Head of Sudhanwa

Arjuna hurled a rock which Sudhanwa cut off.
Arjuna then picked up three arrows and adjusted them on his bow. He said I will kill you with these.
Sudhanwa said I do not fear death. I wished to die after seeing Krishna and now that I have seen Krishna, death can take me away. I will perform my duty as a Kshatriya and fight you. I will cut off all your arrows.
Seeing Sudhanwa's pride, Arjuna hurled the thee arrows. Seeing the arrows, Sudhanwa started taking the name of Krishna. The arrows touched Sudhanwa , who cut them into two and they fell on the ground. Arjuna felt insulted. Suddenly the cut arrows rose from the ground and aimed themselves towards Sudhanwa. The broken arrows pierced Sudhanwa who fell dead. One of the arrows cut off Sudhawa's head. The cut head began taking the name of Krishna. The soul of Sudhanwa merged with Krishna. It fell on Krishna's feet. Krishna lifted the head in his hands. Krishna the called out to Garuda. Garuda appeared there. Krishna asked Garuda to place the head in Prayaga.
Shiva saw this. He asked his bull to go behind Garuda and stop him from throwing the head in the waters of Prayaga. Durga seeing this said Do not send your bull. He will fail, Garuda is doing what Krishna has asked him to do.
Shiva got angry and asked the bull to proceed.
The bull approached Garuda and said Shiva wanted Sudhanwa's head.
Garuda said he had come on Krishna's orders and will not be able to give the head.
The two started quarreling and soon began fighting. Garuda lifted the bull and hurled him. The bull went and fell near Shiva. Seeing Durga said I told you this would happen.
Shiva sent for Nandi. He asked him to get the head from Garuda and bring that. He also gave his trident to Nandi.
Garuda saw Nandi coming with Shiva's trident. He hurled the head in the waters. Nandi caught the head and brought it to Shiva.

Back home, Hamsadhwaja was wondering what had happened to his son. Suratha, the other son, said I will get Krishna for you.

Saying this, he started getting ready to fight. 

Sudhanwa begins his fight

The king asked the people who had put his son in the oil, if they had anointed any special lotion on him, to save him from burning. The people denied and said it was Narayana who had saved him. Sudhanwa had been praying to Narayana before he entered the cauldron and Narayana had thus saved His devotee.
Sudhanwa climbed out of the cauldron. The priest said Sudhanwa a great devotee and he could win the war with Arjuna.

The war started. Sudhanwa was a fierce warrior and no one was able to face him. Vrishaketu came to fight. All his arrows were cut off and Vrishaketu fainted. Sudhanwa then started fighting with Pradyumna. Regaining consciousness, Vrishaketu started fighting again. Sudhanwa cut off the flag staff of Vrishaketu and his charioteer. He then started showering arrows which Vrishaketu could not stand and then had to flee. Pradyumna came to fight and was badly wounded. Kritavarma came to fight and had to flee. Seeing this Anusalva came and started throwing rocks at Sudhanwa. Sudhanwa cut those off. Anusalva, not able to bear the weapons, fainted. Yuvanashwa and his son came next and had to flee. Satyaki came and he too had to flee. Seeing this, Arjuna came to fight.

Sudhanwa seeing Arjuna said - Where is Krishna, who was your charioteer? Why is he not with you? All your battles and wars have been won with Krishna's help. Without Him you will not be able to win the battle with me. If you want to fight me, then make Krishna your charioteer.

In anger, Arjuna started shooting arrows at Sudhanwa. The sky became dark with arrows from both warriors. Sudhanwa then cut the head of Arjuna's charioteer, thinking that Krishna would come to help Arjuna. Arjuna then tried to control the reins of the chariot and fight but he was not able to continue this for long. He then thought of Krishna.

Sudhanwa suddenly saw Krishna come and take control of the chariot. He bowed down to Krishna. He said Glory to Arjuna on whose one word Krishna comes, and to see whom yogis have to pray for ages.

Both restarted their fight. Arjuna cut off Sudhanwa's arrows. Sudhanwa shot a divine arrow at Arjuna. It wounded Arjuna. Arjuna fell on Krishna who caressed Arjuna's body with his lotus hands. Arjuna then shot an arrow, and Sudhanwa's chariot went miles away. Sudhanwa returned and began fighting. 

Sudhanwa thrown in hot oil

Sudhanwa came near the cauldron. He took the name of Krishna and was put in the vessel.
Cries broke out. Sudhanwa's mother began crying. Hamsadhwaja, who had managed to bring the priest back, fell on the ground, in grief.
Narayana saved him and people saw him sitting in the hot oil, unharmed.
The king and the queen were amazed to see this and so were all the people who had gathered there. 

In the kingdom of Hamsadhawaja

The kingdom where the horse was grabbed by the rock belonged to the king Hamsadhwaja. He was a righteous king. He had two sons Surath and Sudhanwa.
The king got the message that the Yudhistira's horse had come to his kingdom and Arjuna had come with the horse.The king was pleased that a son of Pandu had come to his kingdom. He thought Krishna would be Arjuna and he would get to see Krishna. He gave orders for the horse to be caught.
He also gave orders for Arjuna to be caught. If Arjuna was caught, Krishna would follow, and the king's wish of seeing Krishna would be fulfilled.
A huge copper cauldron was got and was filled with oil. It was heated up. The king then said his soldiers needs to go and fight Arjuna. If they refused they were to be thrown in the hot oil.
The king's son Sudhanwa started preparing himself for war. Hearing this, his wife wanted to know where he was going. When she heard this, she asked him to stay the night with her. She said she wanted a son and wanted her husband for that. She was fine with him leaving in the morning. Sudhanwa said he was going to fight so that he could get to see Krishna. If Krishna came, all prosperity would follow.
His queen persisted and then Sudhanwa said if he stayed back with her, his father would throw him the hot oil.  His wife managed to convince him. Sudhanwa took off his armor and climbed up on the cot with his wife. Pleasing his wife, he got ready and started for battle.His sister and mother came and blessed him and asked him to go fast and get Arjuna, so that they would get to see Krishna.
The army had already gathered and Sudhanwa was not there. Angry, the king gave orders for Sudhanwa to be thrown in the hot oil. Sudhanwa then came and the king angry said, what was the point in coming now.All had come except his son. Sudhanwa said he would start immediately.
Prabhavati, Sudhanwa's wife, came there and said it was because of her that he had got delayed.
The king was furious. He said you gave priority to passion over your duty as Kshatriya. Turning to his priest, he asked what was to be done.
The priest said you said you will stick to your word and now are bending. I will not stay in your kingdom anymore. Saying this, the priest left.
Hamsadhwaja said he would go behind the priest and get him back. He gave orders for his son to be thrown in the oil.
Hearing this, Sudhanwa said he would end his life in the hot oil. He said he had one regret that he would be seeing Krishna.

Chandi becomes a rock

Janmajeya asked the sage - Why did the brahmin woman get cursed? The sage said -
There was a sage called Uddalaka. He had a wife called Chandi. Chandi was a stubborn woman who refused to listen to anything her husband said.
One day Uddalaka asked his wife to fetch his water pot for worship. Chandi refused to listen.

One day a sage came to visit Uddalaka along with his disciples. Uddalaka asked Chandi not to welcome the sage and not give them any food. Hearing this, and acting opposite of what her husband said, Chandi welcomed the sage and his disciples and offered them food.

It was the date when Uddalaka was to perform worship for his departed ancestors. The sage who had come visiting, asked Chandi to make arrangements. Chandi refused. Angry the sage cursed her to become a rock. When Chandi wanted to know when she would be relieved, the sage said when Arjuna came chasing his horse and touched the rock, the curse would be gone.

She remained as a rock till Arjuna touched her.

Rock grabs the Horse

Janmajeya asked the sage - Why did Lakshmi curse the Earth? The sage said -
The earth was jealous of the fact that Lakshmi was very much in love with Vishnu. She said she knew that Lakshmi was devoted to Vishnu and she would try and separate the two.
Hearing this Lakshmi cursed the earth to be born as Swaha, the daughter of Jana.
Earth then said Narayana will be born on earth and you will then be separated from him, while I will enjoy his company.

Hearing this, Janmajeya said, Where did the horse go after that?
The sage said -

The horse moved south and came into a forest. There was a huge rock of the way. The horse stood and rubbed its body on the rock. The moment he did so, the rock grabbed the horse. The horse was unable to free itself.

All were wondering how to free the horse. Pradyumna said to Arjuna - In this forest, I see a sage. Let us approach him and see if he can help us.

The sage was teaching Vedas to his disciples when the warriors approached him. Pradyumna and Arjuna apporached the sage and bowed down to him. They explained their situation to him.

The sage said to Arjuna - You are a great devotee of Krishna, and in this time why do you not take His name? The rock is a brahmin woman, Chandi,  who has been cursed. Take Krishna's name and touch the rock. The horse will be released.

The moment Arjuna touched the rock with his two hands, the rock changed into a woman. The woman, released from her curse, went off to her house and the horse was free.

Agni marries Swaha

Janmajeya asked the sage - How was Agni related to Niladhwaja? The sage said -

Niladhwaja was great king. He had a beautiful wife called Jana. They had a daughter called Swaha. Swaha was the earth cursed by Lakshmi to be born as the daughter of Jana.

Swaha grew to be a beautiful maiden.
When it was time for her marriage, Swaha said she did not want to marry a mortal but wanted to marry a God. The king asked her whom she wanted to wed. Swaha said Agni was the most powerful and she wanted him.

The king wanted to know how to get him.

Swaha said if she thought of him, Agni would come there. Saying this, she sat in meditation taking the name of Agni.
Agni appeared before her and asked her what she wanted. Swaha spoke about her wish. Agni agreed to marry her.  The king said he would give his daughter to him, if Agni presided in his kingdom and protected him.

Agni agreed and got married to Swaha.