Śuka spoke: When Indra seized his umbrella, earrings, and companions, and usurped his place on the mountain of the gods, and when he learned of the misdeeds of Naraka, the son of the earth, Lord Krishna mounted Garuḍa, taking his wife with him, and journeyed to the city of Prāgjyotiṣa. That city was encircled on all sides by formidable mountain fortresses, weapon fortresses, and further protected by barriers of water, fire, and wind, as well as by the fierce and mighty bonds of the demon Mura. Unperturbed, Krishna shattered the mountain fortresses with his mace, destroyed the weapon fortresses with his arrows, overcame the barriers of fire, water, and wind with his discus, and cut through Mura’s bindings with his sword. With the thunderous blast of his conch, Krishna broke the machines of war and struck terror into the hearts of the proud defenders. Then, wielding his mighty mace, Gadādhara smashed through the city’s ramparts. Hearing the dreadful sound of the Pāñcajanya conch, which resounded like thunder at the end of an age, the demon Mura—five-headed and terrible to behold—rose from the waters where he lay concealed. Brandishing a blazing trident, radiant like the sun and fire at the time of cosmic dissolution, he rushed at Garuḍa’s son with all five mouths, just as a serpent strikes its prey. With a terrifying roar from his five mouths, Mura hurled his trident at Garuḍa. The sound filled the heavens and all directions, reverberating throughout the cosmic egg. The three-pronged weapon struck Garuḍa, but Krishna countered it with two triple-powered arrows, then fired more arrows into Mura’s mouths. Enraged, Mura hurled his mace at Krishna. As the mace sped toward him, Krishna—the elder of maces—shattered it with his own, breaking it into a thousand pieces. Raising his arms, the unconquered Lord playfully severed Mura’s five heads with his razor-edged discus. Headless, Mura’s life departed, and his body fell into the water like a mountain whose peak has been struck off by Indra’s thunderbolt. At the sight of their father’s death, Mura’s seven sons—Tāmra, Antarikṣa, Śravaṇa, Vibhāvasu, Vasu, Nabhasvān, and Aruṇa as the seventh—placed their commander Pīṭha at the front, armed themselves for battle, and advanced in fury, sent by the earth-born Naraka. They reached the unconquered Krishna and, in their wrath, hurled arrows, swords, maces, spears, javelins, and tridents at him. But the Lord, whose power never fails, cut their weapons to pieces 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, the army of Naraka, son of the earth, was defeated. Witnessing this, Durmarṣaṇa, filled with pride, attacked Krishna with elephants born from the ocean. Seeing Krishna, seated with his wife upon Garuḍa—like the sun riding a cloud with lightning—Durmarṣaṇa hurled a weapon meant to slay a hundred warriors, and all the remaining soldiers joined the assault. The Lord, elder of maces, struck Naraka’s army, their wondrous steeds, and their warriors with sharp arrows, severing arms, thighs, heads, and bodies, and slew their horses and elephants in that onslaught. Whatever weapons and missiles the warriors hurled, Hari cut them down with his own sharp arrows and sword-bearing shafts. Garuḍa, the mighty Suparṇa, struck the elephants with his wings, beak, and claws, slaying them as he swept through the battlefield. Seeing his army routed and tormented by Garuḍa, Naraka, in distress, retreated into the city, fighting as he went. The earth-born one struck Krishna with his weapon, but it was as ineffective as a garland striking an elephant; Krishna did not even tremble. In a last, desperate effort, Naraka seized a spear to slay Acyuta, but before he could release it, Hari severed his head with the discus as Naraka sat atop his elephant. Naraka’s head, adorned with earrings and a beautiful crown, shone brilliantly as it fell to the earth. The sages and lords of the gods exclaimed, “Alas! Well done!” and showered Mukunda with praise and garlands. Then the earth goddess herself approached Krishna, bringing the radiant earrings set with refined gold and jewels, the Vaijayanti garland, a great jewel, and a royal umbrella, offering them all to the son of Prachetas. She, worshipped by the best of the gods, praised the Lord of the universe with joined hands and a heart full of loving devotion. Bhūmi prayed: “Obeisance to you, Lord of gods, bearer of conch, discus, and mace, who takes on forms to please your devotees, Supreme Soul, I bow to you. Salutations to you, lotus-naveled one; to you adorned with a garland of lotuses; to you, lotus-eyed one; and to you, whose feet are like lotuses. Salutations to you, Bhagavan, Vāsudeva, Viṣṇu, Supreme Person, origin of all, knower of everything. Obeisance to you, unborn creator, omnipotent soul of all, supreme and immanent. O Lord, when you wish to create, you assume a fierce form for dissolution; to maintain the worlds, you are sattva itself. Time, matter, and the supreme person—you are all these. Earth, water, fire, air, ether, the senses, gods, mind, and the great principle—all that moves and does not move is in you, O non-dual Lord, untouched by delusion. This son of yours, frightened, has taken refuge at your lotus feet, seeking relief from distress; please protect him, and place your sin-removing lotus hand upon his head.” Hearing these humble, devoted words from Bhūmi, the Lord assured her and then entered the splendid palace of Naraka. There, Hari beheld more than sixteen thousand royal maidens whom Naraka had seized from various kings. Seeing Krishna enter, the bewildered maidens, their hearts moved by destiny, each wished for him as her chosen husband. “May this one become my husband, and may the Creator approve it,” each thought with longing, offering her heart to Krishna. The Lord sent them to Dvārakā, adorned in spotless garments, with attendants, treasures, chariots, horses, and abundant wealth. Keśava also sent sixty-four swift, four-tusked, white elephants from the line of Airāvata. Then, going to the abode of the lord of the gods, he returned the earrings to Aditi and was honored by Indra, king of the gods, together with his beloved Indrani. At Satyabhama’s request, Krishna uprooted the celestial Pārijāta tree, placed it on Garuḍa, and, after defeating Indra and the other gods, brought it to his own city. He planted it for Satyabhama, beautifying her garden, and the bees, greedy for its fragrance, followed it all the way from heaven. Satyabhama bowed low, touching Acyuta’s feet with the tips of her crown, and humbly requested her heart’s desire. Thus, was her wish fulfilled, and the greatness of the Lord was displayed—yet, alas, how deep is the darkness of pride that clouds even the gods!