After the grand wedding of the noble Pradyumna, the assembled kings, led by the ruler of Kalinga, turned to Rukmi with a mischievous proposal. “Halayudha,” they said, referring to the mighty Balarama, “is unskilled at dice and has a great weakness for the game. Why not challenge him and defeat him in this splendid assembly?” Rukmi, strong and confident, agreed, and informed the other kings. Together with Balarama, he arranged for a game of dice in the royal hall. In the first round, Rukmi bested Balarama, winning a thousand gold coins. In the second, Rukmi prevailed again, claiming another thousand. But when the stakes rose to ten thousand gold coins, Balarama turned the tables and won, even though Rukmi was considered the foremost dice player. At this, the foolish king of Kalinga burst into loud laughter, baring his teeth, while Rukmi, intoxicated by his victories, boasted, “This Baladeva, though skilled at dice, has been defeated by me! Blinded by his pride, he thought himself a master.” Seeing the king of Kalinga laughing with his mouth wide open and hearing Rukmi’s harsh words, Balarama’s anger flared. Rukmi seized the dice and cast them down for another round. Again, Balarama defeated him and proclaimed loudly, “I have won!” Rukmi, however, shouted back, “No, I have won!” contradicting Balarama and insisting on his victory. Rukmi argued, “This contest was declared by you, and that is true, but I did not consent to it. If you claim victory in this way, how is it that I have not won?” Suddenly, a deep voice resounded from the sky, intensifying Balarama’s wrath: “Victory belongs to Bala, achieved through righteousness; Rukmi’s words are false. Even without speaking, actions speak for themselves.” Overcome by fury, Balarama, his eyes red, stood up and, with his immense strength, struck Rukmi down with the chessboard itself. He then seized the trembling king of Kalinga and, enraged, broke the teeth with which the king had laughed so openly. In his wrath, Balarama grabbed a great golden pillar and struck down the other kings who sided with Rukmi. The royal assembly, terrified by Balarama’s anger, cried out in distress and fled the hall. News spread quickly that Rukmi had been slain by Balarama. Krishna, hearing this, remained silent, out of concern for both Rukmini and Balarama. Some time later, while Krishna stayed in Dvaravati, Indra—the lord of the three worlds—arrived, seated upon the mighty, intoxicated elephant Airavata. Entering Dvaraka, Indra met with Hari and spoke of the misdeeds committed by the demon Naraka. “O Madhusudana,” Indra said, “though you dwell among men, you have brought peace and removed all the sufferings of the gods. You destroyed Dhenuka, who harmed ascetics, and Keshi; all those who acted thus have been slain by you. Kamsa, Kuvalayapida, Putana the child-killer—all these and other disturbers of the world have been destroyed by you. When you, whose strength protects the universe, are present, the gods receive their share of sacrifices and are satisfied.” Indra continued, “Therefore, O Janardana, I have come for a purpose. Hear me and remedy this matter. The earth-born Naraka, lord of Pragjyotishapura, is causing harm to all beings. He has seized the maidens of gods, siddhas, asuras, and kings, and confined them in his palace. He has stolen Varuna’s water-shedding umbrella, the jeweled peak of Mandara, and the earrings of Aditi. Desiring Airavata, he even seized the nectar-streaming, divine black vomit of my mother, Diti. This wickedness has been reported to me, O Govinda; whatever is to be done, let it be considered by you.” Having listened, the blessed son of Devaki, Krishna, smiled, took Indra by the hand, and rose from his excellent seat. Reflecting on the situation, Krishna mounted Garuda, the sky-roaming king of birds, placing Satyabhama beside him, and set off for the city of Pragjyotisha. Indra, mounting Airavata, returned to heaven, while Krishna departed, watched by the people of Dvaraka. Around Pragjyotisha, for a hundred yojanas, there was a formidable enclosure made of Murā’s nooses, edged with razors. Krishna, casting the Sudarshana discus, cut through those nooses. Then Mura arose to defend his city, but Krishna struck him down. Next, Krishna burned Mura’s seven thousand sons with the fire of his discus, reducing them like moths to ashes. Having slain the asura Hayagriva and also Panchajana, Krishna approached the city of Pragjyotisha. There, Naraka confronted him in battle with a vast army. Krishna struck down thousands of Daityas. As the powerful Bhauma Naraka unleashed a shower of weapons and missiles, Krishna hurled his discus and split the Daitya’s forces in two. When Naraka was slain, Earth herself, taking the earrings of Aditi, approached the Lord of the universe and spoke.