After the great events surrounding the Parijata tree, Krishna, the best of the Yadus, addressed Shakra, the lord of heaven, saying, “When I ascend to heaven, O Shakra, you may take the Parijata as you wish.” Having spoken thus, Krishna magnanimously returned the thunderbolt to Mahadeva. Shakra, the wielder of the thunderbolt, accepted this with a bow to Govinda and departed for his own divine city, encircled by the hosts of gods. Krishna, with his beloved queen Satyabhama, mounted Garuda, and as they were praised by the sages, they entered the splendid city of Dvaraka. There, Krishna placed the divine Parijata tree near Satyabhama, delighting her and all his wives. During the nights, the glorious Madhusudana, who can assume all forms, dwelled in the houses of each of his wives, bringing happiness to all. Thus concludes, in the glorious Padma Mahapurana, in the Uttarakanda, the two hundred and fifty-first chapter, named 'The Account of the Marriage of Shri Vasudeva,' as narrated in the dialogue of Uma and Maheshvara. Later, Paundraka Vasudeva, the king of Kashi, performed intense austerities at Varanasi. For twelve years, he worshipped Mahesha in seclusion, fasting and reciting the five-syllable mantra. In his devotion, he even offered a lotus plucked from his own eye to Shankara. Pleased by these austere offerings, Shulapani, the Lord of Uma, appeared and said, “Choose a boon.” Paundraka replied, “O gracious Shiva, Lord of all beings, five-faced one, grant me a form equal to Vasudeva.” Shiva granted his wish, bestowing upon him a form with four arms holding a conch, discus, mace, and lotus, eyes like lotus petals, a crown like Vasudeva’s, beautiful locks, yellow garments, the Kaustubha jewel, and all other divine marks. Thus adorned, Paundraka began to proclaim, “I am Vasudeva,” deluding the worlds. One day, Narada approached the mighty king of Kashi in heaven and said, “Without defeating the son of Vasudeva, one cannot truly attain the status of Vasudeva.” Spurred by these words, Paundraka mounted a chariot adorned with Garuda banners, assumed a formidable form, and, with a great army, marched on Dvaraka. Arriving at the city gate in a golden chariot, he sent a messenger to Krishna, declaring, “I have come for battle; unless you defeat me, you cannot claim the status of Vasudeva.” Hearing this challenge, Krishna mounted Garuda and went out to the gate. There he saw Paundraka, resplendent in his false form, holding the divine emblems. Krishna took up his mighty Sharnga bow and, with arrows blazing like the fire of destruction, burned up Paundraka’s entire army in a moment. Then, playfully, he severed the conch, discus, mace, and other weapons from Paundraka’s hands with a single arrow. With the pure Sudarshana discus, Krishna cut off Paundraka’s lotus-like head, crowned and adorned with earrings, and cast it down in the city of Varanasi. All the inhabitants of Kashi were astonished and terrified by this wonder. Paundraka’s son, Dandapani, upon hearing of his father’s death at Krishna’s hands, was urged by his mother and fated by destiny. Instructed by his family priest, he performed a great Shaiva sacrifice to Shankara, seeking vengeance. Shiva, pleased and affectionate, granted Dandapani a powerful Maheśvari Kritya—a magical being for the purpose of destroying Krishna. This terrifying being, enveloped in flames, with blazing hair, tawny eyes, a gaping fiery mouth, holding a trident, smeared with ashes, adorned with a garland of human heads, and terrifying to all the gods, was sent forth with Dandapani’s sons, wives, and relatives to destroy Krishna. The Kritya, burning with her own radiance and roaring with the sound of dissolution, reached Dvaraka, bringing terror to all worlds. The people, thinking the time of great destruction had come, cried out in distress and reported to Krishna. Krishna reassured them, telling them not to fear. He saw the terrible Kritya at the city gate and immediately released the thousand-spoked Sudarshana discus, capable of repelling all weapons and missiles. Seeing the mighty Sudarshana—brilliant as millions of suns at the end of the age, a hundred yojanas high, filled with blazing weapons, golden, radiant, worshipped by all gods, the refuge of the universe—the Kritya lost her power, was seized by fear, and fled back toward Varanasi, crying out in terror. Sudarshana pursued her relentlessly. She entered the inner palace of the king of Kashi, but Sudarshana reached the city, reducing Maheśvari’s city—with all its palaces, mansions, the king Dandapani, his servants, army, and vehicles—to ashes. Then, worshipped by all the gods and sages, the discus returned once more to Krishna’s gentle hand in Dvaraka, as if returning to the world-tree itself. Thus, the force of sorcery was destroyed, leaving only ashes. The city of Varanasi, abundant with chariots, elephants, horses, men and women, treasures and storerooms, and difficult even for the gods to behold, was completely burned by Hari’s discus, which marked all its gates, houses, walls, and courtyards. Having accomplished the impossible, the blazing discus returned to the hand of Vishnu. Thus concludes, in the Padma Mahapurana, Uttarakanda, the account of Krishna and the destruction of Paundraka’s son’s sorcery. After these events, the king of Magadha, filled with hatred after the death of Kamsa, continually oppressed the Yadavas. Distressed, the Yadavas spoke to Krishna. Krishna summoned Bhima and Arjuna and consulted with them, saying, “Rudra has been worshipped by the king of Magadha, and by that grace, he is invulnerable to weapons. By what means can he be slain?” After deliberation, Bhima suggested, “Engage him in a wrestling match; he has pledged to do so.” Thus, Vasudeva, worshipped by all beings, together with Bhima and Arjuna, went to Jarasandha’s city. Disguised as Brahmins, they entered his inner chambers. Jarasandha, having defeated many mighty Kshatriyas in battle, had captured them and imprisoned them in his palace. Each month, on Krishna Chaturdashi, he would kill one and offer their blood as a sacrifice to Bhairava.