In the assembly, Śiśupāla spoke many harsh words, accusing Kṛṣṇa and challenging his divinity. Kṛṣṇa, ever serene yet resolute, responded by wielding his Sudarśana discus and severing Śiśupāla’s head. Thus, at the end of his third birth, Śiśupāla attained a likeness to Hari, fulfilling the destiny that had long awaited him. Word soon spread of Śiśupāla’s death, reaching Dantavaktra, who, angered and eager for battle, came to Mathurā to confront Kṛṣṇa. Hearing of Dantavaktra’s arrival, Kṛṣṇa mounted his chariot and went to Mathurā. At the city gate, on the banks of the Yamunā, a fierce battle raged between Dantavaktra and Vāsudeva for a day and night. In the end, Kṛṣṇa struck Dantavaktra down with his mace; the mighty warrior, his limbs crushed and pierced as if struck by a thunderbolt, fell lifeless to the earth, like a great mountain toppled. He, too, attained union with Hari—the supreme, eternal abode of bliss, accessible to yogis. Thus, Jaya and Vijaya, by the pretext of Sanaka and the other sages' curse, descended into worldly existence for the Lord’s play. In three births, they were slain by him, and at the end of these births, they attained liberation. Kṛṣṇa, having slain Dantavaktra, crossed the Yamunā and went to Nandavraja. There, he greeted and comforted his former parents, who embraced him with tearful voices. He bowed to all the elder cowherds, offering comfort, and satisfied those present with jewels, ornaments, and other gifts. On the beautiful bank of the Kālindī, surrounded by sacred trees, Keśava played day and night with the cowherd women. Hari, dressed as a cowherd, dwelled there for two months, immersed in the joy of delightful play and bound by the nectar of love. Then, by Vāsudeva’s grace, all those present—Nanda, the cowherds, their families, cattle, birds, and animals—took on divine forms, ascended celestial vehicles, and attained the supreme Vaikuṇṭha world. Kṛṣṇa, having granted the supreme, flawless abode to all the inhabitants of Nandavraja, entered the splendid city of Dvāravatī, praised in heaven by hosts of gods. There, Vasudeva, Ugrasena, Saṃkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Akrūra, and others honored him daily. With sixteen thousand wives and eight divine queens, bearing the form of the universe and adorned with celestial jewels, he delighted them in various houses, on beds decorated with flowers. One day, a brāhmaṇa, childhood friend of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, afflicted by poverty and wearing garments obtained by begging for handfuls of rice, came to Dvārakā to see Vāsudeva. He stood silently for a moment at the entrance to Rukmini’s inner chambers. Kṛṣṇa, knowing of his arrival, greeted him with Pradyumna, took his left hand, seated him comfortably in another room, and, as the brāhmaṇa trembled with fear, washed his feet with water from a golden pitcher brought by Rukmini, honoring him with the traditional offering. After satisfying him with food and drink like nectar and ambrosia, Kṛṣṇa himself took the parched rice that the brāhmaṇa had received by begging and kept in his old garment, and, smiling, ate it. At that very moment, the brāhmaṇa attained great wealth, grain, garments, and ornaments. Yet, when dismissed by Kṛṣṇa, the brāhmaṇa thought, 'Kṛṣṇa did not give me any garment or wealth,' and returned to his own city. There, he saw his house filled with abundant wealth and grain, and said, 'This has been obtained by his grace.' Delighted at heart, he enjoyed all desires with his wife, adorned with divine garments and ornaments, performed many sacrifices to please Hari, and by that grace attained supreme and eternal heavenly happiness. Meanwhile, Duryodhana, son of Dhritarashtra, deprived the sons of Pandu of their kingdom by the deceit of a rigged dice game and exiled them from his own realm. Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, together with their noble wife Draupadi, went to the great forest, remaining there for twelve years, and for one year lived in disguise in the palace of King Virata of Matsya. With Vasudeva as their ally, they set out to battle the sons of Dhritarashtra. Between the sons of Dhritarashtra and the sons of Pandu, with kings from many lands, a great and terrible battle erupted at holy Kurukshetra, frightening even to the gods. Sri Krishna, serving as Arjuna’s charioteer, infused Arjuna with his own power, and together they slew all the kings led by Duryodhana, Bhishma, and Drona, along with their eleven divisions of troops. Having established the Pandavas in the kingdom and removed the entire burden of the earth, Krishna returned to his own city. After some time, a Vedic Brahmin brought his five-year-old dead son to the king’s gate, lamenting greatly and reproaching Krishna. Krishna, hearing his reproaches, remained silent. The Brahmin declared, 'My five sons were previously killed; this is the sixth. If Krishna does not bring him back to life, I will die at the king’s gate.' At that moment, Arjuna came to see Krishna and saw the Brahmin grieving. Filled with compassion, Arjuna promised the Brahmin, 'I will bring your son back to life.' The Brahmin, reassured, became joyful. Arjuna invoked many life-restoring weapons over the child, but life could not be restored. Having failed in his vow and filled with sorrow, Arjuna wished to give up his own life. Krishna, knowing all this, came out, comforted the Brahmin, saying, 'I will give you all your sons,' and, after reassuring him, mounted Garuda together with Arjuna and went to the Vaishnava world. There, they saw Nārāyaṇa seated with the goddess in a divine jeweled pavilion. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna bowed down to him. Nārāyaṇa embraced them both and asked, 'For what purpose have you come?' Kṛṣṇa replied, 'Lord, give me the sons of the Vedic brāhmaṇa.' Nārāyaṇa gave Kṛṣṇa the brāhmaṇa’s sons, who were of the same age as before. Filled with joy, Kṛṣṇa placed them on Garuḍa's shoulder, and together with Arjuna, mounted Garuda. Praised by the hosts of gods, they entered Dvārakā. Kṛṣṇa gave the six sons, who were five years old, to the brāhmaṇa. Overwhelmed with great joy, the brāhmaṇa blessed Kṛṣṇa, saying, 'May you prosper.