Jalandhara, swelling with pride after his conquests, boasted before his followers: “I have subdued all, even Ishana with his attendants and Nandi, in but an instant. Now, I alone shall become you, Brahma, and Vishnu as well. I will grant you, O foremost among Danavas, the position of Indra.” Hearing these words, the Danavas—lowly yet emboldened—roared fiercely, their hearts wicked and eager for battle, even though they marched toward death. With their ranks of Daityas and others, mounted on chariots, elephants, and horses, and fully armed, they assembled for war and advanced against Sharva. Bhava, seeing the mighty Daitya king standing tall as the peak of Mount Meru, and hearing of Jalandhara’s invulnerability and his destruction of the eyes of Bhaga and Netra, remained steadfast, upholding Brahma’s command as the protector of the worlds. At that moment, Samba, with Sanandi and their attendants, spoke with a hint of laughter: “Lord of Asuras, what is the use of this battle now?” Jalandhara, his body already pierced by arrows and ready to embrace death with joy, heard these words, which pained him like a tearing in the ears. The Lord of the Asura army then addressed the Lord of the gods: “Enough of words, mighty-armed one! O God of gods, bearer of the bull-banner, let us fight!” Having come to do battle, Jalandhara’s weapons shone like moonbeams. Hearing his challenge, the wielder of the trident, Hara himself, touched the great ocean with his big toe and playfully fashioned from its waters a terrible, dazzling discus weapon. Creating this white discus, the Blessed Lord recalled how with such a weapon he had destroyed the three worlds, the gods, Daksha, Andhaka, the triple city, and sacrificial rites—he who is the ender of all things. Laughing, he addressed his foe: “O Jalandhara, if you are truly strong, stand and fight! For this discus, created by my foot in the great ocean, is to be lifted—if you are able. Otherwise, do not attempt it.” Hearing these words, Jalandhara’s eyes blazed with anger as if he could burn the three worlds with his gaze. He declared, “Raising my mace, I will slay Nandi and you, O Shankara, and, having destroyed the worlds and the gods, I will strike the Dundubha drums as Garuda once did. I am capable of destroying all that moves and does not move, along with Indra and his followers. Who, O Maheshvara, in the three worlds is invulnerable to my arrows?” He continued, “Even in childhood, the Blessed Lord was conquered by austerity; Brahma, mighty in his youth, was subdued by sages and the foremost of gods. In a moment, the entire three worlds, with all that moves and does not move, were burned by austerity. Why, Rudra, have you not been conquered, even though you are the Blessed Lord? Indra, Agni, Yama, Kubera, Vayu, Varuna, and others could not endure, just as serpents cannot bear the scent of Garuda.” “Not finding my arms, O Shankara, either in heaven or on earth, I rubbed them against all the mountains, O Lord of the Ganas. The illustrious king of mountains, Mandara, the beautiful Nila, and Meru, were all rubbed by my arm-staff, merely to relieve an itch. The Ganga was blocked by my arms for sport on Mount Himavat; for my female servants, the thunderbolt of the gods was bound. The mouth of the submarine fire was broken and seized by my hand, and in that very instant, all this became a single ocean. Elephants like Airavata were hurled onto the ocean’s waters, and even Lord Indra, with his chariot, was thrown a hundred yojanas. Even Garuda was bound by me with the serpent noose, O Vishnu, and noble women like Urvashi were led by me into another prison. Indra regained only one wife, Shaci, after bowing to me. Do you not know me, O Lord of Daityas? I am Jalandhara, O Consort of Uma.” Thus addressed, the great god created a chariot, agitated by a mere fraction of the fire from his eye. With Daitya horses and elephants of unmatched strength, and surrounded by serpents, the lord of the Daityas, seeing the enemy of Tripura before him, spoke to the Lord of Devas—though his understanding was little: “What need have I to fight with the hosts of gods and demons? I can destroy all this in a moment. Therefore, I have no fear here in battle, O Lord; yet, the desire to fight is very great—there is no doubt.” He challenged further: “Therefore, you, enemy of Madana, Daksha, and the sacrificer, foe of Tripura—if you have strength to fight me and my heroes, the lords of spirits, Hari, and the hosts of gods, then stand firm!” Having spoken thus to Mahadeva, the son of Mahadeva’s enemy did not move, nor did he remember his kin fallen in battle. Arrogant and undisciplined in mind, he struck his arms together in his weakness and, seizing the discus called Sudarshana, prepared to kill. But with great difficulty, O best of the twice-born, he was struck by the irresistible chariot wheel and was made to stand upon his shoulders, being split in two by its force. Just as a mighty mountain is cleft by a thunderbolt, so the powerful Daitya fell, like another Mount Anjana. In a moment, the ground was filled with his fierce blood, and by Rudra’s command, all that blood and flesh became mere meat. A great and terrible pool of blood appeared, and seeing Jalandhara slain, the hosts of gods and Gandharvas rejoiced. They uttered a great lion’s roar, exclaiming, “Well done, O god!” Whoever recites or hears the destruction of Jalandhara, or causes it to be properly recited, attains the favor of Ganapati. At this, a sage inquired: “How did Vishnu obtain the discus called Sudarshana from the god of gods, Maheshvara? O Suta, you ought to tell this.” There arose a most terrible conflict between the gods and the lords of the Asuras, bringing destruction to all beings. The gods, struck by the weapons, maces, arrows, and spears of the Asuras, were shattered and, overwhelmed by fear, fled the field. Defeated and distressed with sorrow, the gods bowed to Hari, the lord of the gods and master of the gods of gods, seeking refuge and deliverance.