In the midst of a fierce and tumultuous battle, Shubhadarshana struck Ashaniprabha with five arrows, while Sukanti wounded Vidyutprabha, and Sundara attacked Sughosha. Sunda, with swift precision, struck Unmattaksha with five arrows and then severed his bow with a sharp, curved shaft. Sumanā targeted Agnidaṃṣṭra, Suśubha struck Agnitejas, Suśīla wounded Vāyuśakra, and Sumukha challenged Pratardana. Elsewhere, Shambhu engaged Viradha in combat, Sukīrti fought Bhimakarma, and Viprachitti battled Soma. The battlefield was alive with warriors locked in struggle, and the clash between the Daityas and the jewel-born heroes grew ever more intense. Despite their skill and numbers, the Daityas were again defeated by the powerful jewel-born warriors. As the battle raged and the conflict became ever more ferocious, the sage Gauramukha performed sacred rites, using samit, kusa grass, and other offerings. The armies surrounded the battlefield, making the scene terrifying and formidable—a force nearly impossible to overcome. Witnessing this overwhelming conflict, the sage Gauramukha stood at the entrance, absorbed in deep contemplation. He sat down, seeking the cause behind the strife, and realized that the jewel had become the source of this fierce and relentless battle. With a heart full of devotion, Gauramukha began to meditate upon Lord Hari, the Lord of all gods. Suddenly, Lord Hari, radiant in yellow garments and seated upon Garuda, appeared before the sage. He asked, “What would you have me do here?” With joined palms and reverence, Gauramukha replied, “Destroy this unconquerable and wicked force, along with its army and followers.” Hearing this, Lord Hari released the blazing Sudarshana discus, the wheel of time, upon the mighty and invincible host. In an instant—within the blink of an eye—the demonic army, so formidable and difficult to defeat, was reduced to ashes in countless ways. Having accomplished this, Lord Hari spoke to Gauramukha, saying, “In a moment, this force of the Danavas has been destroyed. Therefore, from this event, this forest will be known as Naimisha-aranya, especially for the Brahmanas. I, the Lord of Sacrifice, will dwell in this forest; by name, I am always to be worshipped here. These fifteen leaders—the kings of the jewel—will arise in the Krita age, O sage.” With these words, Lord Hari vanished from sight, leaving the sage Gauramukha in his hermitage, filled with supreme joy. Meanwhile, King Supratika, upon hearing that his son had been burned by the fire of the discus, reflected deeply. His mind steadfast, he pondered the situation and recalled that on Mount Citrakūṭa, Viṣṇu is always renowned as Rāma. He resolved to praise the Lord of the universe by the name Rāma. With devotion, Supratika prayed: “I bow to Rāma, Lord of men, the infallible one, ancient sage, destroyer of the enemies of the gods, embodiment of Śiva, the source, the great Lord, remover of distress for those who take refuge, adorned with splendor. O god, you are the essence of all radiance; you create all brilliance, assuming every form. On earth you are fivefold, in water fourfold, in fire threefold, in wind twofold, and in space you are established as the sound-form, O Hari, the Supreme Person. You are the moon, the sun, and the fire; in you, this entire world dissolves and delights, established in you. Therefore, you are praised as Rāma, the foundation of the universe. In the ocean of worldly existence, filled with terrible waves of suffering and the dreadful crocodile of impatience, a man does not sink who has the raft of your remembrance; thus you are remembered as Rāma, even in the forest of austerities. When the Vedas were lost, you, O Hari, always assumed the form of a fish; at the end of the age, you became fire, assuming many forms. In every age, O Mādhava, you assumed the form of the Tortoise during the churning of the ocean; there is truly no one equal to you anywhere, O Janārdana, who yourself are the supreme being. By you, O great soul, this entire universe is pervaded; you know all directions completely. How could I abandon you, the original and supreme abode, and seek any other refuge? You alone existed at first; then from you arose earth, water, fire in its highest form, wind, space, mind, intellect, and the qualities of consciousness—all these have their origin in you. By you, this whole universe is pervaded; you are eternal, regarded by me as the Supreme Person. O Lord of all the worlds, whose form is the universe, thousand-armed one, victory to you, O god of gods! Homage to Rāma, of great glory.” Pleased by these praises, the best of gods revealed himself to King Supratika and said, “Choose a boon, O Supratika.” The king, with reverence, bowed and asked, “O Lord of gods, grant me union with your supreme form at the time of dissolution.” When he spoke thus, in a moment, Supratika attained dissolution into the form of the destroyer of demons. Established in that state, he became liberated, the ruler of the earth, through many acts of ritual. Śrī Varāha then explained, “Thus, I have told you this ancient account, as it was related to Svāyambhuva. Even with thousands of others, it is not possible for anyone to speak it fully here. I have told you this Purāṇa only in summary, as remembered; the creation of the oceans’ waters and what occurred here and there is immeasurable. Even Brahmā, self-born, and Nārāyaṇa have recounted this; who else could do so? It is impossible for us—thus it has been said to you—because of the vastness of that form, only a remembrance of the beginning is possible. On earth, the grains of sand in the ocean are countless; but the acts of creation performed by the Supreme Lord cannot be numbered. This portion concerning Nārāyaṇa has been told by me, O fair-smiling one; this is the account as it happened in the Krita age—what else do you wish to hear?” The Earth then asked, “Having seen that great and wondrous event, what fruit or boon did the sage Gauramukha and those jewel-bearing ones obtain from the teacher? Who is that illustrious sage Gauramukha, supremely righteous? What did that foremost of sages do upon witnessing Hari’s deed?” Śrī Varāha replied, “Having witnessed the act performed by the Lord in a moment, the sage, desiring to worship the god, went to the forest called Prabhāsa, the most difficult-to-attain holy place of Soma. There, the god who destroys demons is praised by those who contemplate holy places; and Gauramukha worshipped Hari, known as the slayer of demons.