Skandapurana 2.4.16

Nārada said:

Seeing the Daitya approaching again, all the gods along with Vāsava,

trembling with fear, began to praise Viṣṇu:

“Obeisance to you, who by manifold forms such as the Fish and Tortoise are ever engaged in the welfare of devotees, the destroyer of distress,

the maker of creation, preservation, and destruction through the Creator and others, having a mace, conch, lotus, and discus in hand!

To the beloved of Ramā, the slayer of Asuras, whose mount is the enemy of serpents, who wears yellow garments,

the accomplisher and transformer of sacrificial rites and the like, the refuge—to him we bow, we bow!

Obeisance to you, Viṣṇu, the thunderbolt that shatters the mountain of grief of the immortals afflicted by the Daitya!

To him who lies upon the bed of the lord of serpents, whose two eyes are the sun and the moon—to him we bow, we bow!”

Nārada said:

If a man recites this hymn named “Destroyer of Calamity,”

he is never afflicted by calamities, by the grace of Hari.

While the gods were thus offering praise to the enemy of the Danujas,

the distress of the gods was understood by Viṣṇu at that moment.

Rising abruptly, the enemy of Daityas, enraged and sorrowful at heart,

swiftly mounted Garuḍa and spoke these words to Lakṣmī:

The Blessed Lord said:

“Destruction has been wrought upon the gods by your brother Jalaṃdhara.

Summoned by them, I will go today in haste for battle.”

Śrī said:

“If I am dear to you, O Lord, and always possessed of devotion,

then how can my brother be slain by you in battle, O treasure of compassion?”

The Blessed Lord said:

“Because he was born of a portion of Rudra, and also on Brahmā's word,

and out of love for you, this Jalaṃdhara shall certainly not be slain by me.”

Nārada said:

Having spoken thus, mounted upon Garuḍa, bearing conch, discus, mace, and sword,

Viṣṇu went swiftly to fight where those gods were praising him.

Then, distressed by the very fierce wind from the wings of the younger brother of Aruṇa,

buffeted by a whirlwind, the Daityas whirled in the sky like clouds.

Then Jalaṃdhara, seeing the Daityas tormented by the windstorm,

with eyes rolling in fury, then charged at Viṣṇu.

Then a great battle took place between Viṣṇu and the king of the Daityas,

as with their arrows they made the sky seem void of space.

With streams of arrows Viṣṇu cut down the banner, parasol, bow, and horses of the Daitya,

and struck him in the chest with a single arrow.

Then the Daitya, springing up swiftly with mace in hand,

struck Garuḍa on the head and felled him to the earth.

Viṣṇu cut the mace with his sword, as if laughing;

meanwhile, he struck Viṣṇu in the chest with a solid fist.

Then those two of great strength fought in hand-to-hand combat,

making the earth resound with their arms, fists, and knees.

Having fought thus for a very long time, the powerful Viṣṇu,

sounding deep like a raincloud, spoke to the king of the Daityas:

Viṣṇu said:

“Choose a boon, O lord of Daityas! I am pleased with your prowess.

Even that which should not be given, I will give you—whatever is in your heart.”

Jalaṃdhara said:

“If you are pleased, O gracious one, grant me this boon:

dwell today in my house along with my sister, together with your host.”

Nārada said:

Saying “So be it,” the Blessed Lord, together with all the hosts of gods,

then went to the city of Jalaṃdhara along with Ramā.

Jalaṃdhara, having installed Dānavas in the offices of the gods,

the mighty-armed one returned once more to the earth's surface.

Whatever precious objects were among the gods, Gandharvas, and Siddhas,

bringing all that under his control, the son of the ocean remained.

Having stationed the mighty Daitya Niśumbha in the realm of Pātāla,

that powerful one brought Śeṣa and others to the earth's surface.

Having made gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, serpents, Rākṣasas, and humans

citizens in his own city, he ruled the three worlds.

Having thus brought the gods under his control, Jalaṃdhara

protected the subjects righteously, like his own born sons.

None was diseased, none in sorrow, nor anyone ruined;

none was seen to be wretched while he ruled the kingdom according to dharma.

While the lord of Dānavas was thus ruling the earth righteously, I once came with a desire to see,

in order to look upon his splendor and to attend upon the lover of Śrī.

Thus ends the sixteenth chapter, entitled “The Arrival of Nārada at the Assembly of Jalaṃdhara,” in the Kārtikamāsamāhātmya, in the second Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, in the Skandapurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses.