In the midst of a fierce battle, Devasiṃha struck his own arrow against Tama, who sat upon his lap. Yet, by the power of the stone horse, Devasiṃha remained free from confusion, his mind steady amidst the chaos. Suddenly, Shani released an arrow that rendered all the warriors unconscious on the battlefield, leaving only the mighty Makaranda, who bound those who were arrogant in battle. Witnessing the defeat of these heroes, Rūpaṇa was seized by fear. News of this reached Brahmananda, who, along with his vast army of a hundred thousand soldiers, responded swiftly. He composed a spotless letter and delivered it to the king, requesting that the king’s daughter, Pushpavati, be given in marriage to Krishnaamsha. Upon hearing this demand, the illustrious king Mayuradhvaja engaged Brahmananda in a terrifying battle that raged for a day and a night. Brahmananda, mighty in his resolve, fought fiercely with arrows. At that time, Jayanta, the son of Svarnavati and born of Shakra, was present. Sūta then narrates that King Parimala, powerful and wise, performed an auspicious rite together with Pushpavati, who was skilled in song and dance. In the cold of winter, the heroic king engaged in secret sport, neglecting worldly duties, for he was skilled in all forms of contact. The portion of Krishna spoke, asking, “Who were you in your previous birth?” Pushpavati replied, “O beloved, in my previous birth I was a king named Chandradāsa. Each day, I worshipped the Shalagrama stone. When the day of my death arrived, my mind was fixed upon Shalagrama. Vishnu, the Lord of all and embodiment of time, was invoked by Kali.” Krishna explained, “Whenever there is a decline of righteousness, O beloved, in the Satya Yuga, mental worship brings satisfaction to the gods. In the Dvapara Yuga, image worship is most pleasing. I am the Swan in the Satya Yuga, the Person of Sacrifice in Treta; when Kali arrives, I am Shalagrama for the satisfaction of the gods. O beloved, all sages, deities, and hosts of ancestors are to be worshipped by the twice-born and the three castes with sandal and other offerings. Even foreigners, seeing Shalagrama with humility and devotion, gain merit, and by merely seeing it, their impurities are destroyed. Thus, O goddess, the supreme code of conduct for the ages has been told to you.” Pushpavati then spoke, “I performed singing, dancing, and playing of instruments before the deity. By the power of that merit, I attained the heavenly world. Even in heaven, I did not abandon celibacy; Aniruddha himself, who is Brahman, took my hand. The Lord, my master, was invoked by Kali for my sake. There, indeed, the greatness of his own favor was displayed by him. By his command, O lord, I became the daughter of Jambuka. My death was caused by your brother, Balakhanin. Because of that fault, your brother underwent severe torment.” Having spoken thus, she became silent and rejoiced together with her husband. When the time of Holika arrived, Malana, distressed by affection and sorrow, wept at night in her grief, overwhelmed by love for her daughter. The great hero, understanding the reason for her weeping, set out alone, valiant and determined, to the house of Candravali. The king, who was his enemy, learned the true reason and heard of the village called Balithatha, which was protected by the Yadavas. There, King Virasena was present, accompanied by an army of three hundred thousand warriors.