Hearing this, another band of wicked people came, and began to torment the sadhus, displaying their strength again and again. The sadhus who lived in Shrinagar went daily to beg for alms; the demonic men came and intercepted them, beating them and causing great harm. Blows fell from clubs, sticks, and staves; their waists were struck and broken. They struck them with whip-like weapons, and the sadhus bore it all.
Weak-bodied ascetic sages had heavy loads placed upon them, and were beaten as their attackers pleased, then dragged off to their own quarters. There they beat them further, and bound them in many ways; having fallen into the hands of the demonic men, the sadhus received no mercy whatsoever. Some said, "Cut off their ears and noses," some said, "Kill them outright," some said, "Break their arms and legs" — such was the talk of this demonic host.
They spoke foul curses with their mouths — whatever they said was still the lesser part of it; it seemed the very depths of blasphemy. One sadhu, through skill and cunning, escaped the hands of the demonic men, and, reaching Khokhrad, related the whole news to everyone there.
Hearing this with his own ears, Shri Hari's hair stood on end with fury. "Who on this earth dares to strike my own sadhus?" His gaze grew fiercely intense, his eyes turned red and wide, his brows knit together in anger — seeing this, even Death himself began to tremble. The sun and moon grew dim, and Brahma rose in agitation; Shiva said, "Destruction is coming — nothing will remain today." Indra and the gods felt fear, and the guardians of the directions trembled in their hosts, seeing Maharaj's wrath; even the seven worlds below trembled.
Then the Lord spoke: "Listen, sadhus, and accept this as truth. We must not remain in this kingdom — go to the city of Surat. This ruler is utterly unrighteous, in a place where all talk of dharma has vanished; sadhus like you must not remain there even a single moment. Go, sadhus, quickly, and go very swiftly from here. All sadhus, set off; we shall remain here as one who walks alone, unaided."
Then, touching his feet, the whole company of sadhus departed; four hundred sadhus together went to Surat, the assembly of liberated souls. Then those who remained near him, who were truly of Kshatriya blood, were spoken to by Shri Hari, and he began to discuss the matter with them: "Tell me, brothers, what shall we do — see how the demonic men have seized power." He had given the sadhus this instruction because, he said, "our own power did not avail here."
Hearing this, the Kshatriyas bristled: "Lord, call the sadhus back. Through your power, watch our own display of valor. Today the very occasion has come that even great gods would seek. They have tormented our own chosen deity — we shall certainly see to this. One who turns his back when action calls, who cringes and becomes cowardly — shame on such a life; his very mother bore him in vain. For the sake of village, land, and fort, they charge into battle without hesitation; heroes let their heads fall in the fray, fighting until they are drenched and fallen. Such is the way of the Kshatriya, as everyone well knows. They abandon wealth for a false cause — but this here is true, directly witnessed. Give us your permission — whatever force is needed, we shall provide it. What will these wretched dogs amount to, when the Lord himself stands with us?"
Then the Lord said, "Today, let us all hold steady. Tomorrow we will go to Kankari — then let happen whatever will happen." So they spoke, and the night wore on, until there was hardly any of it left. Sleeping one watch, they awoke; then the Lord himself rose at dawn.
He said, "Everyone be ready to bathe at Kankari lake. Children, the elderly, and women alone should stay at home." Mounting horses, they at once became riders; all the companions, ready, set off together in great numbers. The horses, recognizing their riders, could barely contain themselves — their feet scarcely touched the ground, as if they would fly with wings.
Then, having bathed, the Lord turned back and returned, coming to the edge of the town; as he came into the town, the demonic host arrived in great numbers. Twisting their moustaches, biting their wrists, filled with fury; some were fair, some very tall — a full five cubits in height. Swords, battle-axes, clubs, and shields, sabers and spears in hand; muskets and daggers, all sharply prepared, the demonic men came bearing these.
Wearing great tusk-like teeth and loincloths, they charged forward to strike. Four fronts of them came rushing, ready to strike down decisively. They surrounded the Lord's companions while they were eating; drawing their great swords, teeth bared, they rushed together to kill.
The Brahmins present tried to intervene and restrain them, but the frenzied attackers would not listen; drawing their swords in hand, they struck blows upon the devotees of Hari. The devotees of Hari said, "Now, you sinners, stand on this very spot. You have struck us — until now we have not spoken." Resplendent like lions, knowing well the ways of battle, they charged forth in fury — who could withstand the swords of such Kshatriyas?
Four of the leaders among the demonic host were struck down in the square; the rest fled in terror, crying to one another, "Brothers, this is now our fate too!" Fleeing without direction, naked and disoriented, the terrified attackers lost their bearings entirely, stumbling, twisting, dragging themselves, taking blow after blow as they fled. Utterly disheveled and battered, none stayed together with another; crying "We are struck, we are struck," they scattered and were routed.
Knowing this, they were spared their lives, for great fear of Maharaj had overtaken them; otherwise, each and every one of them would have been finished off entirely. Then they came back and made obeisance to the Lord. The Lord then said, "Now we cannot remain in this place any longer.
Hari and the devotees of Hari, dear to all, are said to be like a wish-fulfilling tree; whatever anyone thinks toward them, that same is returned to them." Having taken human form, the Lord shines forth greatly like the sun; but the sinful never find a smooth path — they are hindered by their own sin. Thus he lifted this burden from the earth, on the fourteenth day of the dark half of Vaishakh; on that day the sinners who had rushed to attack were slain.