Sumedha

One-line: forest sage who explains maya through the Goddess’s great battle stories.

First appears: Book 10, in Book 10 retelling.

Who they are: Sumedha is the sage who teaches Suratha and Samadhi. He explains why the mind stays attached even against its own interests, then tells the stories of Madhu and Kaitabha, Mahishasura, and Shumbha-Nishumbha as demonstrations of the Goddess’s power.

What they do that matters:

• Receives Suratha and Samadhi at his hermitage.
• Explains maya in plain psychological terms.
• Tells the three great Goddess battle cycles in Book 10.

Other names: None in this storybook layer.

Family / lineage (when relevant): Not central for first-time reading.