Intent on defying the world, his anger sharpened by hunger that had gnawed at him for many days, the fierce being seized a skull in his hand. With burning words, he spoke out, and then, raising his hand, he pressed his index finger upon it. In that instant, a mighty stream of blood began to flow from his finger, welling up and surging forth in a torrent. At that very moment, in the sacred realm of Vaikuntha, a river appeared—one so pure that it cleansed the three worlds. Vyasa himself proclaims that this river is renowned for destroying fever. Meanwhile, the lord of the Daityas, wild and unrestrained, fought with mocking arrogance. Seeing this, Vasudeva’s anger flared; he swiftly seized his discus, preparing for battle. The Daitya king, his resolve shattered, his faults exposed, and his body wounded and covered in sores, grew terrified and drew near. In the ensuing battle, Vasudeva cut off the thousand arms of the mighty Daitya king. As the Daitya stood motionless, Vyasa narrates, Maheshvara—Shiva himself—arrived at the scene. There, the two great powers came together and engaged in a fierce and terrible conflict. Krishna, determined to destroy Hara, readied the Vaishnava weapon, while Shambhu—Shiva—prepared his own, intent on taking Krishna’s life. Krishna unleashed a stupefying missile upon Shiva, who, standing firm on the battlefield, began to yawn repeatedly for a short while. Overwhelmed by anger, Maheshvara then created a fever—a dreadful being with three eyes, three heads, short in stature, three-legged, and terrifying in form. Urged on by Mahadeva, this fever attacked Krishna’s army, breaking their ranks and sending even the foremost warriors fleeing in terror. Seeing his followers afflicted—yawning, tormented, and in great pain—Krishna’s own fury was kindled. He created the Vaishnava fever, a being of even greater dread. A terrible and cataclysmic battle arose between the two fevers, raging across all the worlds, yet bringing peace to none. At last, both fevers plunged into the sacred Shipra river, where they attained supreme peace. The Vaishnava fever, too, performed immersion there, and from that time onward, the river became an instant destroyer of all fevers. Those who immerse themselves in the Shipra with a focused mind are freed from ailments. This, Vyasa declares, was truly spoken by Brahma, Hari, and Hara. Those who listen to this divine story with concentrated mind are blessed. So ends the forty-ninth chapter, “The Favor to Fever,” in the section on the glory of Shipra, within the Avanti region, in the fifth book of the great Skanda Purana. Now, Vyasa, listen as I briefly recount another tale. In ancient times, during the Kṛta age, there lived a king named Damanona. He strayed from all paths of righteousness, reviled cows and brāhmaṇas, seized the wealth of his subjects, and violated the wives of others. He captured cows, broke into cities, imprisoned people, and took pleasure in the company of prisoners. He abandoned the virtuous, consorted with the wicked, and delighted in evil deeds. He constantly disparaged dharma, and his mind found joy only in unrighteousness.