One afternoon, Mara, looking at the clouds gathering in the sky, realized that it was going to rain very heavily that evening and called his son back into the hut and both of them stayed indoors. Soon after that, there was a torrential downpour and a shrieking storm.

Late in the night, when the winds rocked his hut, Mara came out of the hut and saw the river water flooding the tank and the water level was a hair’s breadth below the shore. He concluded that the river might heave and flow over the tank any moment. Immediately, Mara knelt on the ground and prayed to the Goddess. The Goddess stood before him, wielding a sword in her hand. She asked him to move out of the hut at once, as she intended to destroy the tank. Mara pleaded with her earnestly to save the people, but she refused to grant his wish. Then Mara requested her to give him an assurance that she would stay her hand until he returned from the king’s palace after informing him about it. She granted his wish and Mara hurried to the king’s palace.

When Mara gave the king the message of the Goddess, the king was shocked. Then Mara told the king that he had a plan to save the tank and the kingdom. He requested the king to get him executed and make it impossible for him to return. If he did not return, the Goddess would stay her hand and the tank would not be destroyed. Though the king was reluctant to do so, Mara persuaded the king to get him executed for the sake of his people. Soon after that, the king got a shrine for the Goddess and one for Mara built. The king gave orders that worship is performed at both the shrines.