At the end of Naraka, when the mighty Lord of all had departed, the river Vaitaraṇī—difficult to cross for some, easy for others—arose before men. As their sins were destroyed, all those souls found freedom from the torments of Naraka. Together, they ascended by the thousands into the sky, boarding celestial chariots that appeared on all sides. Thus, O sage, the entire realm of hell became empty. At that moment, the messengers of Death and the warriors of Krishna encountered each other. The attendants warned, “O hero, do not bring your chariot along this path.” For there remained those sinful men whom Yama had condemned, souls not to be released even after millions of years. Hearing these words, compassion overwhelmed the hero, who declared, “I am the giver of heaven to all, and the one who prevents entry into Yama's realm.” Hearing this declaration, the messengers hurried to Yama. Yama, filled with anger, addressed his attendants: “Go there and stop him; seize him and bring him here.” Thus commanded, the attendant named Narantaka advanced. When he was not stopped, Narantaka stood his ground, enraged. A fierce battle erupted. Even Baladeva was struck by a rain of arrows in the fray. But, taking up their divine bows, the warriors struck down Yama’s attendants. In the clash, Narantaka too was overpowered by the strength of the mighty. As the heroic Narantaka fell among Yama’s forces, terror seized the messengers, for Rama and Krishna had routed them. Then Yama himself, burning with rage, advanced, surrounded on all sides by his attendants. The tumult of drums, trumpets, and cowhorns filled the air. The gods, Vidyadharas, and Siddhas watched in awe as the mighty Yama pressed forward. The attendants, though not urged on by Citragupta, engaged in battle. Both sides struck fiercely, and Keśava too was drawn into the fight. Tearing through thousands of attendants, the invincible hero moved about the battlefield, protected by Kāmadeva. Citragupta, seeing his foremost attendant torn apart in battle, cried out in distress. With five arrows, he struck down Kṛṣṇamāyānta, and with eight more, he wounded his face. Then Kṛtānta, taking up his own chariot, departed the field, while Citragupta, wounded by arrows, fell unconscious. The chiefs were broken, their divisions shattered. When word spread that Citragupta was defeated, the battle’s end seemed near. At that moment, as at the end of the age when the blazing submarine fire rises to destroy all beings, so too did the fight threaten utter annihilation. Kāla, the personification of Time, seized his dreadful staff and hurled it, while the gods looked on and Acyuta was present. The gods, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, and great sages were filled with wonder at the sight of Rāma’s might. As Kāla prepared to unleash the staff of Time for destruction, Krishna swiftly intervened amidst the chaos, restraining him. The Creator himself spoke to Kāla, the wielder of the weapon of Time, and forbade him to release it. “You are borne upon the head, O god; in this world, there is none your equal. Who but you, Rāma, can burn up the universe? Even Viṣṇu, the sole lord of the universe, is protected by you. Therefore, we are all overcome by Viṣṇu, who rests in your embrace.” Then the Four-faced One, Brahmā, praised by the gods, spoke: “You are the one who comes as Viṣṇu, the sole lord of the universe. It was by you, O Lord, that Yama was once established in his station.