Meanwhile, the weaver, now filled with the power of Lord Vishnu, said to Sudarshana, "My dear, I am going into battle. Prepare everything needed for an auspicious beginning."

Sudarshana made the preparations. She brought yellow sacred pigment, white mustard seeds, flowers, and the other things used for blessings, and placed the proper marks upon his forehead.

At sunrise, as the first rays spread across the eastern sky, the battle drums sounded. King Suprativarman left the city and entered the battlefield. The two armies drew up against one another, and soon the foot soldiers had begun to fight.

Then the weaver mounted his Garuda. After giving away gold and jewels as gifts, he rose from the white palace into the sky. The people of the city gazed upward in wonder, bowing before the one they believed to be Lord Vishnu himself.

Flying above his own army, the weaver raised the conch Panchajanya and blew a deep and mighty blast.

The sound spread across the battlefield. Elephants panicked, horses trembled, chariots fell into confusion, and soldiers were overcome with fear. Some cried out and fled, some fainted and fell to the ground, while others stood frozen, staring helplessly into the sky.

Even the gods gathered to witness the strange sight.

Indra turned to Brahma and asked, "Is some mighty demon to be slain today? Why else would Lord Vishnu himself come into battle, riding upon Garuda?"

Brahma too was puzzled. He thought, "The Lord does not use his mighty discus, which has destroyed great enemies of the gods, against an ordinary man. A lion that can bring down elephants does not trouble itself with mosquitoes."

Even Brahma could not understand what he was seeing. And so it is said, "Even Brahma cannot see through a deception when it has been planned well. Thus a simple weaver, taking the form of Vishnu, won the hand of a princess."

While the gods still watched in wonder, the weaver raised his discus and hurled it at Vikramasena.

The discus flew across the battlefield, struck Vikramasena, and cut him down. Then, to the amazement of everyone watching, it returned to the weaver's hand.

Seeing this, the other kings immediately descended from their elephants, horses, and chariots. They fell to the ground before him and bowed.

"O Lord," they pleaded, "Vikramasena has fallen, and his army has lost its leader. Spare our lives and tell us what we must do."

The weaver, still appearing before them in the form of Lord Vishnu, replied, "You need fear no more. From this day onward, whatever King Suprativarman commands, you shall obey without question."

The kings accepted his command.

All that had belonged to the defeated army—men, elephants, chariots, horses, stores, and other wealth—was given into the hands of King Suprativarman, and the other rulers accepted his authority.

Thus the weaver, having gained the glory of victory, lived happily with the princess, enjoying all the pleasures of the kingdom.

Having told this, Damanaka said to Karataka, "Therefore I say, what can be accomplished by a clever device cannot be accomplished by mere force."

When Karataka asked, "How was that?" Damanaka had already gone to Pingalaka, and approaching him, said to him... continues next story