Indra, the king of the gods, stood humbled yet unashamed, for he had been overcome by none other than the one who is the creator, destroyer, and sustainer of all—the Lord who assumes every form. He spoke, “How could I feel shame at being defeated by him, from whom this entire world arises and in whom it rests? He is the cause of creation, preservation, and dissolution, O goddess. This world, without beginning, middle, or end, exists only through him. He is the subtle, minute origin of all worlds, unknown to seekers of knowledge, unborn and eternal, who acts for the benefit of the world by his own will. Who among mortals could ever conquer him?” Hearing these words of praise from Indra, Keshava—Krishna—smiled warmly and spoke with deep feeling, addressing the best of the twice-born. “O Indra, king of the gods, you are lord of the world, and we are mortals. If I have committed any offense, please forgive me. Let the Parijata tree be returned to its proper place; I took it only to keep my promise. Take back your thunderbolt, hurled at me—it is your own weapon, meant for the destruction of enemies.” Indra replied, “O Lord, do you bewilder me by saying you are mortal? We know you as the divine one, though your subtle nature is beyond our comprehension. You are the protector of the world, established from the beginning, the remover of thorns, the slayer of demons.” Indra then urged, “Let the Parijata tree be brought to Dvaraka, O Krishna; it will not remain on earth once you depart from the mortal realm.” Krishna agreed, saying, “So be it,” and descended to earth, praised by the Siddhas, Gandharvas, and lions. Standing atop Dvaraka, Krishna blew his conch, filling the city with joy. Descending from Garuda, accompanied by Satyabhama, he placed the great Parijata tree in the courtyard. All who approached the tree recalled their previous births, and those bound in human bodies gathered respectfully, gazing upon it with delight. Attendants then brought wealth—elephants and horses—and Krishna took the women and possessions that had belonged to Naraka. At an auspicious time, Janardana married those maidens whom Naraka had gathered from all directions. At a single moment, Govinda properly took their hands in marriage, each in a separate house, according to dharma. Sixteen thousand one hundred women thus became his wives, and the blessed Madhusudana assumed as many forms. Each maiden believed Krishna had personally taken her hand in marriage. At night, Keshava, the creator of the world, dwelled in the chambers of all his wives, taking on a universal form. Parashara continued: Pradyumna and others, sons of Hari by Rukmini, have been described; Bhanu and Bhaimarika were born to Satyabhama. Dipti, Tamrapaksha, and others were sons of Hari by Rohini; Samba and other powerful sons were born to Jambavati. Bhadravinda and others, mighty sons, were born to Nagajiti; Sangramajit and others, led by him, were the sons of Shaivya. From Mādrī he obtained sons such as Gātravān and others, like Vṛkādeva; from Lakṣmaṇā, sons; and from Kālindī, Śruta and others. From his other wives as well, the wielder of the discus fathered eighty thousand one hundred sons. Of all his sons, Pradyumna, born to Rukmini, was the foremost. From Pradyumna came Aniruddha, and from him Vajra was born. Aniruddha, mighty in battle, married Uṣā, the daughter of Bāṇa. There occurred a terrible and great battle between Hari and Śaṅkara, where Bāṇa’s thousand arms were cut off by Krishna, the wielder of the discus. Maitreya, curious, asked, “How did the battle arise, O Brāhmaṇa, between Hara and Krishna for the sake of a woman? And how did Hari bring about the destruction of Bāṇa’s arms? Please recount this in detail, for I am eager to hear this tale of Hari.” Parashara replied: Uṣā, the daughter of Bāṇa, once saw Pārvatī playing with Śambhu and was seized with longing for such a companion. Gaurī, who knows all hearts, said to the radiant maiden, “Enough of such intense yearning; you too will enjoy a husband.” Uṣā wondered, “When will this be? Who will be my husband?” Again Pārvatī spoke: “On the twelfth day of the bright half of Vaiśākha, the one who approaches you in a dream will become your husband, O princess.” On that date, as foretold, a man approached Uṣā in her dream, and she was filled with love for him. Upon awakening and unable to see him, she eagerly and unashamedly asked her friend, “Where has he gone?” Her friend, Citraleśā, daughter of Bāṇa’s minister Kumbhāṇḍa, asked, “Who is this you speak of?” Overcome with shame, Uṣā did not tell her at first, but Citraleśā gained her trust and learned everything. Understanding the matter, Uṣā said to her, as previously described, “Do whatever means will bring about, as the goddess said, his coming to me.