The king, having summoned the lord of the land, spoke with earnestness: “There was a Gandharva named Sukala, and my daughter bears the name Śubhānana. On the night of the full moon, Sukala, who delights in the company of Citraratha, arrives. O best of kings, you must proceed to the threshold and slay him.” Upon hearing these words, the lord of the land gathered a vast force of a hundred thousand soldiers. In the month of Vaiśākha, during a pleasant time of birth, Sukala—renowned for his valor—appeared. Outside the city, heroes intoxicated with pride had been born. The lord of the land, filled with fear, meditated upon Śivā, the all-pervading goddess. He awakened those of the Kṛṣṇa lineage and joined forces with them. With great power, he launched an attack upon the foremost Gandharva with his troops. The Gandharvas, being many, engaged in battle with them. At that moment, all those present, overcome by fear, sought refuge in the lineage of Rāma. The lord praised Śivā with the hymn of the day, and then the goddess herself appeared. When the Gandharva was defeated, the Kṛṣṇa lineage, enchanting the people, rejoiced. When the sixteenth year of the Kṛṣṇa lineage arrived, they remained devoted to the worship of the goddess. Sukala’s wife was Nāgavatī, the beautiful daughter of Takṣaka. Sukala had ten daughters, among whom his beautiful-faced daughter was named Śubhānana. He summoned the priest and sent him to the king of the earth. Hearing this, the king of the earth, now commanding three hundred thousand troops, listened attentively. At the proper time, the king’s son asked his father, “Give me the serpent ornament.” Upon hearing this request, Nagavarma came to the king of the earth. The king, thus addressed, was astonished and deeply distressed. Aware of these events, Ahlada, accompanied by fifty valiant men, prepared for action. The mares, each capable of traveling a hundred yojanas, in pairs could cover a thousand yojanas in a single day and night. These horses, born from portions of the moon and belonging to Hari himself, included the steed Gayatra, who set the wheel of time in motion, and the power called Harini, both descended to earth from the moon’s essence. Ahlada, stationed in Karala, and Bindulastha, a portion of Hari, went to the king of the earth, bowed reverently, and ascended the lofty seat. They declared, “Three of my sons, valiant men, have been married by you.” Hearing this, Ahlada journeyed to the excellent surface of the earth. He found Śubhānana’s husband, Pundarika of auspicious face, asleep. Addressing her, he said, “Pundarika is your husband.” Śubhānana replied to the hero, “Pundarika is indeed my husband.” Upon hearing this, she laughed and said, “We have no fear of your husband.” Then the king, mighty among serpents, awoke. Seeing the dazzling poison, he meditated upon all that is auspicious. Puṇḍarīka, with a serene mind, possessed the finest serpent ornaments. Āhlāda, mounted on a horse, gave ten million gold coins to the king of the earth—coins he had received from the king—and swiftly departed after taking them. The horses, skilled in the science of horsemanship, returned home. Sūta then said: For five years, the king worshipped the two excellent celestial physicians. By the boon granted by them, ten sons were born. Once more, he summoned the king of the earth, now commanding three hundred thousand troops.