A fierce and wondrous battle unfolded, with Kṛṣṇa, the bearer of the mighty Śārṅga bow, releasing sharp arrows that scattered the hosts of pretas, mātṛs, piśācas, kuṣmāṇḍas, and brahmarākṣasas. In response, the lord of Pināka, Śiva himself, unleashed a variety of celestial weapons against Kṛṣṇa. Yet Kṛṣṇa, undisturbed and resolute, met each weapon with a perfect counter: he opposed Brahmāstra with Brahmāstra, Vāyavya with Pārvatāstra, Āgneya with Pārjanya, and the formidable Pāśupata with his own divine weapon. With the Jṛmbhaṇa weapon, Kṛṣṇa bewildered Giriśa—Śiva—leaving him momentarily stupefied. Then, as Śauri, he struck down Bāṇa’s vast army with sword, mace, and a rain of arrows. Meanwhile, Skanda, the peacock-bannered god, found himself under a relentless torrent of arrows from Pradyumna. Blood flowed from his limbs, and he was forced to withdraw from the fight. Elsewhere, Kumbhāṇḍa and Kūpakarṇa fell, struck down by the plough weapon, and with their leaders gone, their troops scattered in panic. Witnessing his forces in disarray, Bāṇa, inflamed with rage, abandoned his duel with Sātyaki and charged straight at Kṛṣṇa in the heart of battle. Bāṇa, mad with battle fury, drew his five hundred bows simultaneously, setting two arrows to each, and unleashed them all at once. But Lord Hari, with supreme mastery, cut down all those bows in a single stroke, destroyed Bāṇa’s chariot, slew his charioteer and horses, and then sounded his conch, filling the field with its resounding call. At that moment, Bāṇa’s mother Koṭarā, wild-haired and naked, rushed before Kṛṣṇa, seeking to shield her son. Out of respect, Kṛṣṇa, the elder brother of Gada, turned his face aside and did not look upon her. Bāṇa, now bereft of chariot and bow, retreated into the city. As the hosts of beings were routed, a fever demon, three-headed and three-footed, surged forth, blazing as if to scorch the ten directions, and rushed at Kṛṣṇa, the descendant of Daśārha. In response, the divine Nārāyaṇa released his own fever demon. The fever of Śiva and the fever of Viṣṇu clashed in a terrible struggle. Overwhelmed by the might of Viṣṇu’s fever, the fever demon of Śiva cried out in fear. Unable to find refuge, he approached Hṛṣīkeśa, folded his hands, and praised him: “I bow to you, Lord of infinite power, supreme ruler, the soul of all, pure consciousness, cause of creation, maintenance, and dissolution, tranquil Brahman, the very mark of Brahman. Time, destiny, action, living being, nature, substance, field, breath, self, and transformation—all this aggregate, this flow of seed and sprout, is your illusion; I seek refuge in its negation. By your play, taking many forms, you support gods, the virtuous, and the bridges of the worlds; you destroy the violent, and your birth relieves the earth’s burden. Scorched by your unbearable fever, I suffer; so long as people cling to hope, they do not worship your feet, and their suffering continues.” The Blessed Lord replied, “O Triśiras, I am pleased with you. Let your fear of fever be dispelled. Whoever remembers our conversation shall be free from your affliction.” Thus reassured, the fever demon of Śiva bowed to Acyuta and departed. Bāṇa, having recovered, mounted a new chariot and charged once more at Janārdana. The asura, now bearing a thousand arms and bristling with weapons, released a furious storm of arrows at Kṛṣṇa, wielder of the discus. Yet again, the Lord swiftly cut down the weapons issuing even from Bāṇa’s mouth with his razor-edged discus, and then began to sever Bāṇa’s many arms as one might lop branches from a tree. As Bāṇa’s arms fell, Lord Bhava—Śiva, ever compassionate to his devotees—approached Kṛṣṇa and spoke: “You are the supreme Brahman, the highest light, hidden within the Brahman described by words. Those of pure soul see you as the sky, alone. Your navel is ether, your mouth is fire, water is your seed, the sky is your head, the directions your ears, the earth your feet, the moon your mind, the sun your eye, the self is your soul, I am the ocean, your belly, and the serpent king is your arm. Your hairs are plants, clouds are your waters, Brahmā is your hair, intelligence your creative power, Prajāpati your heart, Dharma your essence; truly, you are the cosmic person, the model of the worlds. “This descent of yours, O unimpeded Lord, is for the protection of dharma and the world’s welfare. We, all inspired by you, comprehend the seven realms. You alone are the primordial, unique Person, the fourth beyond; self-seeing, cause and causeless, appearing yet unchanged, manifesting all qualities by your own power. Just as the sun, concealed by its own shadow, projects both shadow and forms, so you, hidden by your qualities, illuminate those qualities and their bearers, O boundless light of the self. Those deluded by your maya become attached to children, spouses, homes, and so rise and fall in the ocean of misfortune. If, having gained a human birth, one does not honor your feet, he is to be pitied, for he deceives himself. Abandoning you, his own beloved self, and pursuing sense objects, is like consuming poison and forsaking nectar. I, Brahmā, the gods, and pure-minded sages have all surrendered to you, our dearest Lord, with our whole being. You are the cause of the world’s creation, sustenance, and dissolution, equal, tranquil, friend, self and god; the sole, nondual source of the universe. We worship you, O Lord, for liberation from birth and death. “This Bāṇa is dear to me, beloved and obedient. I have granted him fearlessness, O Lord; let your favor fall upon him, as you once showed mercy to the lord of the daityas.” The Blessed Lord replied, “O revered one, whatever you say, I shall do as pleases you; your wish is agreeable to me. This son of Virocana, an asura, is not to be slain even by me, for I granted a boon to Prahlāda that neither he nor his line would be killed by me. To humble his pride, I have broken his arms, and his immense army, which burdened the earth, I have destroyed. Four arms remain to him; he shall be ageless and immortal, chief among your attendants, and he shall have no fear from anywhere.” Thus, having received fearlessness, Bāṇa bowed his head to Kṛṣṇa. Placing Pradyumna and his wife upon a chariot, Bāṇa brought them forward, honoring the will of the Lord.