Rukmi, having lost in the contest, protested, “This challenge was declared by you, and indeed it is true, but I did not give my consent to it. If you claim victory in this way, then why is it that I have not won?” At that moment, a mighty voice resounded from the sky, its deep tones swelling the great anger already rising in Baladeva’s heart. The voice proclaimed, “Victory was achieved by Bala through righteousness; Rukmi’s words are false. Even without a single word spoken, an action is accomplished.” Baladeva, his eyes blazing red with fury, rose up. With his immense strength, he seized the chessboard itself and struck Rukmi down. Not stopping there, he grabbed the king of Kalinga, who was trembling with terror, and, enraged, broke the very teeth with which the king had laughed so openly. Still burning with wrath, Baladeva seized a great golden pillar and struck down the other kings who were gathered on that side. The entire royal assembly, overwhelmed by fear at Baladeva’s rage, cried out in distress and scattered in flight. When news reached Krishna that Rukmi had been slain by Baladeva, he remained silent, out of concern for both Rukmini and his elder brother. Thus, he said nothing, O Maitreya. Some time later, while Krishna was residing in Dvaravati, Indra—the lord of the three worlds—arrived, seated upon his majestic, intoxicated elephant Airavata. Entering Dvaraka and meeting with Hari, Indra spoke of the misdeeds committed by the demon Naraka. He addressed Krishna: “Though you dwell among men, O Madhusudana, you have brought peace and removed all the sufferings of the gods. You have destroyed Dhenuka, who threatened the ascetics, and also Keshi; all those who behaved wickedly have been slain by you. Kamsa, Kuvalayapida, Putana the child-killer—all these and other disturbers of the world have fallen by your hand. “When you, whose strength upholds the universe, are present, the gods receive their share of sacrifices and are satisfied. Therefore, O Janardana, I have come to you with a purpose. Hear me and act to remedy this matter. This earth-born Naraka, lord of Pragjyotishapura, is harming all beings, O subduer of enemies. He has seized the maidens of the gods, siddhas, asuras, and kings, and has confined them in his palace. He has stolen the umbrella that sheds water from Varuna, the jeweled peak of Mandara, and the earring of Aditi. Desiring Airavata, the elephant, he even seized the nectar-streaming, divine black vomit of my mother, Diti. This wickedness, O Govinda, has been reported to me. Do what you deem necessary.” Having heard Indra’s words, the blessed son of Devaki smiled gently. Taking Indra by the hand, Krishna rose from his excellent seat. Reflecting on all that had been described, he mounted Garuda, his sky-roaming companion, and placed Satyabhama beside him. Together, they set out for the city of Pragjyotisha. Indra, mounting Airavata, returned to heaven, while Krishna departed, watched by all the people of Dvaraka. O best of the twice-born, around the city of Pragjyotisha, for a hundred yojanas, there stretched an enclosure of Murā’s nooses, edged with razors. Hari, wielding his Sudarshana discus, cut through these deadly nooses. Then Mura himself arose to challenge him, but Keshava struck him down. Hari then turned his discus upon Mura’s seven thousand sons, and they perished in its fiery edge, like moths drawn to a flame. Having slain the asura Hayagriva and also Panchajana, Krishna, the wise one, approached the city itself. There, Naraka met him in battle, leading a great army. Govinda struck down thousands of Daityas as Naraka, powerful and determined, rained down weapons and missiles. But Krishna, the wielder of the discus, hurled it and split the Daitya’s ranks in two. Naraka was slain. Then Earth herself, taking the earrings of Aditi, approached the Lord of the universe and spoke: “When I was lifted up by you, O Lord, in your form as a boar, this son was produced in me by your touch. He was given to me by you, and now, by your own hand, he has been cast down. Please accept these earrings and protect his lineage. For the purpose of relieving my burden, O Blessed One, you have yourself descended into the world with a portion of your being. You are the creator and destroyer, the dissolver, the origin and the end; you are the universe, O Acyuta—what praise can suffice for you? As the pervader and the pervaded, the doer and the deed, you are the soul of all beings—what praise can there be for you thus? You are the supreme self, the self of all beings, the self and the imperishable; in whatever way, O Lord, what is the purpose of praise for you? Be gracious, O soul of all beings; whatever was done by Naraka, let it be forgiven and not counted as a fault, for your own son has been struck down by you.” Sri Parashara continued: Hearing these words, the Blessed Lord, creator of all beings, replied, “So be it.” He took the jewels from Naraka’s abode. In the city of maidens, that mighty one beheld more than sixteen thousand maidens. He saw foremost elephants with four tusks, numbering six thousand, and likewise two hundred and ten thousand horses of the Kambojas. Thus, with compassion and purpose, Krishna restored harmony to the worlds, freeing the captives and returning the stolen treasures, ever upholding dharma and the welfare of all beings.