None of the assembled kings and princes could win the hand of the princess Satyā of Kosala, for her father had set a daunting challenge: only the one who could subdue seven fierce, sharp-horned, untamable bulls—proud of their strength—could claim her. When news of this contest reached Lord Krishna, master of the Sātvatas, he journeyed to the city of Kosala, accompanied by a splendid army. The king of Kosala, pleased by Krishna’s arrival, rose to greet him, offered him a seat, and honored him with every mark of respect befitting such a guest. Meanwhile, Satyā, the princess, saw that the very suitor she desired had come. Her heart yearned for Krishna, the Lord of Lakshmi, and she prayed, “If my vow is true, may this man become my husband and fulfill all my wishes.” Yet she wondered: “He whose lotus feet are worshipped by Lakshmi, Brahma, Shiva, and the guardians of the worlds—he who built a bridge across the ocean in sport—how could such a Lord ever be satisfied with someone like me?” Krishna, worshipped again by the king, smiled and spoke, his voice deep as a thundercloud. “O King,” he said, “for a kshatriya who follows his own dharma, begging is condemned by the wise. Yet, desiring your friendship, I ask for your daughter’s hand—not for a bride-price, for that is not our custom.” The king replied with reverence, “O Lord, who could be a greater or more desirable suitor for my daughter than you, the sole abode of all virtues, upon whom the unfailing goddess of fortune herself resides? But, O best of the Sātvatas, I have made a prior agreement: to test the worth of suitors, my daughter’s hand is to be won through a contest. These seven fierce and unmanageable bulls have defeated and wounded many princes. If you alone, O delight of the Yadus, can subdue them, then you shall wed my daughter, O Lord of Śrī.” Hearing this, Krishna fastened his garment, and, by his mystic power, multiplied himself into seven forms. Effortlessly and playfully, he subdued the bulls, breaking their pride and strength. He then bound them with ropes and dragged them as easily as a child would drag his wooden toys. Amazed and overjoyed, the king gave his daughter Satyā to Krishna, who accepted her as his equal bride, following all proper rites. The royal mothers, now blessed with Krishna as their beloved son-in-law, rejoiced; a great festival burst forth in the city. Conch shells, kettledrums, and trumpets resounded, musicians played, and the brāhmaṇas offered blessings. Men and women, adorned with fine garments, garlands, and ornaments, celebrated with delight. As dowry, Krishna gave ten thousand cows, three thousand young women adorned with necklaces and fine clothes, nine thousand elephants, chariots a hundred times more than the elephants, horses a hundred times more than the chariots, and men a hundred times more than the horses. Placing Krishna and Satyā upon a chariot, the king of Kosala, his heart softened with affection, sent them off, surrounded by a great army. But when the defeated kings—those whose strength had been broken by the Yadus and the bulls—heard of Krishna’s victory, they could not bear it. In their envy, they tried to block the procession and take the maiden back by force. Arjuna, Krishna’s dear friend and mighty protector, scattered their volleys of arrows, felling them as a lion would fell small beasts. Having received the dowry, Krishna, the foremost of the Yadus and son of Devakī, returned to Dvārakā with Satyā and enjoyed happiness with her. In time, Krishna also married Bhadrā, daughter of his paternal aunt Śrutakīrti, a princess of the Kaikeyas, who was given to him by her brothers such as Santardana. He alone carried off Lakṣmaṇā, daughter of the king of Madra, radiant with auspicious marks, from her svayaṃvara, just as Garuḍa seized the nectar. In this way, after slaying the wicked Bhauma (Naraka) and rescuing many captive women, Krishna took thousands of such wives, each of charming appearance. King Parīkṣit then asked the sage Śuka, “O revered one, tell me how Bhauma was slain by the Lord and how those captive women were rescued by Krishna, wielder of the Śārṅga bow.” Śuka replied: When Indra had taken his umbrella, earrings, and companions, and usurped his place on the mountain of the gods, and when Krishna learned of the misdeeds of the earth-born Bhauma (Naraka), he mounted Garuḍa with his wife Satyabhāmā and set out for the city of Prāgjyotiṣa. That city was surrounded by formidable mountain fortresses, weapon fortresses, and barriers of water, fire, and wind, as well as strong, fierce bonds conjured by the demon Mura. With his mace Krishna shattered the mountains; with his arrows he destroyed the weapon fortresses; with his discus he overcame the barriers of fire, water, and wind; and with his sword he cut through Mura’s bonds. With the blast of his conch, Pāñcajanya, he broke the machines and the pride of the defenders, and with his mighty mace he smashed the ramparts. Hearing the terrifying sound of the conch, like thunder at the end of an age, the demon Mura—five-headed and dreadful—rose from the water where he lay. Brandishing a blazing trident, he rushed at Garuḍa and Krishna, roaring with his five mouths, filling the heavens and all directions with his terrible sound. Mura hurled his trident at Garuḍa, but Krishna struck it with two arrows of triple power and shot arrows into Mura’s mouths. Enraged, Mura hurled his mace at Krishna, but Krishna shattered it with his own mace, breaking it into a thousand pieces. Then, raising his arms, Krishna swiftly severed Mura’s five heads with his discus. Mura, now headless, fell lifeless into the water like a mountain peak cut off by Indra’s thunderbolt. His seven sons—Tāmra, Antarikṣa, Śravaṇa, Vibhāvasu, Vasu, Nabhasvān, and Aruṇa—rose up in fury, placing their commander Pīṭha in front, and advanced to avenge their father. They hurled a storm of arrows, swords, maces, spears, javelins, and tridents at Krishna, but the Lord, whose power never fails, cut their weapons to pieces with his own arrows. With his discus and arrows, Krishna sent those chiefs, led by Pīṭha, to the abode of Yama, their heads, arms, legs, and armor severed. Thus, the earth-born demon Naraka was defeated by Krishna’s hand.