As the guardians of the worlds gathered, raising their splendid standards high, a dreadful roar of battle erupted, reverberating across the heavens like storm clouds at the end of an age. In the sky, a massive, dense cloud appeared, as if seizing a portion of earth—swollen and dark, like the belly of a mountain churned by mighty fists. The clash of weapons and mountains, crushed in the first assault, resounded with a harsh and terrifying roar, echoing as if from hearts shattered and emptied of life. This tumult swelled like thunderclouds of doomsday, expanding across the sky and shining brilliantly, as if struck by the light of twelve suns at once. When this force collided with the walls of the universe, it recoiled and fell to earth, surging like a mighty flood that has broken through a dam, pouring into the depths below. The uproar roared with the force of winds beating against winged mountains, echoing through the shattered caves of those hard, overflowing peaks. It was as if the milk ocean itself was being churned by Mandara, shaking the world and striking islands and their creatures, filling the air with booming and crashing sounds. Between the two enraged armies, a furious and demonic battle arose, crushing cities, villages, mountains, forests, and men alike. The directions were filled with mountains and demons, cut down by hundreds of great weapons, while the sky became packed with dust from shattered weapons and rocks. The clash of missile-circles shattered hundreds of Meru’s peaks, and the wind of arrows swept away demons, gods, asuras, and lotuses alike. The swirling dust of countless chariot wheels veiled the sky, trampled grass of gods and demons mingled below, and the surging waves of advancing armies pressed forward. Hosts of celestial beings fell, crushed by weapons and mountains, while the heavens were flooded by torrents of ocean water brought forth by elephants. Hundreds of rivers of swords, spears, and missiles flowed, carrying away the domes of the universe, shattered and scattered by the wings of mountain peaks. Cities of the lords of the world fell under repeated blows of demon heels, and golden palaces resounded with the tumultuous cries of women. The demon hosts, tossed about by waves of the maddened ocean and mountains, rolled upon the ground, while the sky was washed clean by streams of released blood and echoed with their cries. The world, covered and concealed by the waters of many oceans and filled with noble ones, was again seen teeming with armies, illuminated by the radiance of gods and demons. The battlefield became terrifying and dreadful, filled with the coming and going of demon-mountains shaped like winged peaks and crackling with the sounds of destruction. The earth, ocean, and mountains were reddened everywhere by streams of blood flowing from the wounded demon-mountains, whose peaks were split by weapons and rocks. Surrounded by ruined kingdoms, cities, forests, villages, and mountain caves, the land was filled with countless demons, elephants, horses, humans, chariots, and mountains. Its paths were traversed by celestial maidens and demons, and its mountains were shattered by torrents from clouds as dense as those of the cosmic age. Elephants were battered by blows of fists, and mountain ranges crushed and scattered by the impact of great meteors. Demons were scorched by blazing nets of angry fire, and fire, drawn forth by a single handful, surged up like the ocean. Vast waters were frozen by the coolness of the moon, while heaps of stones were melted by the flames of forest fires. The night of cosmic dissolution was filled with impenetrable darkness created by weapons, and its thin veil of gloom was consumed by the radiance of the sun of illusion. Cosmic rains of fire fell from the illusory sky, and storms were stirred by the clash of fire, wind, and weapons. Mountain showers were swept away by storms of thunderbolts, and the battles were enriched with weapons of sleep, awakening, and rain, along with weapons of planetary influence. Weapons of the saw, for felling trees, of water and fire, and the fierce weapon of Brahma—all were subdued by the brilliance of the weapon of light. The sky was entirely filled with armies of weapons launched by missiles, adorned with showers of stones and illuminated by the radiance of weapons that rained fire. Banners brushed by moonlight, and the roar of whirling discs filled the air; in a moment, chariots crossed the mountains of sunrise and sunset. The great demons, struck incessantly by thunderbolts, were dying; yet other demons arose, born from the mighty spells of Shukra and the gods. Guarded by auspicious planets and great comets here and there, the tumultuous battles raised the necks of crowds of omens and portents. The world, along with its mountains, oceans, and sky, was flooded with streams of blood, making it appear like a blossoming forest of single kimshuka trees, so fierce was the enmity. The vast ocean was filled with corpses as numerous as mountains, and the great corpses swayed, hanging from the branches and trunks of all the trees. Carried away by winds, with wings, flowers, and fruits attached, tall palm trees and forests of arrows filled the sky. Arms as numerous as mountain-like hosts of corpses danced, and celestial nymphs and stars fell from their aerial chariots into the waters below. Mountains were pierced through with arrows, spears, maces, javelins, and swords; the sky was strewn with fragments of walls fallen from the seven worlds. The unceasing, intoxicated, thunderous sound of great war drums, like dense clouds, echoed so powerfully that it seemed to shake the very elephants of the netherworld. Mountains, drawn forth by the hands of mighty demons like Vināyaka, were hurled, and on one side, the hosts of perfected beings and wind-gods stood motionless. Gandharvas, kinnaras, gods, and celestial sages fled in all directions; their leaders, wounded and exhausted, fell lifeless to the ground. The hosts of demons and daityas, having gained but a little victory, were nearly destroyed; the army of gods was being torn apart, and Indra stood alone, deeply anxious.