By the grace of providence, a king was blessed with a queen named Shubhana. In due course, Shubhana bore him ten sons, and after them, a daughter was born, whom they named Madanamanjari. When the time came to seek a worthy match for Madanamanjari, Devasiṃha—a noble scion of the illustrious lunar dynasty—was chosen as her husband. To them was born a son, Ranadhira, a strong and valorous youth who possessed great wealth, counted in lakhs of coins. In reverence, Ranadhira bowed before King Parimala, renowned in his lineage. When King Parimala heard of these events, wise as he was, he summoned Devasiṃha to his court. Devasiṃha, though powerful, was humble in spirit, and he addressed his paternal uncle with due respect. All those assembled, including the twice-born, earnestly requested Devasiṃha in many ways, seeking his agreement. Then King Parimala spoke steadfastly to Ranadhira, who, accepting the king’s words, returned to his home. But as events unfolded, a cunning king approached and addressed Ranadhira, warning, “O King, this suitor is of Shudra origin; such an alliance will sow confusion among the castes. Bind him in an iron prison, O lord of the earth.” This intrigue led to conflict: Jambuka the king was defeated, as was Netrasiṃha, another ruler; Āryasiṃha and other mighty ones were also overcome. On the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Māgha, the mighty one launched an attack on Balakhāni. The battle raged in the beautiful land of Pāñcālaka, within the city of Laharī. At the king’s command, heroes gathered for war, and he dispatched his own warriors once more to the battlefield. A fierce and terrifying battle erupted between the two armies. Aided by a divine portion of Krishna, Ranadhira slew his enemies. Though the valiant were defeated and only a few survived, those survivors, skilled in archery, advanced again to fight, undaunted. Seeing the warriors battered by a torrent of arrows, the portion of Krishna looked upon them. He cut down their bows and bound those who were proud in battle. When Laharā, the best of kings, heard that his sons had been captured, he was deeply troubled. As his army was surrounded by water, Jayanta, being the stronger, led Laharā’s forces across many yojanas. At that moment, the blessed god Varuṇa, lord of the waters, was invoked. Laharā, with a tranquil mind, recognized the divine portion present on earth. In gratitude and humility, Laharā bestowed abundant wealth in many forms, circumambulating repeatedly in reverence. Those divine portions, having received such great worship from Laharā, were duly honored. Thus, O Brahmin, have you heard of the auspicious deeds performed by Krishna’s portion. Now, O foremost of Brahmins, the people turned to you, seeking the truth, for they regarded you as all-knowing. Messengers went forth and reported all that had transpired, recounting the events that led to the great battle. Upon hearing that his troop of horses had been destroyed, King Parimala commanded, “You, endowed with strength, must go to the land of Sindhu.” Obediently, Krishna’s portion, accompanied by Devasimha and ten thousand brave warriors, assembled and set out. When dawn broke, the daughter of the garland-maker appeared. Krishna’s portion, with joy in his heart, performed worship to the deity. The place was wondrous, filled with flowers and alive with the hum of intoxicated bees. At that moment, Pushpa arrived to gather flowers, her face serene and radiant, shining with the luster of an Indra-nila gem.