This chapter tells how Krishna and Balarama killed the wrestlers, how Krishna killed Kamsa and consoled Kamsa's wives, and how the two Lords were reunited with Their mother and father.

Deciding to wrestle, Lord Krishna faced off against Canura, and Lord Baladeva took on Mushtika. Battling arm to arm, head to head, knee to knee and chest to chest, the opponents attacked each other so fiercely that they appeared to be harming even their own bodies. The ladies in the arena, seeing the violent battle, began to condemn the King and all the members of the assembly: "A respectable audience should never have allowed a wrestling match between such huge wrestlers, whose limbs are as tough as lightning bolts, and such tender young boys, who are just entering youth. An intelligent person should never enter an assembly if he sees injustice being done there." Because Vasudeva and Devaki did not fully understand the power of Krishna and Balarama, they became extremely unhappy when they heard the women of the audience speak these words.

Sri Krishna then grabbed Canura's arms, whirled him around several times and threw him to the ground, killing him. Mushtika met a similar fate: after being struck powerfully by Lord Baladeva's palm, he began vomiting blood and then fell down dead. Thereupon the wrestlers named Kuta, Sala and Tosala came forward, but Krishna and Balarama easily killed them with the blows of Their fists and feet. The remaining wrestlers, fearing for their lives, all fled.

Except for Kamsa, everyone present cheered Krishna and Balarama. The King, in a rage, stopped the festive music and ordered that Vasudeva, Nanda, Ugrasena and all the cowherds be severely punished and that Krishna and Balarama be driven from the assembly. Krishna became furious when He heard Kamsa speak this way, and He instantly leapt onto the lofty royal dais. He grabbed Kamsa by the hair, hurled him down onto the floor of the wrestling ring and threw Himself on top of him. In this way, Kamsa met his death. Because out of fear Kamsa had always thought of Krishna, after his death he gained the liberation of having a form like the Lord's.

Kamsa's eight brothers then attacked Krishna, but Balarama easily killed each of them with His club, just as a lion kills defenseless animals. Kettledrums resounded in the sky as the joyful demigods rained down flowers and chanted the glories of Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama.

The wives of Kamsa, grieving for their husband, lamented that he had died because of his violence toward other living beings and his lack of respect for Krishna, the Supreme Soul, who creates, maintains and destroys the entire universe. The Lord consoled the widows, had the funeral rites performed for Kamsa and his brothers and then released His mother and father from bondage. Krishna offered obeisances at His parents' feet, but they, now understanding Him to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, did not embrace Him.