Banasura, the eldest son of King Bali, was a devoted follower of Lord Shiva, who held him in high regard, with even demigods like Indra serving him. Banasura pleased Lord Shiva by playing musical instruments with his thousand hands while Shiva performed his divine tandava dance. Impressed, Shiva granted Banasura a boon, and in return, Banasura asked Shiva to be the guardian deity of his city.
One day, Bana expressed his urge to engage in battle and informed Lord Shiva that there was no warrior strong enough to fight him in the entire world. He considered the thousand arms given to him by Lord Shiva as a mere heavy burden. In response, Lord Shiva became angry and stated that Bana’s pride would be crushed in battle when he encountered someone equal to him. He also predicted that Bana’s chariot flag would fall to the ground, broken.
Meanwhile, Banasura’s daughter, Usa, had recurring dreams of a mysterious lover. She confided in her friend, Chitralekha, who possessed mystic powers. Citralekha, through her abilities, recognized the man from Usa’s dreams as Aniruddha, Lord Krishna’s grandson. Citralekha located Aniruddha in Dwaraka and brought him to Sonitapura, Banasura’s capital, reuniting him with Usa.
However, their secret affair was discovered when the palace guards noticed signs of their intimacy on Usa. Disturbed, Banasura confronted them and was surprised to find Aniruddha in Usa’s chambers. A fierce battle ensued, with Aniruddha valiantly fighting Banasura’s guards before being captured.
The Epic Battle Between Shiva and Krishna
Aniruddha’s absence caused deep distress to his family and friends, and upon learning of his capture, a mighty army of Yadava warriors, led by Krishna, besieged Banasura’s city. Krishna, Balarama, along with Pradyumna, Samba, Sarana, Nanda, etc, converged with an army of twelve divisions and laid siege on Sonatipur. Banasura, supported by Lord Shiva, Kartikeya, and numerous mystic sages, fiercely opposed them.
A breathtaking and thunderous battle unfolded. The participants were none other than Lord Krishna, pitted against the formidable Lord Shankara, while Pradyumna faced the valiant Kartikeya. As the clash intensified, Lord Balarama fearlessly engaged with the powerful adversaries, Kumbhanda and Kupakarna. Samba, on the other hand, valiantly confronted the son of Bana, while Satyaki courageously challenged Bana himself.
The extraordinary nature of this celestial skirmish attracted a grand audience of divine beings. Brahma and the ruling demigods, accompanied by Siddhas, Caranas, and great sages, graced the event with their presence. Gandharvas, Apsaras, and Yaksas also arrived, arriving on celestial airplanes to witness the awe-inspiring spectacle.
In this epic encounter, Lord Krishna wielded His bow, Sarnga, with unmatched skill. His sharp-pointed arrows struck fear into the followers of Lord Shiva, dismantling the ranks of Bhutas, Pramathas, Guhyakas, Dakinis, Yatudhanas, Vetalas, Vinayakas, Pretas, Matas, Pisachas, Kusmandas, and Brahma-raksasas. Undeterred, Lord Shiva, the trident-wielding deity, retaliated with an array of potent weapons, seeking to vanquish Lord Krishna. Yet, the unfazed Lord Krishna responded with finesse, neutralizing each assault with his well-matched counterweapons.
A mesmerizing exchange of divine forces unfolded, as Lord Krishna employed his brahmastra against another, a wind weapon countered a mountain weapon, a fire weapon deflected by a rain weapon, and even Lord Shiva’s powerful Pashupatastra succumbed to Lord Krishna’s personal weapon, the Narayanastra. In a fascinating maneuver, Lord Krishna unleashed a yawning weapon that bewildered Lord Shiva, compelling him to yawn. With his adversaries confounded, Lord Krishna boldly took on Banasura’s army, wielding his sword, club, and arrows with exceptional prowess.
Meanwhile, the young and valorous Lord Kartikeya found himself overwhelmed by the relentless downpour of Pradyumna’s arrows. Forced to retreat, he fled the battlefield on his majestic peacock, blood oozing from his wounded limbs.
Lord Balarama demonstrated his sheer might as his club dealt a fatal blow to Kumbhanda and Kupakarna, bringing them to their knees. Witnessing the fall of their leaders, the soldiers of these demons scattered in disarray.
Infuriated by the crumbling state of his forces, Banasura directed his rage towards Lord Krishna, leaving his battle with Satyaki. Charging across the battleground in his chariot, he launched an all-out attack on the invincible Lord. Driven by an adrenaline-fueled frenzy, Banasura skillfully strung all the strings of his five hundred bows, each bearing two arrows. But Lord Sri Hari proved His unmatched supremacy by shattering every single bow simultaneously. Additionally, He dismantled the chariot, driver, and horses with a single stroke, leaving Banasura in awe of His might. Resounding His conch shell, Lord Krishna stood unrivaled amidst the wondrous chaos of the battlefield.
In a desperate attempt to rescue her son, Banasura, Kotara appeared before Krishna in a state of utter vulnerability. Her clothes were absent, and her hair hung loose. Witnessing her distress, Krishna averted his gaze out of respect. Seizing this momentary distraction, Banasura took the opportunity to escape and seek refuge within the walls of his fortified city.
After Krishna defeated the ghosts and hobgoblins fighting under Lord Shiva, the personification of fever known as the Shiva-jvara confronted Krishna, who countered with his Visnu-jvara. Overwhelmed by Krishna’s Visnu-jvara, the Shiva-jvara praised Krishna and sought his mercy. Pleased, Krishna granted the Shiva-jvara freedom from fear.
Banasura returned to the battle, brandishing various weapons with his thousand hands. However, Krishna swiftly wielded his Sudarsana disc, severing all of Banasura’s arms. Lord Shiva approached Krishna, entreating him to spare Banasura’s life. Lord Rudra acknowledged that Lord Krishna was the Absolute Truth and the supreme light, concealed within the essence of the Absolute. Those with pure hearts could perceive Him, as He remained untouched, like the vast sky. Lord Krishna’s cosmic form was described, where the sky was His navel, fire His face, water His semen, and heaven His head. The elements of the universe were intricately linked to His form, representing various aspects of creation.
Lord Krishna’s descent into the material realm was for upholding justice and the welfare of the universe. The demigods, relying on His grace and authority, governed the seven planetary systems. He is the original, transcendental, and self-manifesting being, the cause of all causes, and the ultimate controller.
Despite being obscured by material qualities, He illuminates them and the living entities within, much like the sun shining through clouds. Those entrapped in material attachments rise and fall in the ocean of misery due to their bewildered intelligence. In this way Lord Shiva glorified Krishna and requested him to forgive Banasura, his faithful follower.
Acknowledging Banasura’s lineage as the descendant of Prahlada Maharaja, Krishna explained that he had maimed Banasura to humble his false pride and had annihilated his army due to their burden on the earth. Banasura would henceforth be free from aging and death and would serve as one of Lord Shiva’s principal attendants.
Assured of his safety, Banasura paid his respects to Krishna and presented Usa and Aniruddha to him on their wedding chariot. Krishna, accompanied by the newlyweds, returned to Dvaraka, where they were warmly welcomed by the citizens, Krishna’s relatives, and the revered brahmanas.