As time passed, a comet lingered in the heavens, staining the sky a tawny hue along the paths of kings and gods alike. It was a sign that evil cannot truly blend with the virtuous, for the wicked, even among the good, never manifest pure excellence in their deeds. Just as the moon’s rays illuminate all they touch, so too do those of noble lineage, upholding the ancient law, rise higher when joined with powerful influences. It was said that the son of the king, born of the sun and Varuna, overcame those bound by the three faults. In the Kauśika lineage, the Vedic rituals were ever performed in the proper way, never otherwise. My own child, who once united opposites and honored the royal throne, shone long with good fortune and keen intelligence. Through constant remembrance of Vishnu, even the unattainable became steadfast for him. So, an auspicious night passed quietly in the sage’s hermitage, blessed for the unconquerable king. The king was surrounded by his attendants, vassals, noble horses and elephants, and was honored with fine garments, ornaments, and many offerings. That night, the houses were adorned with splendid jewels and draped in beautiful cloth; the best of beds were prepared, and graceful women, radiant in their gestures, added to the brilliance of the scene. When the time came, the king dismissed the landholders and attendants to their homes. Once they had departed, he rested well, surrounded by noble women—like Indra himself in heaven, radiant in glory. Thus, the noble king and his followers, their hearts joyful, slept soundly that night, all under the sage’s influence. But when dawn arrived, the king saw that all the women had vanished, as had the splendid houses. The beautiful seats and water vessels were nowhere to be found. Struck with amazement, the king fell into deep thought and distress, pondering again and again: “How might I obtain that wondrous gem?” King Durjaya then conceived a plan. He resolved: “I shall take that wish-fulfilling gem from the sage.” With this thought, the king set out from the hermitage with his retinue, but had not gone far before he sent his minister, Virocana, to approach the sage Gauramukha and request the gem. Virocana came before the sage and humbly asked, “O king among Brahmins, vessel of jewels, let the gem be given to my master.” Hearing this, Gauramukha grew angry and rebuked him: “The Brahmin receives, the king gives. Now that you are king again, why do you beg so pitifully? Go tell that wicked king Durjaya: ‘Depart at once, O evildoer, lest the world forsake you!’” Having spoken thus, the sage went eastward to gather sacred grass and firewood, his mind ever reflecting on the gem, destroyer of enemies. The minister returned to the king and relayed all that the Brahmin had said. Upon hearing the sage’s words, Durjaya was filled with fury. He summoned his vassal, Nila: “Go now! Seize the Brahmin’s gem by any means and return swiftly.” Thus ordered, Nila set out with a great army to the sage’s forest hermitage. There, in the fire-sacrifice hall, Nila saw the gem. As he descended from his chariot to claim it, fierce warriors with cruel intent, weapons in hand, sprang forth from the gem itself. With chariots, banners, horses, arrows, swords, shields, bows, and quivers, countless mighty warriors, unconquerable in battle, burst forth, breaking through to the gem. Among them stood fifteen valiant leaders: Suprabha, Diptatejas, Surashmi, Shubhadarshana, Sukanti, Sundara, Sunda, Pradyumna, Sumana, Shubha, Sushila, Sukhada, Shambhu, Sudanta, and Soma. Seeing Virocana and the great army, these eager warriors, armed with many weapons, began to fight. Their bows gleamed with gold, their arrows tipped with the finest jambunada gold. Terrible swords fell, as did foremost maces and spears. Chariot faced chariot, elephant challenged elephant, horse confronted horse, and foot-soldier met foot-soldier in fierce combat, each striving for supremacy. Many duels erupted as heroes charged one another, the battle growing ever more terrifying with arrows flying and weapons wielded with might. In the midst of the tumult, the king’s minister was struck down and lost consciousness; with all his followers and forces, he departed for the abode of Yama. With the fall of his unconquerable minister, the king himself advanced with his army. Durjaya, fierce and resplendent with horses and chariots, fought valiantly against those adorned with jewels. But a great slaughter befell the king’s troops. As news spread among the ranks about the king’s son-in-law’s valor in battle, the soldiers surged forward. Now, among those forces, there stood fifteen foremost Daityas, leaders among the Asuras: Praghasa, Vighasa, Sanghasa, Ashaniprabha, Vidyutprabha, Sughosha, Unmattaksha, Bhayankara, Agnidanta, Agnitejas, Bahushakra, Pratardana, Viradha, Bhimakarma, and Viprachitti. Each commanded an Akshauhini, a vast division of warriors. The great magicians of Durjaya’s army, mighty in spirit, fought alongside those adorned with jewels, their military divisions vast and formidable. In the fierce battle, Suprabha struck Praghasa with five arrows, sharp as venomous serpents. He pierced Vighasa with three blazing arrows, while Surashmi, with ten arrows, struck Sanghasa. Thus, the great contest raged, the forces of virtue and ambition clashing in the forest hermitage, their fates entwined with the mysterious wish-fulfilling gem.