Once upon a time, Lord Indra was going to Kailash mountain to meet Lord Shiva along with Sage Brihaspati. Lord Shiva came to know about their arrival and he wanted to test his devotion towards him. Lord Shiva met them on their way disguised as a hermit. Indra did not recognize Lord Shiva. Indra inquired as to who he was and where he lived. Lord Shiva sat quietly without replying to his question. After not getting any reply Indra became enraged and threatened him with his thunderbolt. Upon this action, Indra's arm became paralyzed and Shiva neutralized the thunderbolt. Shiva became angry at this action of Indra and his eyes turned red, frightening Indra. The anger caused the third eye to open, nearly killing Indra. Brihaspati recognized Shiva and prayed to him, requesting him to pardon Indra. To avoid killing Indra, Shiva sent the fire from his eye toward the ocean.The effulgence, which had been divided from Lord Shiva into the sea resulted in the manifestation of a small child. The child was crying so loudly that fear was created everywhere. The deities and the sages went to lord Brahma and he assured them to find out the reason. Lord Brahma went to the seashore. The sea put the child in his lap and asked him about the name of that child and his future. Meanwhile, the child pressed Lord Brahma's neck with such power that tears rolled down his eyes. For this reason, he named the child Jalandhar. Lord Brahma said to the sea that the child will become the king of the demons and no deity would be able to kill him except Shiva. After Lord Brahma returned to his abode, the sea took that child to his home and brought up the child with care and love.Jalandhara's childhood was full of wonders. Borne up by the wind, he flew over the ocean; his pets were lions which he had caught, and the largest birds and fishes were subject to him. Jalandhara grew up to be a handsome man and was made the emperor of Asuras by Shukra, their guru. Jalandhara was exceedingly powerful and is 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 Sage Bhrigu came to meet Jalandhar. Jalandhar asked him as to who severed the head of Rahu. Sage Bhrigu told him about Hiranyakashipu who was the maternal uncle of Rahu. Sage Bhrigu also told him about Virochana - the son of the mighty king Bali. He also narrated the story of the churning of the ocean and how ambrosia emerged from the churning the ocean. He told him how Rahu's head was severed by Lord Vishnu while Rahu was sitting among the deities when ambrosia was being distributed to all the deities.He believed that the Devas had treacherously taken his father, Varuna's treasures. He sent one of his messengers, Ghasmar, to Indra to ask him to return his father's treasures. However, Indra refused to do so. A fierce battle took place between the Devas and Asuras. Many warriors were killed on both sides. Shukra revived the Asuras using his Mritsanjivani vidya. Brihaspati revived the dead Devas by using the medicinal herbs from the Drongiri mountain. Shukra ordered Jalandhara to submerge the mountain so Brihaspati cannot use the medicinal herbs to revive the Devas.Jalandhar submerged the Drongiri mountain into the sea and the deities became demoralized and fled from the battlefield Jalandhar captured the Swargaloka. Then deities went to Lord Vishnu and asked for his help. Lord Vishnu agreed to help them, but Goddess Lakshmi considered Jalandhar as her brother because both of them originated from the sea. She asked Lord Vishnu not to kill Jalandhar. Lord Vishnu promised her that he will not kill Jalandhar and he went to fight a battle against Jalandhar. A fierce battle was fought between Lord Vishnu and Jalandhar, which remained indecisive till the end. Lord Vishnu became very much impressed by the valiance of Jalandhar and asked him to demand any boon he liked.Jalandhar requested him to make Ksheersagar (sea of milk) as the abode of Jalandhar along with his sister Goddess Lakshmi. Lord Vishnu agreed to fulfil his wish and started living in the Ksheersagar along with his consort Lakshmi. Being undefeated even by Lord Vishnu, Jalandhar became the ruler of all three worlds. All his subjects were satisfied by his virtuous rule except the deities.The Devas were unhappy about their defeat. They did not wish to be ruled by Jalandhara even though he was the creation of Shiva. The 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 Kailash where Shiva lived and that he wondered whether 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 Parvati's beauty.Jalandhara sends his messenger Rahu to Shiva and accuses him of hypocrisy, pointing out that Shiva claims to be an ascetic but keeps a wife, Parvati. He proposes that Shiva hand over Parvati to him.Rahu went to Lord Shiva and demanded Parvati, which made Lord Shiva very angry. His anger resulted in the creation of a ferocious creature, which ran towards Rahu to devour him. Rahu had no option but to take the refuge of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva protected the life of Rahu. The hungry creature asked Lord Shiva what should he eat to satisfy his hunger. Lord Shiva instructed him to devour his limbs. The creative followed his instructions and devoured his limbs. Lord Shiva was very pleased by his sense of obedience. He named that creature of his palace. He also blessed him saying that he too would be worshipped along with him.Rahu went back to Jalandhar and narrated the whole thing to him. Jalandhar attacked Kailash mountain with his army. A fierce battle was fought between the Shiva-Ganas and the demons. When Jalandhar realized that Lord Shiva had begun to dominate the battle, he created beautiful Apsaras and Gandharvas with his magical powers to divert the attention of Lord Shiva and his ganas. Lord Shiva and his ganas became enchanted by the beauty of the apsaras. They stopped fighting and started watching their dance and music.Meanwhile, Jalandhara disguised himself as Shiva and went to Parvati to trick her. Parvati recognized him and became very angry. Puranas states that on recognizing this deception, Parvati was so enraged that her eyes turned blood red and her face, pitch-black indicating the assumption of her form of Kali. She attempted to attack him but Jalandhara escaped knowing he was no match for the Goddess's anger. Parvati then went to Vishnu and requested him to trick Vrinda just like Jalandhara tried to trick her.Jalandhara's wife Vrinda was very pious. First, Vishnu created an illusion that Jalandhara had been killed by Shiva and is then restored to life by him. Vrinda then embraces Jalandhara who is Vishnu in disguise. Vrinda realizes that it is Vishnu in disguise and curses him that someday someone would trick his wife just like how he had tricked her as a result of which the world will raise a finger at his wife's purity and he would be helpless against the onslaught, for having ruined her chastity. She adds that he will bear the pain of separation from his wife, similar to her husband. She also admonishes him for being stone-hearted and curses that one day he will turn to the stone itself. Saying so, she enters the fire to immolate herself. Vishnu, himself being the overseer of all the boons and curses, accepts Vrinda's curse.On the other side, after the departure of Parvati from Kailash Mountain and after the illusionary powers created by Jalandhar had ended all the apsaras and Gandharvas vanished. Shiva realized that whatever he was watching was nothing more than an illusion. Lord Shiva resumed his battle. The demons Shumbh and Nishumbh came forward to fight with him, but ultimately they had to flee from the battlefield. Then Jalandhar arrived to fight with Lord Shiva. A fierce battle commenced between them. Lord Shiva severed the head of Jalandhar by his 'Chakra, which had been created from his toe. After his death, Jalandhar's soul united with Lord Shiva.
