Śambara, seeking to destroy Pradyumna, cast him into the ocean. There, a fisherman caught Pradyumna, who had taken the form of a fish. The fisherman brought the catch to Śambara, and Māyāvatī, who was with Śambara, saw the fish. When Māyāvatī opened the fish, she recognized her own husband, Pradyumna, inside. Filled with affection, she cared for him, declaring, “I am your Rati, you are my husband.” She revealed the truth: “You are Kāma, made bodiless by Śiva, and I was taken by Śambara. I am not his wife. You, who know magic, must slay Śambara.” Hearing her words, Pradyumna rose up and killed Śambara. United with Māyāvatī, he journeyed to Kṛṣṇa, where Kṛṣṇa and Rukmiṇī rejoiced at their return. From Pradyumna was born Aniruddha, noble-minded lord of Uṣā. In the city of Śoṇita, Bāṇa, son of Bali, had a daughter named Uṣā. Through austerity, Bāṇa became the son of Śiva, bearing the peacock banner. Śiva, pleased with Bāṇa’s devotion, promised him, “You will obtain battle.” One day, Uṣā saw Gaurī playing with Śiva and longed for a husband. Gaurī assured her, “Your husband will appear to you at night in a dream.” On the twelfth day of the month of Vaiśākha, Gaurī’s words came true: Uṣā saw her destined husband in her house while asleep. Her friend Citralekhā, knowing of this union, painted the image of the man Uṣā had seen. Through her magical skill, Citralekhā brought Aniruddha to Uṣā without obstruction. Thus, Aniruddha, Kṛṣṇa’s grandson, arrived from Dvārakā and was united with Uṣā, daughter of Bāṇa’s minister Kumbhāṇḍa. When Bāṇa’s guards discovered their union, they reported it, and a fierce battle erupted between Bāṇa and Aniruddha. Hearing of this from Nārada, Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by Pradyumna and Balabhadra, mounted Garuḍa and arrived. They overcame the fire and fever of Maheśvara. A mighty battle ensued between Hari and Śaṅkara, with volleys of arrows exchanged. Nandi, Vināyaka, Skanda, and others were defeated by Kṛṣṇa’s allies. When Śaṅkara was overcome by Viṣṇu’s Jṛmbhaṇa weapon, Bāṇa’s thousand arms were cut off. Rudra sought safety and was granted it. By Viṣṇu’s grace, Bāṇa was spared. The two-armed one spoke to Śiva, “The fearlessness granted to this Bāṇa by you and by me remains.” Viṣṇu proclaimed, “There is no division between us; whoever creates division attains hell.” Viṣṇu, worshipped by Śiva and others, was accompanied by Aniruddha and Uṣā. He returned to Dvārakā, delighting Ugrasena and the Yādavas. Aniruddha’s son, Vajra, was all-knowing, descended from Mārkaṇḍeya. Balabhadra, destroyer of Pralamba, drew the Yamunā, shattered the monkey Dvivida, and ended the madness of the Kauravas. Hari, the lord, enjoyed himself in a single form with Rukmiṇī and others, fathering countless sons among the Yādavas. Agni then spoke: “I will recount the Bhārata, describing the greatness of Kṛṣṇa. Viṣṇu, taking the Pāṇḍavas as his cause, removed the burden of the earth.” From Viṣṇu was born Brahmā; Brahmā’s son was Atri, and from Atri came Soma. From Soma came Budha, from Budha Aila, and from Aila, Purūravas. From Purūravas came Ayu, then King Nahuṣa, then Yayāti. From Purū’s lineage came Bharata, and then King Kuru. In that lineage, Śāntanu was born; from him came Bhīṣma, son of Gaṅgā, and his younger brothers Citrāṅgada and Vicitra, as well as Satyavatī’s son Śāntanu. When Śāntanu ascended to heaven, Bhīṣma, remaining unmarried, protected his brothers’ kingdom. Citrāṅgada, still a child, was slain. Bhīṣma, the conqueror, brought two maidens, Ambikā and Ambālikā, daughters of the king of Kāśi, for Vicitravīrya. After Vicitravīrya died of consumption, with Satyavatī’s consent, a king was produced in Ambikā. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was born to Ambālikā, and Pāṇḍu, son of Vyāsa. From Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī came a hundred sons headed by Duryodhana. At the hermitage of Śataśṛṅga, due to lack of a wife, death occurred. From a sage’s curse, Dharma begot Yudhiṣṭhira on Kuntī for Pāṇḍu. Bhīma was born from the wind, Arjuna from Indra; from Mādrī, the twin sons Nakula and Sahadeva were born to the horse-god. Pāṇḍu, united with Mādrī, died. Karna was born to Kuntī while she was a maiden; he sided with Duryodhana. The enmity between the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas arose by fate. Duryodhana, wicked-minded, burned the Pāṇḍavas in the lac house; escaping the burning house, the six Pāṇḍavas with their mother survived. They stayed in Ekacakrā at a brāhmin’s dwelling, living as ascetics, and slew the demon Vaka. Then they went to the land of the Panchalas for Draupadi’s self-choice ceremony; Draupadi was won by the five Pandavas through the test of archery. They obtained half the kingdom, as known by Duryodhana and others. Arjuna received the divine bow Gandiva and the excellent chariot from the fire-god. Arjuna made Kṛṣṇa his charioteer in battle, with inexhaustible arrows. He received the Brahma weapon from Drona, and all were skilled in arms. With Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna satisfied the fire in the Khandava forest; the Pandava warded off Indra’s rain with a shower of arrows. The Pandavas conquered the directions, and Yudhishthira established his rule. They performed the great Rajasuya sacrifice with much gold, and Suyodhana envied him. Urged by his brother and by Karna, who had gained prosperity, Yudhishthira was challenged to a game of dice by Shakuni. He lost his kingdom in the assembly and was mocked by deceit, yet continued to feed eighty-eight thousand Brahmins as before. He spent twelve years in the forest as vowed, still feeding eighty-eight thousand Brahmins as before.