When the suitor she had longed for finally arrived, the princess’s heart overflowed with hope. She gazed at the Lord of Lakshmi and prayed silently, “If my vow is true, may this man become my husband and fulfill all my wishes.” Yet, as she beheld him, her thoughts turned inward with awe and humility: “He, whose lotus feet’s dust is borne by Lakshmi herself, by Brahma, Shiva, and the guardians of all worlds—he who, for his own purposes, playfully built a bridge across the ocean—how could such a Lord ever be satisfied with someone like me?” The princess and her family offered worship to Narayana, the Lord of the universe. But the Lord, ever content in his own bliss, replied, “What need have I, who am complete in myself, for something so meager?” Shuka continued: The Blessed Lord, delighted and gracious, accepted the offered seat. With a smile, his voice deep as thunderclouds, he spoke to the descendant of the Kurus: “O King, the wise condemn begging for a kshatriya who follows his own dharma. Yet, desiring your friendship, I ask for your daughter’s hand—not for a bride-price, for we do not give that.” The king replied with reverence, “O Lord, who could be a greater or more desirable suitor for my daughter, when the unfailing goddess of fortune herself dwells upon you, the sole abode of all virtues?” He continued, “But, O best of the Sātvatas, we made a prior agreement: to test the strength of the suitors, my daughter’s hand would be won in a contest. Here are seven fierce, unmanageable bulls—many princes have tried and been defeated and injured by them. If you alone, O delight of the Yadus, can subdue them, then you shall be the chosen husband of my daughter, O Lord of Śrī.” Hearing these words, the Lord fastened his garment, and, by his divine power, multiplied himself into seven forms. Playfully, he subdued the seven bulls, breaking their pride and strength, and bound them with ropes, dragging them as easily as a child drags wooden toys. Amazed and overjoyed, the king gave his daughter to Kṛṣṇa, who accepted her in proper form as his equal bride. The royal wives, delighted to have Kṛṣṇa as their son-in-law, rejoiced, and a great festival was celebrated. Conch shells, kettledrums, and trumpets resounded. Songs and music filled the air, brāhmaṇas offered blessings, and men and women adorned with fine garments, garlands, and ornaments rejoiced. The Lord gave as dowry ten thousand cows and three thousand young women adorned with necklaces and fine clothes. He also gave nine thousand elephants, chariots a hundred times more than elephants, horses a hundred times more than chariots, and men a hundred times more than horses. The king of Kośala, his heart softened with affection, placed the couple on a chariot, surrounded by a great army, and sent them off. But the kings who had been defeated by the Yadus and by the bulls could not tolerate this. As the maiden was being led away, they tried to block the procession. Arjuna, wielder of the Gāṇḍīva bow, dear friend and protector, scattered their volleys of arrows, felling them like a lion fells small beasts. Thus, having received the dowry, Kṛṣṇa, the foremost of the Yadus and son of Devakī, enjoyed happiness with Satyā in Dvārakā. He also married Bhadrā, daughter of Śrutakīrti, his paternal aunt, a princess of the Kaikeyas, who was given to him by her brothers, including Santardana. Kṛṣṇa alone carried off Lakṣmaṇā, daughter of the king of Madra, adorned with auspicious marks, from her svayaṃvara, just as Garuḍa seized nectar from the gods. In this way, after slaying Bhauma and rescuing them from captivity, thousands of such wives—each of charming appearance—became Kṛṣṇa’s consorts. At this point, the king asked, “O sage, tell me how Bhauma was slain by the Lord, and how those women, who had been confined, were rescued by the wielder of Śārṅga.” Śuka replied: When Indra took away his umbrella, earrings, and companions, and usurped his position on the mountain of the gods, Kṛṣṇa, informed of the deeds of the earth-born Bhauma, mounted Garuḍa with his wife and journeyed to the city of Prāgjyotiṣa. That city was fortified on all sides by formidable mountains, weapon fortresses, and barriers of water, fire, and wind, as well as by fierce, strong bonds created by the demon Mura. With his mace, Kṛṣṇa shattered the mountains; with his arrows, he destroyed the weapon fortresses; his discus overcame the barriers of fire, water, and wind; and with his sword, he cut through the bonds of Mura. The blast of his conch broke the machines and struck terror into the hearts of the proud, while with his mighty mace, Gadādhara smashed the ramparts. Hearing the sound of Pāñcajanya, terrifying like thunder at the end of an age, Mura, the five-headed demon, rose from the waters where he lay. Brandishing a trident, dreadful to behold, blazing like the sun and fire at the end of time, he rushed at Kṛṣṇa, who sat upon Garuḍa, as a serpent attacks with its five mouths. Mura hurled his trident swiftly at Garuḍa and roared with his five mouths, the sound filling the heavens, all directions, and the cosmic egg itself. The trident fell upon Garuḍa, but Hari struck it with two triple-powered arrows and shot more arrows into Mura’s mouths. Enraged, Mura hurled his mace at the Lord. As the mace flew through the air, Kṛṣṇa shattered it with his own, splitting it into a thousand pieces. Raising his arms, the unconquered Lord rushed forward and playfully severed all five of Mura’s heads with his discus. Headless, his life departed, Mura fell into the water like a mountain peak cut off by Indra’s thunderbolt. Mura’s seven sons—Tāmra, Antarikṣa, Śravaṇa, Vibhāvasu, Vasu, Nabhasvān, and Aruṇa—placed their commander Pīṭha in front and, armed for battle, advanced in fury, sent by the earth-born Naraka. They hurled arrows, swords, maces, spears, javelins, and tridents at the unconquered Lord, but Kṛṣṇa, whose power never fails, cut their weapons to bits with his own arrows. He then sent those chiefs, led by Pīṭha, to the abode of Yama—their heads, arms, legs, and armor severed by his flying discus and arrows. Thus, Naraka, son of the earth, was defeated. Witnessing this, Durmarṣaṇa, overflowing with pride, attacked with elephants born of the ocean. Seeing Kṛṣṇa and his wife seated upon Garuḍa, radiant like the sun on a cloud with lightning, Durmarṣaṇa hurled a weapon that could slay a hundred, and all his warriors attacked together. But Bhagavān, the elder of maces, struck the earth-born army with wondrous steeds and sharp arrows, cutting off their arms, thighs, heads, and bodies, and at that moment slew their horses and elephants as well. O descendant of Kuru, whatever weapons and missiles the warriors launched, Hari cut them down, each with sharp arrows and sword-bearing shafts. Thus did the Lord triumph, rescuing the captive women and bringing joy and freedom to all.