As the Lord entered the city, the air was alive with celebration. Conch shells and drums resounded, trumpets and horns were played, and the procession was accompanied by the sweet music of lyres, flutes, and mridangas. The streets had been sprinkled clean, people were filled with joy, and everywhere flags fluttered. The sound of Vedic chants echoed through the city, and decorated gateways festooned with garlands welcomed all. Women honored the Lord with garlands, yogurt, and sprouting grains, gazing upon Him with loving, eager eyes. All the wealth acquired in battle, endless and adorned with the ornaments of heroes, was brought forth and presented by the Lord to the king of the Yadus. Meanwhile, the king of Magadha, Jarasandha, with a force as vast as seventeen akshauhinis, repeatedly waged war against the Yadus, who were protected by Krishna. Empowered by Krishna’s brilliance, the Vṛṣṇis destroyed all of Jarasandha’s armies. When his own troops were slain, Jarasandha was abandoned by his allies and departed. As the eighteenth battle was about to occur, a hero sent by Narada—a mighty Yavana—appeared in the midst. This foreigner besieged Mathura with three million barbarian troops. In the world of men, he was unmatched, having heard of the Vṛṣṇis, his equals. Seeing this, Krishna, accompanied by Sankarshana, pondered, “Alas, a great calamity has come upon the Yadus from both sides. This Yavana, immensely powerful, is besieging us today, and the king of Magadha will arrive either today, tomorrow, or the day after. If Jarasandha comes while we are engaged in battle, he may kill our kinsmen or, being strong, carry them off to his own city. Therefore, today we shall build a fortress, difficult for men to approach; there, after settling our kinsmen, we will destroy the Yavana.” After careful deliberation, the Blessed Lord created a wondrous fortress twelve yojanas wide, a city within the sea. The skill of Tvaṣṭṛ, the divine architect, could be seen everywhere—streets, crossroads, and avenues constructed according to proper architectural principles. The city was adorned with celestial trees and gardens, marvelous groves, towers of gold reaching the sky, crystal mansions, and gateways. Silver and gold turrets gleamed, treasuries decorated with golden jars, houses crowned with jewels, and emerald platforms added to its splendor. Built with the houses of the guardians of the quarters and residences of beloved women, the city was filled with people of all four varṇas, shining with the homes of the Yadu gods. Indra sent Sudharmā, the divine assembly hall, and the Pārijāta tree to the city, where even mortals residing there were not subject to mortal limitations. Varuṇa gifted dark-colored horses, swift as the mind and white in hue; the lord of treasures gave eight treasuries; and the guardians of the worlds bestowed all their opulences. Whatever lordship had been granted by the Blessed Lord for their own perfection, all of it the gods returned to Hari when He descended to earth. There, by the power of yoga, Hari brought all the people, and after consulting with Rāma, the protector of the people, Krishna left the city gate, garlanded with lotuses and unarmed. Śuka then described: Seeing Him emerge, shining like the rising moon, most beautiful to behold, dark in complexion, clad in yellow silk, with the Śrīvatsa mark on His chest, radiant with the Kaustubha gem at His throat, broad, tall, four-armed, eyes like fresh red lotuses—ever joyful and glorious, with rounded cheeks, a pure smile, a lotus-like face, and brilliant makara-shaped earrings—this was indeed Vāsudeva, marked by the Śrīvatsa, four-armed, lotus-eyed, adorned with a forest garland, supremely beautiful. By the signs described by Narada, no one else could be so; unarmed, walking on foot, Krishna resolved to fight the Yavana unarmed. The Yavana, desiring to seize Him, pursued as Krishna fled, though He is unattainable even to yogis. As if he could grasp himself with his own hand, the lord of the Yavanas was led step by step by Hari, who showed Himself at a distance, into a mountain cave. The Yavana taunted, “Flight does not befit one born in the Yadu line, such as you,” but though he followed, he could not catch Krishna. The Blessed Lord entered the mountain cave, and the Yavana entered as well, where he saw another man lying down. Thinking, “Surely this one has been brought far away and is lying here like a saint,” the foolish Yavana struck Achyuta, who was lying there, with his foot. The man, having slept for a long time, rose and slowly opened his eyes. Looking around, he saw the Yavana standing beside him. At that moment, by the angry gaze of that man, the Yavana was instantly burned to ashes by the fire born of his own body. King Parikshit then asked, “O brāhmaṇa, who was that man, of what lineage and power? For what reason did he go into the cave and sleep there? What was the brilliance of the destroyer of the Yavana?” Śuka replied: He was born in the Ikṣvāku dynasty, the great son of Māndhātṛ, renowned as Mucukunda, devoted to the brāhmaṇas and steadfast in truth. He had been requested by the hosts of gods, including Indra, to protect them from the asuras who were terrified; he performed that protection for a long time. Having found Mucukunda, their protector, in the cave, the gods said, “O king, please desist from these hardships of protecting us. O hero, having abandoned the world of men and a kingdom free from enemies, all your desires have been forsaken while you protected us. Your sons, wives, relatives, ministers, and counselors, as well as your subjects of the same age, are no longer alive now. Time, the almighty and imperishable Lord, is stronger than the strong; playing, He brings all beings to their end, just as a herdsman does with cattle.