By Siva’s Benediction

A brahmana in Kasi Varanasi once prayed to Lord Siva, “I want to give my daughter in marriage, but I have no money. Please give me money.” Lord Siva told him, “Go to Vrndavana and meet with Srila Sanatana Gosvami. You can ask him to give you some wealth for your daughter’s marriage.” The brahmana went to Vrndavana, by foot, and there he asked the villagers there for the whereabouts of a person named Sanatana Gosvami. As they all knew him, they pointed out his residence.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami was practicing bhajana near the Yamuna River at Kaliya-hrada, the former abode of the very poisonous snake named Kaliya. Kaliya-hrada was close to the Yamuna, and therefore its surrounding area was full of sand. Srila Sanatana Gosvami wore only a loincloth. He used to go begging door-to-door for a small amount of prasada (Krsna’s food remnants), and would take as his meal only one dry chapatti (flat bread), with no salt.

The brahmana arrived at his cottage and told him, “I went to Sankara Mahadeva, Lord Siva, and he told me to meet you. He said you will give me some wealth for my daughter’s marriage.” Sanatana Gosvami replied, “I have no possessions. You can see that I have nothing but a loincloth.” Then he thought, “Oh, Siva cannot tell a lie. He is my bosom friend.” Thinking of Lord Siva and contemplating further, he remembered a touchstone he had once disgarded and then forgotten. Now he told the brahmana, “Go to the Yamuna and remove some of the sand, and there you will find a touchstone. It is somewhere in the sand, though I don’t remember where.”

The brahmana found the jewel, touched it to iron, and the iron turned into gold. He was very, very happy that Lord Siva had told him to come to Vrndavana, and thought with gratitude, “My prayer has been answered by him.” On the way home, however, his greed for money increased and he began thinking, “Why did Sanatana Gosvami keep the touchstone in the sand? It had no use there. He must have still more valuable jewels.”

He thus returned, and Sanatana Gosvami asked him, “Why have you come back?” He replied, “I’ve come because I know that you have more valuable jewels than this.” Sanatana Gosvami then said, “Go and throw the touchstone in the Yamuna. The brahmana did so with all his power, and then Sanatana Gosvami told him, “Come here. Come here.” He gave him the mantra, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare” and said, “I do not have worldly jewels, but I have transcendental jewels. The jewel of Lord Krsna and Sri Radha will come to you in a very short time. So remain here. Your daughter’s marriage will take place automatically. Stay here and chant Hare Krsna.” That brahmana followed his instruction and became a very elevated saint.

The Battle between Lord krishna and Lord Siva

When Aniruddha (son of Samba,grandson of Lord Krishna) did not return from Sonitapura, His family and friends passed the four months of the rainy season in extreme distress. When they finally heard from Narada Muni how Aniruddha had been captured, a large army of the best Yadava warriors, under Krishna's protection, set off for Banasura's capital and laid siege to it. Banasura fiercely opposed them with his own army of equal size. To help Banasura, Lord Siva, accompanied by Kartikeya and a horde of mystic sages, took up arms against Balarama and Krishna. Bana began fighting against Satyaki, and Bana's son fought against Samba. All the demigods assembled in the sky to witness the battle. With His arrows Lord Krishna harassed the
followers of Lord Siva, and by putting Lord Siva into a state of confusion He was able to destroy Banasura's army. Kartikeya was so strongly beaten by Pradyumna that he fled the battlefield, while the remnants of Banasura's army, harried by the blows of Lord Balarama's club, scattered in all directions.

Enraged to see his army's destruction, Banasura rushed Krishna to attack Him. But the Lord immediately killed Bana's chariot driver and broke his chariot and bow, and then He sounded His Pancajanya conchshell. Next Banasura's mother, trying to save her son, appeared naked in front of Lord Krishna, who turned away His face to avoid looking at her. Seeing his chance, Bana fled into his city.

After Lord Krishna had thoroughly defeated the ghosts and hobgoblins fighting under Lord Siva, the Siva-jvara weapon -- a personification of fever with three heads and three legs -- approached Lord Krishna to fight Him. Seeing the Siva-jvara, Krishna released His Vishnu-jvara. The Siva-jvara was overwhelmed by the Vishnu-jvara; having nowhere else to turn for shelter, the Siva-jvara began to address Lord Krishna, glorifying Him and asking for mercy. Lord Krishna was pleased with the Siva-jvara, and after the Lord had promised him freedom from fear, the Siva-jvara bowed down to Him and departed.

Next Banasura returned and attacked Lord Sri Krishna again, wielding all kinds of weapons in his thousand hands. But Lord Krishna took His Sudarsana disc and began cutting off all the demon's arms Lord Siva approached Krishna to pray for Banasura's life, and when the Lord agreed to spare him, He spoke as follows to Siva: "Banasura does not deserve to die, since he was born in the family of Prahlada Maharaja. I have severed all but four of Bana's arms just to destroy his false pride, and I have annihilated his army because they were a burden to the earth. Henceforward he will be free from old age and death, and remaining fearless in all circumstances, he will be one of your principal attendants."

Assured he had nothing to fear, Banasura then offered his obeisances to Lord Krishna and had Usha and Aniruddha seated on their wedding chariot and brought before the Lord. Krishna then set off for Dvaraka with Aniruddha and His bride leading the procession. When the newlyweds arrived at the Lord's capital, they were honored by the citizens, the Lord's relatives and the brahmanas.

Those who hear of this transcendental fight between Lord Krishna and Lord Siva, they become fearless.