In the midst of the fierce battle, the mighty Māheśvarī struck down many asuras with her trident, causing them to fall lifeless to the earth. Vārāhī, with a powerful blow from her snout, pulverized others upon the ground. The Dānavas were torn apart by Vaiṣṇavī’s whirling discus, while Indrāṇī hurled her thunderbolt, cleaving through them as well. Some asuras, seeing their ranks decimated, fled in terror; others vanished from the battlefield entirely. Many were devoured by the ferocious Kālī, Śivadūtī, and the lion that accompanied the goddesses. Witnessing the death of his beloved brother Niśumbha and the ruin of his army, Śumbha was consumed with rage. He confronted Durgā, his voice thunderous with indignation: “Out of arrogance for your strength, you act wickedly. Do not boast, O Durgā! You fight relying on the power of others, thinking yourself superior. I alone remain in this world—who else is my equal? Behold, all these are entering into me; they are but my own manifestations.” As Śumbha spoke, all the goddesses, led by Brahmani, merged back into dissolution, leaving only Ambika standing before him. “When I manifest my many forms through my power,” Śumbha declared, “I alone remain when all is withdrawn. Stand firm in battle!” Thus began a fierce and terrible battle between the Devi and Śumbha, witnessed by all the gods and asuras. Their combat resounded with showers of arrows, sharp weapons, and dreadful missiles, striking terror throughout all the worlds. Ambika unleashed hundreds of divine weapons, but Śumbha, the lord of the daityas, shattered them with his own missiles. Yet the Supreme Goddess, with ease, broke his divine missiles by uttering fierce roars and other acts. Śumbha retaliated by covering the Goddess with hundreds of arrows. Enraged, Ambika shattered his bow with her own arrows. Undeterred, Śumbha seized a spear, but the Goddess cut it down with her discus while it was still in his hand. Then, taking up a sword shining like the sun and adorned with a hundred moons, the chief of the demons rushed at the Goddess. As he approached swiftly, Chandika cut his sword with arrows from her bow, and also destroyed his shield, which gleamed like the rays of the sun. Ambika caused his horses to fall, along with his chariot and charioteer. With his horses slain, bow broken, and charioteer gone, the demon seized a dreadful mace, intent on destroying the Goddess. As he rushed forward, she cut his mace with sharp arrows, but he still charged at her, raising his fist with great speed. The foremost of asuras struck the Goddess in the heart with his fist, and she, in turn, struck him on the chest with her palm. Struck by her blow, Śumbha fell swiftly to the ground, but immediately rose again. Leaping up, he seized the Goddess and soared into the sky. Even there, unsupported, Caṇḍikā continued to fight him. In the heavens, the asura and Caṇḍikā engaged in single combat, a contest that amazed the accomplished sages and ascetics. After fighting hand-to-hand for a long time, he lifted her up, spun her around, and hurled her to the earth. Thrown down, he reached the ground, raised his fist with force, and rushed at Caṇḍikā, his wicked mind intent on her destruction. Then the Goddess struck him, the lord of all the hosts of demons, as he approached, piercing his chest with her spear and casting him down upon the earth. Wounded by the sharp point of the Goddess’s spear, Śumbha fell lifeless to the ground, shaking the entire earth with its oceans, islands, and mountains. With the slaying of that wicked one, all creation became tranquil and content; the sky cleared and became pure. The ominous clouds and meteors that had appeared before subsided, and the rivers resumed their natural courses. The hosts of gods, their hearts overflowing with joy, rejoiced at his defeat. The Gandharvas sang melodious songs, others played instruments, and groups of Apsaras danced. Auspicious winds blew, and the sun shone with great brilliance. When the great lord of the demons was slain by the Goddess, the gods, led by Agni and Indra, their faces radiant with joy at the fulfillment of their desires, offered praises to Kātyāyanī: “O Goddess, remover of the distress of those who take refuge in you, be gracious! Be gracious, Mother of the entire world! Be gracious, Sovereign of the universe, protect the world; you are the Lady of all that moves and does not move. You alone are the foundation of the world, abiding as the very earth; by your presence as the essence of water, this entire world is nourished, O you of unfathomable power. You are the Vaiṣṇavī power, of infinite strength; you are the supreme Māyā, the seed of the universe. All this is deluded by you, O Goddess; when you are pleased, you become the cause of liberation on earth. All forms of knowledge are but your aspects, O Goddess; all women in the worlds are your manifestations. By you alone is this universe filled, O Mother—what praise can there be for you? Any praise is but an indirect description. O Goddess, you grant heaven and liberation to all beings; when you are praised, what supreme words could suffice for your praise? O Goddess Nārāyaṇī, who abides in the hearts of all people in the form of intelligence, who grants heaven and liberation, salutations to you. O Nārāyaṇī, who takes the form of time, moments, and other divisions, who brings about transformation, who is the power at the cessation of the universe, salutations to you. O Nārāyaṇī, auspicious among all that is auspicious, O Śivā, accomplisher of all aims, refuge of the distressed, three-eyed one, fair-complexioned Gaurī, salutations to you. O Nārāyaṇī, eternal foundation of the powers of creation, preservation, and destruction, who is the support of the qualities, who is made of the qualities, salutations to you.” Thus, the gods praised the Goddess, expressing their gratitude and reverence for her supreme power and compassion, as peace and auspiciousness returned to all the worlds.