When Paundraka sent his messenger to Krishna, demanding that Krishna relinquish his divine weapons and name, Krishna responded with dignity and power. Addressing Paundraka directly, Krishna said, “O Paundraka, since you have spoken to me through your envoy, I shall now relinquish these weapons to you.” He continued, “I will abandon the name you have falsely assumed, O fool. Today, if I do not desire battle, I will seek refuge with you.” But Krishna did not seek refuge; instead, he engaged Paundraka in battle. With sharp arrows, Krishna struck Paundraka, shattering his chariot and finally severing his head with a chariot wheel, just as Indra would cleave a mountain with his thunderbolt. In the same way, Krishna cut off the head of the king of Kashi with arrows and cast it down into the city, like the wind dropping a lotus bud. Having slain the envious Paundraka and his ally, Krishna—Hari—returned to Dvaraka, as the perfected beings sang nectar-like tales celebrating his deeds. The king of Kashi, who had constantly meditated on the Blessed Lord and was freed from all bonds, attained absorption in Hari, bearing his form. When the severed head of the king of Kashi, adorned with earrings, appeared at the royal gate, the people were bewildered, wondering whose face it could be. When they recognized it as their king’s, his queens, sons, relatives, and citizens wailed in grief, crying, “Alas! The king is slain! Our protector is gone!” Sudakshina, the king’s son, performed the funeral rites for his father. Burning with resolve, he vowed, “I will destroy my father’s killer and thus honor my father.” Together with his priest, Sudakshina worshipped Maheshvara—Lord Shiva—with supreme concentration. Pleased in Avimukta, the Lord granted Sudakshina a boon, and Sudakshina chose the means to slay his father’s killer. Maheshvara instructed him: “Worship the southern fire with Brahmins and your officiating priest, performing the ritual of sorcery. That fire, surrounded by spirits, when employed against one who is unrighteous, will accomplish your intent.” Thus instructed, Sudakshina performed the sorcery rite against Krishna, observing the prescribed vow. From the fire-pit arose a terrifying embodied fire, with blazing copper-red hair and beard, and eyes emitting streams of flames. Its fierce fangs, dreadful brow, harsh mouth, and tongue licking its lips gave it a monstrous appearance. Naked, shaking a blazing trident, making a rattling sound, with feet as large as palm trees, it shook the earth and advanced, surrounded by spirits, burning all directions as it headed for Dvaraka. Seeing this sorcerous fire approaching, the inhabitants of Dvaraka were seized with terror, like deer caught in a forest fire. Frightened, they ran to Bhagavan, who was playing dice in the assembly hall, and cried, “Save us, O Lord of the three worlds, from the fire burning the city!” Hearing their distress and seeing his people afraid, Krishna—the refuge of all—smiled and assured them, “Do not fear; I am your protector.” The all-pervading Lord, witness within and without all, recognized the sorcerous act of Maheshvara. To thwart it, he ordered his Sudarshana discus, which stood at his side. The Sudarshana discus, blazing like ten million suns and shining with the radiance of the fire at dissolution, illuminated the sky, the directions, and the earth by its own brilliance. The weapon subdued the fiery being. The fiery entity, created by the ritual, was struck down by the power of Krishna’s discus, broken and defeated. It turned back, entered Varanasi, and consumed Sudakshina and his priests—the abhicara they had performed turned upon themselves. Then, the Sudarshana discus entered Varanasi, burning its palaces, assembly halls, markets, gates, towers, granaries, treasuries, elephants, horses, chariots, and stores of grain. Having burned all of Varanasi, the Sudarshana discus returned to Krishna, the doer of flawless deeds. Whoever, with focused mind, recites or hears this account of the praiseworthy Lord’s exploits is freed from all sins. The king, eager for more tales of divine wonder, asked, “Once more, I wish to hear of the wondrous deeds of Rama, the immeasurable and infinite Lord—what else did that master accomplish?” Shuka replied: There was a monkey named Dvivida, friend of Naraka, counselor of Sugriva, and valiant brother of Mainda. Seeking to avenge his friend, Dvivida brought ruin to the land—he set fire to cities, villages, settlements, and cowherds’ hamlets. Sometimes, uprooting mountains, he crushed regions with them, especially in Anarta, where Hari—the slayer of his friend—resided. At times, Dvivida would stand in the middle of the ocean, lifting up its waters with his arms and submerging lands along the shore, possessing the strength of ten thousand elephants. He destroyed the hermitages of great sages by breaking their trees and, wicked as he was, defiled their sacred fires with urine and excrement. Arrogant, he seized men and women and cast them into mountain caves and valleys, then crushed them with rocks as a craftsman crushes insects. As he ravaged the lands and violated noble women, he heard sweet singing and was drawn to Mount Raivataka. There, he saw Rama, Lord of the Yadus, adorned with a garland of lotuses, beautiful in every limb, surrounded by groups of women. Rama was singing, his eyes unsteady from drinking Varuni, his form radiant like a mighty elephant in rut. The wicked monkey climbed a tree, shaking its branches, making loud noises, and drawing attention to himself. Seeing the monkey’s insolence, the playful young women, fond of laughter and companions of Balarama, burst into laughter. Dvivida mocked them by throwing clods of earth and other things from the front, displaying his backside to them, all while being watched by Rama. Enraged, Balarama—the foremost of those who strike—hurled a rock at him, but the monkey, deceiving the rock, seized the wine jar. Taking hold of it, the cunning monkey mocked Balarama, provoking him with laughter; wickedly breaking the jar, he scattered Balarama’s garments. Thus unfolded the divine exploits of Krishna and Rama, filled with wonder and power, and those who hear these tales with devotion are freed from all sins.