Āhlāda, his eyes blazing red with anger, seized his foe by the hair, yet a strange joy filled him as he did so. Word of this tumult reached King Parimala, who arrived swiftly with his queen. In anguish, the king cried out, “O wicked one, great sinner, you have killed my kinsman!” Grief-stricken, he could only sigh deeply and remain silent, his heart heavy. At that moment, the valiant hero Balakhāni appeared on the scene. He began preparations for the marriage of his brother’s son, setting into motion a grand celebration. Soon, Tāraka arrived as well, bringing with him a thousand courageous warriors, their presence lending strength to the gathering. Not long after, Tālana came, commanding an army that numbered a hundred thousand strong. Tālana, blessed with the strength of three hundred thousand, attained the bliss of Brahman itself. Yet amidst these events, a cry of sorrow rang out: “Alas, my friend! Where have you gone, leaving me behind, the lowest of men?” Balakhāni, powerful and surrounded by his own hundred-thousand-strong army, stood firm. In a single day and night, he traversed a journey that would normally take a month, arranging his forces with great skill. In the battle formation, one chariot stood at the front, with elephants positioned behind it. Following them, ten companies of infantry were arrayed in order. The army boasted one chariot, all the elephants, and a hundred and fifty horses. Fifty thousand foot soldiers were counted among Balakhāni’s ranks. Ten thousand elephants, intoxicated and wild, advanced separately. Meanwhile, the mlecchas, followers of the Pisacha way and loyal to King Abhinandana, gathered their own might. One hundred thousand foot soldiers, armed with clubs and maces and mounted on elephants, marched to the place where Āhlāda’s great army was stationed. Between the two armies, a fierce and tumultuous battle erupted, so intense it made one’s hair stand on end. This war, known as Samara-shali, raged for seven days and nights. In the end, all one hundred thousand of the enemy were slain by Balakhāni’s soldiers. Filled with delight, Balakhāni proclaimed words of victory at the fortress. Witnessing the destruction of their army, the king’s seven sons—Mahananda, Nanda, Parananda, Upananda, and Kau—heroes of the Tomara lineage, mounted their elephants and, seized by fear, approached Balakhāni. With remarkable speed, the mighty one who dwelt upon the pigeon rushed forward. Tāraka advanced toward Sunanda, while Sūryavarmā confronted Upananda. All fought fiercely, each determined to destroy the other. In the end, those powerful sons of Bāhlīka were defeated. Seeing the dreadful army, King Abhinandana explained to the king the reasons for their defeat, as they had unfolded. Kutuka, hearing this, comforted the king and bewildered the opposing army, rendering them insensible as stone. Then Kesariṇī, through her enchanting dance, bound eight mighty warriors. Bāhlīka, with a tranquil mind, secured them with strong shackles. By the boon of the goddess, Devasiṃha, who was overcome by fear, was spared. Svarṇavatī, the goddess skilled in all knowledge, understood all that had transpired. In that place, she saw the couple, Makaranda and his wife, residing peacefully in their house. At this moment, Kṛṣṇāṃśa, distressed, spoke to Makaranda, lamenting that the destruction of a family is a great sin, as declared by the wise of old. Hearing these words, Makaranda’s brother-in-law, accompanied by a host of heroes, quickly mounted his horse with Kṛṣṇāṃśa and set out for Bāhlīka, ready to face the next chapter in this saga.