The secret loves of Usha, the daughter of the Asura Bana, and Aniruddha,
the grandson of Krishna, are intense. The sage Nareda apprises Krishna
and Balarama, that Indra is again in dread of the demons, and especially
of Bana, who has acquired the particular favour of Siva, and who is
therefore not to be easily subdued. The conference ends by Nareda's
going to Sonapur, the capital of the demon, to endeavour to impair the
friendship between Bana and Siva, whilst Krishna and his brother await
the result.
The excessive arrogance of Bana, in his anxiety to match himself with
Vishnu, has offended the latter, who has accordingly departed for
Kailas, after announcing that Bana's anxiety shall be alleviated
whenever his banner falls. Parvati has also gone to Kailas, after
announcing to Usha that she will shortly behold her lover. Usha is
impatient for the boon conferred by the goddess.
Aniruddha is violently enamoured of a damsel he has seen in his sleep,
and despairs of discovering who she is, when Nareda comes opportunely to
his aid, and informs him that she is the daughter of Bana; on which
Aniruddha determines to go to his capital, first propitiating Jwalamukhi
by penance, in order to obtain the means of entering a city surrounded
by a wall of perpetual flame. The goddess is the form of Durga,
worshipped wherever a subterraneous flame breaks forth, or wherever
jets of carburetted hydrogen gas are emitted from the soil.
Bana's banner has fallen. His minister and wife endeavour to prevail on
him to propitiate Siva, in order to avert the evil omen, but he refuses.
Bringi, a servant of Durga, precedes Aniruddha to prepare the goddess to
grant his request. As he proceeds in his aerial car, he notices the
countries of Orissa, Bengal, Behar, Oude or Ayodhya, Prayaga, Hastinapur
or Delhi and Kurujangal or Tahneser, whence he comes to Jwalamukhi.
Aniruddha repairs to the shrine of the goddess round which goblins
sport, and upon the point of offering himself as a sacrifice, is
prevented by the goddess and receives from her the power of travelling
through the air.
Usha and Chitralekha, her companion, receive a visit from Nareda, in
whose presence the latter unfolds a picture containing portraits of all
the chief characters in Swerga, Patala, and on earth, or Indra, and
other gods; Sesha, Takshaka and the Nagas, and different princes, as the
kings of Magadha, Mathura, Avanti, Madra, Mahishmati, and Viderbha,
Yudhishthira, Krishna, Baladeva, Pradyumna, and finally Aniruddha, whom
Usha recognizes as the individual seen in her dream, and of whom she is
enamoured. Nareda recommends that Chitralekha be sent to Dwaravati to
invite Aniruddha, whom he enables to fly thither, whilst he remains in
charge of Usha, whom he sends to the garden to await her lover's
arrival.
Aniruddha and Chitralekha arrive at Sonapur and the former is united to
his mistress.
Aniruddha is detected by Bana. An engagement ensues. Krishna, Baladeva,
and Pradyumna coming to the aid of the prince, the day is going ill with
Bana, when Kartikeya, Ganesha, and Siva and Chandi come to his succour.
Notwithstanding the presence of his allies, Bana has all his thousand
arms cut off by Krishna except four. Siva advances to the aid of his
votary, when a combat ensues between the gods which combat Brahma
descends to arrest. The gods embrace one another. Parvati and Brahma
support Bana to make his submission.
Vishnu declares he is less sensible of the wounds inflicted by Bana,
than of the regret he feels at his presumption in contending with Siva.
The latter consoles him by telling him he only did a warrior's duty, and
that military prowess is independent of all motives of love or hatred.
Parvati then brings Usha to the spot, and by her desire, and that of
Siva, Bana gives his daughter to Aniruddha. Siva then elevates him to
the rank of one of his attendants, under the name of Mahakala.