After receiving Aditi’s gracious permission, the king of the gods—Indra—approached Janārdana, the divine Krishna, and honored him with deep reverence, as befitted the occasion. Meanwhile, Śacī, Indra’s queen, regarded Satyabhāmā as merely human and, withholding the precious Pārijāta flower from her, adorned herself with its blossoms instead. Krishna, accompanied by Satyabhāmā, wandered through the celestial gardens, such as the enchanting Nandana. There, he beheld the wondrous Pārijāta tree, exuding delightful fragrance, its branches heavy with clusters of blossoms and adorned with tender, coppery-red leaves. This tree, its bark shining like refined gold, had emerged during the churning of the nectar and was renowned as the supreme and peerless king among trees. Captivated by its beauty, Satyabhāmā turned to Govinda and questioned, “Krishna, why is this tree not brought to Dvaraka?” She continued, “If your words are truly sincere, and you hold me as dear as you have often said—more cherished than Jambavati or Rukmini—then let this tree be taken to adorn my courtyard. If your affection is genuine and not mere courtesy, let the Pārijāta be the ornament of my house. Wearing its blossoms in my hair, I wish to shine among my co-wives.” Smiling at her request, Hari placed the Pārijāta tree upon Garuda. At this, the guardians of the garden protested, saying, “O Govinda, this Pārijāta tree is the cherished possession of Śacī, queen of Indra. You ought not to take it. It arose for the king of the gods, who gave it to his most fortunate queen, Śacī, out of curiosity. Created during the churning of nectar for Śacī’s adornment, this tree does not bring well-being; you will not prosper by taking it. Indra always gazes upon her face; for her sake, he acquired it. Who, seeking their own welfare, would take it and depart?” They warned further, “Certainly, O Krishna, Indra will seek redress for this; the Maruts will follow Śakra, whose hand wields the thunderbolt. Therefore, O Achyuta, let there be no conflict with the gods; wise men do not praise actions whose results are bitter in the end.” Hearing their words, Satyabhāmā’s anger flared. She declared, “Who is Śacī to the Pārijāta, or who is Śakra, lord of the gods? If this tree arose from the churning of the nectar for the common benefit of all worlds, then why does Vasava alone possess it? Just as the nectar, the moon, and Sri are for all the worlds, so too is the Pārijāta tree common to all. Because of her husband’s pride, Śacī restrains him; enough patience, let the tree be taken by strength.” She instructed the guards, “Go quickly and tell Paulomī: ‘Satyabhāmā speaks these words, so arrogant and bold. If you are your husband’s beloved, and he is under your sway, then prevent my husband from taking the tree. I know your husband is Śakra, lord of the gods; yet, though you are divine, I, a mortal woman, will take the Pārijāta tree from you.’” The guards carried Satyabhāmā’s message to Śacī. Upon hearing it, Śacī stirred Indra, the lord of the gods, who wielded the mighty discus. Indra, surrounded by the armies of all the gods, advanced to confront Hari for the Pārijāta tree. The gods, equipped with iron clubs, swords, maces, spears, and splendid weapons, stood ready with Śakra, wielder of the thunderbolt. Govinda, seeing Śakra and the gathered gods prepared for battle, stood upon the king of serpents and observed them. He then sounded his conch, its noise filling all quarters, and released volleys of sharp arrows by the thousands and tens of thousands. The sky and directions were soon filled with hundreds of arrows, prompting the gods to unleash their own weapons and missiles in response. Yet, every weapon and missile launched by the gods in thousands, the Lord, slayer of Madhu, effortlessly cut down as if in playful sport. He seized the noose of the lord of waters and broke it into pieces with Garuda’s beak, as if it were a young serpent. The rod sent by Yama was shattered by Krishna’s mace and cast down to earth. With his discus, Śauri reduced the palanquin of the lord of wealth to atoms and struck the sun, diminishing its brilliance. Agni was cooled by Krishna’s arrows, the Vasus fled in all directions, and the Rudras, their spear-tips cut by the discus, were cast down to earth. The Sādhyas, Viśvas, Maruts, Gandharvas, and Yakṣas were driven away in the sky like silk-cotton by the arrows of the wielder of Śārṅga. Garuda, with his beak, wings, and talons, struck, tore, and devoured the gods as he moved about. A fierce battle ensued; Madhusūdana and Indra showered each other with hundreds of thousands of blows, like clouds pouring streams of rain. Amidst the tumult, Garuda fought with Airavata, the celestial elephant, while Janardana engaged in combat with Indra and all the other gods. When all arrows, weapons, and missiles were exhausted, Indra swiftly seized his thunderbolt, and Krishna took up the Sudarshana discus, preparing for the decisive moment.