The festival of Holi turns into a real battle — the Holi-yuddha. Led by Radhika's friends, the gopis take Krishna by storm: they seize him, bind him, and carry him by force into the camp of Srimati Radharani. There they sit him down and pour water fragrant with kasturi over him — performing his abhishek, as though bathing a king on his throne, except this king is a captive. Meanwhile Radhika steals his flute. No wonder: the jewel of his heart she stole long ago — what is a bamboo reed to her now? Krishna is utterly defeated. The Lord of all worlds admits total defeat — captured, kidnapped, dragged to the enemy camp. Then Balarama and his friends confer: "We must get Krishna back, but we will not fight — we will pay a ransom." They gather heaps of jewels and ornaments and offer them for the captive's release. Receiving the ransom, the sakhis let Krishna go. Thus peace was made — and Radhika remained the empress.