Markandeyapurana 85.5

85.5

tayāsmākaṃ varo datto yathā'patsu smṛtākhilāḥ /
bhavatāṃ nāśayiṣyāmi tatkṣaṇāt paramāpadaḥ //

The ṛṣi spoke:
Of yore the Asuras Śumbha and Niśumbha, trusting in their pride and strength, robbed Śaci’s lord of the three worlds[1] and of his portions of the sacrifices; they both usurped likewise the sun’s dignity and the moon’s dominion, and Kuvera’s and Tama’s and Varuṇa’s; and they both exercised Vāyu’s authority and Agni’s sphere of action,[2] Thereby the gods were scattered, deprived of their sovereignties and put to rout. The thirty gods, bereft of their dominion and set at nought by those two great Asuras, all recall to mind that never-vanquished goddess,—“Thou didst grant us the boon,[3] ‘As ye when in calamities shall call me to mind,[4] that very moment will I put an end to all your direst calamities.’” Making this resolve the gods went to Himavat, lord among mountains, and there raised their hymn to the goddess, who is Viṣṇu’s illusive power. [5]