As the fierce battle raged, the goddess’s wrath knew no bounds. With her sword, she struck down some asuras; with her mighty club, she felled others; and still more perished, torn apart by the terrible edges of her teeth. In but a moment, the great army of the asuras was utterly destroyed. Witnessing this devastation, the mighty asura Chanda, burning with rage, charged toward the goddess. At his side, the formidable demon Munda unleashed a terrifying barrage—arrows rained down upon the earth-eyed goddess, and thousands of spinning discus weapons hurtled toward her. Those whirling discs, aimed at her radiant face, appeared like countless suns set against the dark belly of a thundercloud. Then, from the goddess Kali arose a dreadful, fearsome roar. Her mouth yawned wide and terrible, her blazing teeth almost impossible to behold; she laughed fiercely, her wrath unrestrained. Mounting her great lion, Kali rushed at Chanda, seized him by the hair, and with a single stroke of her sword, severed his head. As his head fell, the lord of the demons released a cry so fearsome that the three worlds trembled in terror. Seeing Chanda struck down, Munda hurled himself at Kali in fury, but she too brought him low, felling him with her sword. The remaining asura army, witnessing their mighty leaders slain and their forces shattered, scattered in all directions, overwhelmed by fear. Kali, seizing the heads of both Chanda and Munda, approached Chandika. With a fierce, resounding laugh, she spoke: “Here I have brought you Chanda and Munda, the great beasts, as an offering in this sacrificial battle. You yourself shall slay Shumbha and Nishumbha.” Beholding the fallen Chanda and Munda, Chandika, the auspicious goddess, addressed Kali gently: “Because you have brought Chanda and Munda here, from this day forth you shall be known in the world as Chamunda.” Now, with Chanda and Munda slain and the asura armies laid low, the lord of the asuras, Shumbha, was consumed by anger and humiliation. His mind inflamed, he commanded the mobilization of all demon armies: “Let the eighty-six armed demon chiefs, and the eighty-four commanders of the Kambus, each with their own forces, set out today. By my command, let fifty clans of mighty demons and a hundred clans of the Dhaumras march forth. Let the Kalakas, Daurhridas, Mauryas, and Kalakeyas prepare for battle and quickly advance!” Thus commanded by the fierce Shumbha, the lord of the demons, the vast armies assembled and advanced, surrounding him on all sides. As this terrifying host approached, Chandika filled the space between earth and sky with the resounding twang of her bowstring. Her lion gave a tremendous roar, and Ambika amplified the tumult with the ringing of her bell. The quarters of the sky reverberated with the sounds of bowstrings, lion roars, and bells, while Kali, her mouth wide open, overwhelmed the enemy with her shouts and cries. Hearing this uproar, the armies of the demons, filled with anger, surrounded the goddess, her lion, and Kali from all directions. Meanwhile, for the destruction of the enemies of the gods and the welfare of the immortal hosts, the energies of Brahma, Shiva, Guha, Vishnu, and Indra emerged from their own bodies, taking form and approaching Chandika. Each divine energy appeared in the form, with the ornaments and vehicle, of its respective deity, ready to do battle with the demons. At the front came Brahmani, power of Brahma, riding an aerial chariot drawn by swans, holding a rosary and water-pot. Maheshvari, power of Shiva, arrived mounted on a bull, bearing a trident, granting boons, adorned with great serpents and the crescent moon. Kaumari, the power of Guha, came forth wielding weapons and riding the supreme peacock. Vaishnavi, the power of Vishnu, appeared upon Garuda, bearing conch, discus, mace, bow, and sword. There too was Varahi, the boar-formed power of Hari, and Narasimhi, resembling Narasimha, whose mane flung aside the host of stars. Indrani, wielding the thunderbolt, stood upon the king of elephants, bearing a thousand eyes like Indra himself. Surrounded by these divine powers, the Lord addressed Chandika: “Let the asuras be swiftly slain for my satisfaction.” From the body of the Lord, a terrifying, exceedingly fierce power of Chandika emerged, her roar resounding like a hundred thunderbolts. This unconquered goddess, her hair matted, spoke to the Lord: “O Messenger, go to Shumbha and Nishumbha. Tell them, and all the other asuras assembled for battle: Let Indra reclaim the three worlds, let the gods receive their offerings. Depart to the netherworld if you wish to live. But if, out of arrogance, you desire battle, then come—my attendants shall be satisfied with your flesh.” And because Shiva himself was sent as a messenger by the goddess, she declared, “I am known in this world as Shivaduti, the Messenger of Shiva.