Having vanquished the envious Paundraka and his ally, the Supreme Lord Hari returned to Dvaraka. As He entered the city, the perfected beings sang nectar-like tales of His glories, their voices filling the air with divine praise. Meanwhile, Paundraka, who had constantly meditated upon the Blessed Lord and, freed from all bonds, had assumed a form resembling Hari, became wholly absorbed in Him at the time of his death. At the gates of Kashi, the royal city, people discovered a severed head adorned with earrings. They gathered around, marveling and questioning among themselves, “What is this? Whose face could this be?” Soon, recognizing the features, the king’s queens, sons, relatives, and citizens were struck with grief and despair. “Alas, the king is slain! Our protector is gone!” they wailed, mourning the fall of their beloved ruler, the king of Kashi. Sudakshina, the king’s son, performed the funeral rites for his departed father. Overwhelmed by sorrow and a burning desire for vengeance, he resolved, “I will destroy my father’s killer and thus honor my father.” With this determination, Sudakshina, accompanied by his priest, began to worship Maheshvara—Lord Shiva—with supreme concentration and devotion. Pleased by Sudakshina’s worship in the sacred city of Avimukta, Maheshvara appeared and offered him a boon. Sudakshina chose the means to slay his father’s killer. The Lord instructed him: “Worship the southern fire, together 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 prescribed sorcery rite against Krishna, strictly observing the necessary vows. From the fire-pit arose a terrifying embodied fire, a monstrous being with blazing copper-red hair and beard, eyes streaming flames, fierce fangs, a dreadful brow, and a harsh mouth. Naked, shaking a blazing trident, licking its lips with its own tongue, and making a rattling sound, it appeared as a fearsome form. Its feet, as large as palm trees, shook the earth as it advanced, surrounded by spirits, burning all directions as it made its way toward Dvaraka. When the inhabitants of Dvaraka saw this sorcerous fire approaching, terror seized them—they felt like deer trapped in a forest fire. In their fear, they rushed to Bhagavan Krishna, who was playing dice in the assembly hall, and cried out, “Save us, O Lord of the three worlds, from the fire burning the city!” Hearing their distress and seeing His people afraid, the refuge of all beings smiled gently and reassured them, “Do not fear; I am your protector.” The all-pervading Lord, witness within and without all, at once recognized the sorcerous act of Maheshvara and, to thwart it, ordered His discus—Sudarshana—which stood at His side. The Sudarshana discus, blazing like ten million suns and shining with the radiance of the fire at the time of cosmic dissolution, illuminated the sky, the directions, and the earth by its own brilliance. The weapon of Mukunda subdued the fiery being conjured by the ritual. Struck down by the power of the discus-wielder’s weapon, the fiery spirit was broken and turned back, its face defeated. Entering Varanasi, it consumed Sudakshina and his priests—the very abhicara, or sorcery, they had performed turned upon themselves. Then, the Sudarshana discus of Vishnu entered Varanasi, burning its palaces, assembly halls, and markets—crowded with gates, towers, granaries, treasuries, elephants, horses, chariots, and stores of grain. Having reduced all of Varanasi to ashes, the Sudarshana discus returned to Krishna, the doer of flawless deeds, and stood once more by His side. Whoever, with focused mind, recites or hears this account of the praiseworthy Lord’s exploits is freed from all sins. At this point, King Parikshit spoke: “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 certain monkey named Dvivida, a friend of Naraka, a counselor of Sugriva, and the valiant brother of Mainda. Seeking to avenge his slain friend, Dvivida brought ruin to the land—he set fire to cities, villages, settlements, and cowherds’ hamlets. Sometimes, uprooting mountains, he crushed entire regions with them, especially in Anarta, where Hari, the slayer of his friend, resided. At times, standing in the middle of the ocean, Dvivida would lift up its waters with his arms and submerge the 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. Thus, as he ravaged the lands and violated noble women, Dvivida heard sweet singing and made his way to Mount Raivataka. There he saw Rama—Balarama—the 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 young women, playful by nature and fond of laughter, who were companions of Balarama, burst into laughter. The monkey 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 the garments of Balarama. Overpowering Balarama, intoxicated with pride, Dvivida acted with great insolence. Seeing his disrespect and the regions disturbed by him, Balarama grew angry. He took up his club and plough, desiring to kill his foe, but Dvivida, of immense might, raised a giant tree with his hand. Rushing swiftly, he struck Balarama on the head with it; but Sankarshana stood unmoved, like a mountain struck from above. The powerful Balarama caught the tree and struck Dvivida with his club; his skull shattered by the blow, and blood streamed forth. Thus ended the wicked monkey’s rampage, and the Lord’s glory shone ever brighter in the world.