The Killing of Narakasura

Once Indra came to Dvaraka on the elephant Airavata. He met Krishna and complained about the behaviour of a daitya named Narakasura.

This Narakasura was the son of Prithivi and the king of Pragjyotishapura. He was oppressing all living beings. He was kidnapping the daughters of devas, asuras and kings and imprisoning them in his house. Naraka had also stolen Varuna’s umbrella from which the rains came, and the peak of Mount Mandara. In addition he had robbed Indra’s mother Aditi of her earrings and was now threatening to steal Airavata.

Krishna decided to do something about Narakasura. He though of Garuda and immediately, Garuda appeared before him. Krishna and Satyabhama got onto Garuda and flew towards Pragjyotishapura. There were an asura named Muru who had installed many sharp stakes around Naraka’s city. But Krishna sliced off these stakes with the sudarshana chakra. And when Muru attacked him, Krishna, killed Muru and his seven thousand sons with the chakra. He also killed two others, Hayagriva and Panchajana, and arrived at Pragjyotishapura.