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Seeing the ornaments of the Kumar in the ashes, the people cried out in the morning. They cried, "The Kumar is dead!"
The king, overwhelmed with grief and remorse, performed the post-mortem rites. He blamed himself and felt dejected, thinking, "I have been deprived of my brother."
Fearless, Vasudeva set out towards the west, disguised as a Brahmin, and traveled many yojanas.
He reached Vijaykheta, a city like the city of the gods. There, he met a Gandharva Acharya named Sugriva, born in a Kshatriya lineage.
Sugriva, a benefactor of those seeking Gandharva knowledge, was captivated by Vasudeva's appearance.
He had two daughters, Soma and Vijaysena, whose beauty rivaled that of the moon. They were masters of Gandharva arts.
Proud of his daughters' accomplishments, Sugriva declared that whoever could defeat them in Gandharva knowledge would be their husband.
Vasudeva, through his skill and knowledge, defeated the daughters in every subject they excelled in, in the presence of the assembly.
Pleased, Sugriva gave his daughters to Vasudeva in marriage. Vasudeva, with his daughters, enjoyed himself in the beautiful palaces.
Vijaysena gave birth to a son named Akrur, who was born in secret, with Vasudeva's strength as his support.
While traveling, Vasudeva entered a vast forest. There, he saw a beautiful lake adorned with swans, cranes, and lotuses.
He entered the lake, called Jalavarta, drank the cool water, and bathed for a long time.
Then, with his tall, strong body, he struck the water, producing a sound like a mridanga. Hearing the sound, a large elephant, sleeping nearby, woke up.
The elephant, ready to attack, saw Vasudeva, whose face was like the moon.