As the battle raged on, the gods and goddesses watched in awe, chanting the goddess's name and seeking her blessings. Slowly but surely, Bhadrakali gained the upper hand, and Bhasmasura began to falter.

In the morning the villagers found Meera asleep beside the altar, soot on her palms and dew in her hair. Around the hill, tracks of hooved beasts and the prints of many feet trailed away toward the river, never to return. Word spread that Bhadrakali had come back to Kalanjeri—not in a grand temple or a royal procession, but in the hands of a potter whose faith reshaped the shape of fear.

| Source | Chapter(s) | Language | Reliability | |--------|------------|----------|-------------| | | Chapters 60-64 (Bhadrakali Mahatmya) | Sanskrit | Highly authoritative; composed ~10th-11th century CE | | Markandeya Purana | Embedded in Devi Mahatmyam (some versions include Bhadrakali’s stotra) | Sanskrit | Moderate; Bhadrakali appears as a form of Chandika |