas. Among these Daitya leaders were Bhīma, Dhvaṅkṣa, Dhvastakarṇa, Śaṅkukarṇa, Vajrakāya the exceedingly mighty, Vidyunmālī, Raktākṣa, Bhīmadaṃṣṭra, Vidyujjihva, Atikāya, Mahākāya, Dīrghabāhu, and Kṛtāntaka. These twelve Daitya lords, with their own armies, charged at the Ādityas in battle. Other Dānavas, enraged, attacked the Rudras, each according to their number. Among those who attacked the Rudras were Kāla, Kṛtānta, Raktākṣa, Haraṇa, Mitrahā, Anila, Yajñahā, Brahmahā, Goughna, Strīghna, and Saṃvartaka—eleven Daitya lords, mad with the desire for battle, who charged fiercely at the Rudras. The remaining Daityas attacked the other gods as appropriate, but Mahisha himself, with great speed, rushed directly at Indra. Empowered by the boon of Brahmā, Mahisha could not be slain by any man in battle, even if he were the wielder of Pināka. The Asuras and Yātudhānas fell in great numbers, struck down by the Ādityas, Vasus, Sādhyas, and Rudras, their ranks replenished only by counting. Yet the armies of the gods were also struck down by the Asuras. When defeat befell the gods, the Devas fled, abandoning Indra. Afflicted by various weapons—spears, pattiśas, and maces—the gods, tormented by the Asuras, went to the world of Brahmā. Śrī Varāha said: Then, the Daitya Vidyutprabha, sent as a messenger, went to the goddess and addressed her, she of slender waist. After bowing with devotion and composure, he approached the place crowded with hundreds of maidens, and with humility spoke these words: “O goddess, in the beginning of creation there was a sage, born at that time, whose name was Supārśva. He was a friend of Sarasvata, renowned and powerful. His son was the mighty Sindhudvīpa, full of great energy, who performed intense austerities in the illustrious city of Māhiṣmatī. While Sindhudvīpa was engaged in severe penance, abstaining from food, the eldest daughter of Vipracitti, equal to the daughters of the gods, became famous on earth as Māhiṣmatī, unmatched in beauty. Surrounded by her companions, she wandered as she pleased and came to the slopes of Mount Mandara, where she saw the hermitage of the sage named Ambara, adorned with many kinds of trees. The hermitage was beautified by bowers of creepers, vakula and lakucha trees, sandalwood, spandana, śāla, and sarala trees, and decorated with diverse forest groves belonging to the great-souled sage. Seeing the delightful hermitage, the auspicious demon maiden Māhiṣmatī, of excellent form, began to ponder: ‘I will frighten this ascetic myself here in his hermitage, and remain here playing with my companions, greatly honored.’ Thinking thus, that goddess, O mistress of the universe, assumed the form of a buffalo, bearing sharp-tipped horns, along with her companions. Accompanied by them, the beautiful-faced one went to frighten the sage. But perceiving her true nature with his eye of knowledge, the sage, filled with anger, cursed the auspicious-eyed demon maiden: ‘Because you frighten me, taking the form of a buffalo, therefore, O doer of evil, become a buffalo for a hundred years.’ Thus addressed, she trembled along with her companions and fell at his feet, murmuring, ‘End the curse.’ Hearing her words, the sage, filled with compassion, granted her release from the curse and spoke: ‘By giving birth to a son in this very form, O blessed one, the curse will end; my words shall not be in vain.’ Thus addressed, she went to the excellent bank of the Narmadā, where Sindhudvīpa, the great ascetic, was performing severe penance. There, a demon maiden named Endumatī, of surpassing beauty, was seen by that sage, unclothed, plunging into the water.