Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 83, Shloka 14
Adhyaya 83 — The Slaying of Mahishasura’s Armies and the Final Death of Mahishasura
युधायमानौ ततस्तौ तु तस्मान्नागान्महीं गतौ ।
युयुधातेऽतिसंरब्धौ प्रहारैरतिदारुणैः ॥
yudhāyamānau tatas tau tu tasmān nāgān mahīṃ gatau | yuyudhāte 'tisaṃrabdhau prahārair atidāruṇaiḥ ||
他们交战之际，二者遂自那象背落至地面，以极端的狂怒互相搏击，拳脚之势甚为可怖。
FAQs
When pride of position (mount, advantage) is lost, the struggle becomes bare and direct. The text implies that adharma ultimately must face reality without its supports—and is then overcome by the aligned force of dharma.
Still within the Devi Mahatmyam’s battle narration (māhātmya). It is best classified as dharma-kathā rather than a pancalakṣaṇa expository segment.
Descending to the earth indicates grounding: conflict moves from ‘elevated’ projections to the field of embodied experience. The dreadful blows symbolize intense tapas-like friction through which asuric momentum is exhausted.