of Brahma, Siva and Indra.  It is he who creates, preserves and destroys.  His work is endless.  He is the unseen and imperishable.  He descends upon the earth continually for the sake of his worshippers and assuming mortal form appears and acts like a mortal.  He sits in our houses and calls us ‘brothers.’  We are deluded by his power and consider him a brother.  Yet never have we seen one as great as him.’  He speaks in fact as one who, knowing Krishna, has seen, for the moment, the god beyond the man.  His vision is shared by the others present.  Krishna is therefore placed on a throne and before the vast concourse of rajas, Yudhisthira worships him.

Among the guests, however, is one raja to whom the vision is denied.  He is Sisupala, Krishna’s rival for the hand of Rukmini, and since Rukmini’s abduction, his deadly enemy.  Krishna’s elevation as a god is more than he can stomach and he utters an angry protest.  Krishna, he says, is not god at all.  He is a mere cowherd’s son of low caste who has debased himself by eating the leavings of the cowherds’ children and has even been the lover of the cowgirls.  As a child he was an arrant pilferer, stealing milk and butter from every house, while as a youth he has trifled with other men’s wives.  He has also slighted Indra.  Krishna quietly listens to this outburst.  Then, deeming Sisupala’s enmity to have reached its furthest limit, he allows his patience to be exhausted.  He reaches for his quoit and hurling it through the air, slays Sisupala on the spot.  The ceremonies are then completed and Krishna leaves for Dwarka.  As he nears the city, he discovers the Yadavas hard pressed by an army of demons.  He and Balarama intervene.  The demons are either killed or put to flight and the Yadavas are rescued.  When a little later Sisupala’s two brothers bring an army against him, they too are vanquished.

Twelve years now intervene.  Yudhisthira in the moment of triumph has gambled away his kingdom.  The Pandavas have once again been driven into exile and the old feud has broken out afresh.  As the exile ends, both sides prepare for war and Krishna also leaves for the battle.  Balarama is loath to intervene so goes away on pilgrimage.  After various adventures, however, he also arrives on the scene.  As he comes, a series of single-handed combats is in progress with Krishna and other Rajas looking on.  Duryodhana, the son of blind Dhritarashtra, the king of the Kauravas is fighting Bhima, the powerful Pandava and just as Balarama arrives he is dealt a foul blow and wounded in the thigh.  Balarama is shocked to see so many uncles and cousins involved in strife and begs them to desist.  Duryodhana replies that it is Krishna who has willed the war and that they are as puppets in his hands.  It is Krishna who is actively aiding the Pandavas and the war is only being carried on because of his advice.  It is Krishna also who has sponsored foul play.  Balarama is pained at such accusations and strongly criticizes Krishna.  Krishna, however, is ready with an answer.  The Kauravas, he says, cheated the Pandavas of their kingdom by the game of dice.  Duryodhana had told Draupadi to sit on his thigh and so he deserved to have it broken.  So unjust and tyrannical are the Kauravas that any methods used against them are fair.  Balarama keeps silent and a little later returns to Dwarka.