As the fierce battle with Śālva drew to its close, the seventy-sixth chapter of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa concluded, marking the end of a momentous conflict. The story then continued, as Śrī Śuka narrated: After purifying himself by touching water, Krishna, bow in hand, addressed his charioteer, saying, “Take me to the side of Dyumān, the hero.” Rukmiṇī’s son, smiling, then struck down Dyumān—who was attacking the Yadu troops—with eight iron arrows. Four arrows pierced Dyumān’s four horses, one struck his charioteer, two shattered his bow and banner, and a final arrow struck his head. Meanwhile, Gada, Sātyaki, Sāmba, and others slew the forces of the lord of Saubha. The warriors of Saubha, their necks severed, fell into the sea. The battle between the Yadus and Śālva’s forces raged on, tumultuous and fierce, lasting for twenty-seven days and nights. At this time, Krishna, having been invited by the son of Dharma, went to Indraprastha. There, after the completion of the Rājasūya sacrifice and the slaying of Shishupala, Krishna took leave of the elders of the Kuru dynasty, the sages, and Pritha with her sons. Observing exceedingly terrible omens, he then returned to Dvaraka. Krishna announced to his companions, “I have come here, joined by noble friends; the kings allied with the Chedi are surely about to attack my city.” Witnessing the slaughter of his own people and arranging for Dvaraka’s defense, Keshava spoke to his charioteer Daruka about Saubha and King Śālva. He said, “Charioteer, bring my chariot quickly to Śālva’s presence; do not be alarmed, for this king of Saubha is a master of illusion.” Thus addressed, Daruka mounted the chariot and drove forth, and all—both friend and foe—saw Krishna, Arjuna’s younger brother, entering the battlefield. Śālva, his forces nearly destroyed, saw Krishna and hurled a spear with a terrible roar at Krishna’s charioteer. The weapon, blazing through the sky like a great meteor and illuminating the quarters, was shattered into a hundred pieces by Krishna’s arrows. Then, Krishna pierced Śālva with sixteen arrows and struck Saubha, the aerial city, with showers of arrows, as the sun showers its rays. Śālva retaliated, striking Krishna’s left arm and breaking the Sharnga bow from his hand—a wondrous sight. A great outcry arose among the beings who witnessed it, and Śālva, roaring loudly, spoke to Krishna: “Fool, because of you, our friend—my brother-in-law—was slain in the assembly, his wife abducted, while you acted recklessly. Today, with sharp arrows, I will send you—who think yourself invincible—on a path of no return, if you dare stand before me.” Krishna replied, “In vain you boast, dull-witted one; you do not see Death standing near. True heroes show their valor in deeds, not in many words.” Having spoken thus, Krishna struck Śālva on the chest with his terrible mace. Śālva trembled and vomited blood. Suddenly, Śālva repelled the mace and vanished. After a moment, a man approached Krishna, bowed, and weeping, said, “I am sent by Devaki. Krishna, Krishna, mighty-armed one, your father, who loves you dearly, has been bound and carried away by Śālva and his men, like a beast.” Hearing this grievous news, Krishna, overcome by affection, assumed a human disposition, became dejected and compassionate, and spoke as an ordinary man: “How could my father, mighty and unconcerned Rama—unconquered by gods and demons—be carried away by Śālva, a mere lesser man? Such is the power of fate.” As Krishna spoke thus, Śālva appeared, and, bringing Krishna as Vasudeva had been brought, he said, “Here is your father, the one for whom you live in this world. I will kill him before your eyes. If you are the Lord, protect him, O foolish one.” Rebuking Krishna, the deceiver drew his sword, seized Anakadundubhi’s head, and, taking it, entered the Saubha fortress in the sky. For a moment, Krishna was overcome by his natural affection, surrounded by his own people. But he soon realized this was a demonic illusion, conjured by Śālva at Maya’s instruction. Awakened on the battlefield, Krishna saw neither the messenger nor his father’s body. Like a man waking from a dream, he beheld his enemy in the sky, stationed on Saubha, ready to strike. Thus do some sages speak—yet if their words contradict themselves, surely they do not truly remember. Where are grief and delusion, affection or fear—born of ignorance—and where is your unbroken wisdom, your undiminished knowledge and lordship? By serving his feet and gaining self-knowledge, the wise destroy the beginningless grip of self-delusion. They attain their own infinite lordship—how could confusion touch one who has reached the Supreme? As Śālva attacked with a multitude of weapons, the mighty Krishna, whose valor never fails, struck him with arrows, shattered his armor, bow, and crown, and smashed the Saubha fortress with his mace. Struck by Krishna’s mace, the Saubha fortress was crushed and fell into the water in a thousand pieces. Abandoning it, Śālva took up his mace, stood on the ground, and rushed at Krishna. As Śālva charged, Krishna severed his arm with a razor-sharp arrow, then took up his wondrous discus, blazing like the sun at the end of time, to slay Śālva, who shone like the sun rising from the eastern mountain. With that discus, Hari struck off the head of the master of illusions, adorned with earrings and crown, just as Indra slew Vritra with his thunderbolt. Cries of “Alas!” arose among men. When that wicked one fell and Saubha was destroyed by the mace, celestial drums resounded in the sky, played by the hosts of gods. Dantavakra, in anger, came forward to avenge his friend. Thus ended the seventy-seventh chapter, “The Slaying of Śālva,” in the sacred Bhagavata Purana. The narrative continued with the killing of Dantavakra and Viduratha, and the beheading of Suta by Balarama. Śuka said: Even after Shishupala, Śālva, Paundraka, and others departed this world, Krishna met their wickedness with transcendental friendship.