was exceedingly powerful and was considered to be one of the mightiest asuras of all time. He married Vrinda, the daughter of the asura Kalanemi. Jalandhara ruled with justice and nobility. One day, the sage Bhargava (Shukra) came to meet Jalandhara. He narrated the tales of Hiranyakashipu and Virochana. He also told him how Vishnu had severed Rahu's head during the episode of the Samudra Manthana. The asura came to believe that the devas had treacherously taken his father Varuna's treasures. He sent one of his messengers, Ghasmara, to Indra to ask him to return his father's treasures. However, Indra refused to do so. A fierce battle ensued between the devas and the asuras. Many warriors were killed on both sides. Shukra revived the asuras using his amṛtajīvinī vidya. Brihaspati revived the dead devas by using the medicinal herbs from the Drona mountain. Shukra counselled Jalandhara to uproot the mountain so that Brihaspati would be unable to employ the medicinal herbs to revive the devas. Jalandhara acquiesced and hurled the mountain Drona into the ocean. Demoralised, the devas requested Vishnu for his aid. A fierce battle was fought between Jalandhara and Vishnu, who rode upon Garuda and wielded his divine sword, Nandaka. Vishnu was impressed by Jalandhara's valiance in battle and granted him a boon of his choice. Jalandhara requested his brother-in-law Vishnu to stay in his eponymous city, bringing with him his followers and his consort, Lakshmi. Without his help, the devas were defeated by asuras, and Jalandhara became the lord of the three worlds (heaven, earth, and the underworld). He confiscated all the jewels that the devas and the gandharvas had hoarded during the Samudra Manthana and ruled virtuously, with nobody in his realm sick or lean. War with Shiva The devas were unhappy about their defeat, dejected at their being stripped of their authority. The divine sage, Narada, upon consulting with the devas, went to see Jalandhara. On being asked the purpose of his visit by Jalandhara, he described the beauty of Kailasha where Shiva lived, and that he wondered if any other place matched its beauty. In response, Jalandhara showed off his riches to Narada, who commented that he did not have the most beautiful woman as his wife. Narada then continued to describe Shiva's residence and also described to him about Parvati's beauty. Jalandhara sent his messenger Rahu to Shiva and accused him of hypocrisy,