Scene 1
An apparition or phantom appears before Jarasandha, father-in-law of Kamsa, and tells him that both share the same asuric (demon-like) nature, Jarasandha, by nature, and he, by birth.Then the phantom narrates the past incidents. He says that he was Tirumilan, Kamsa's real father. Ugrasena was Kamsa's father only to the external world. Once Tirumilan had assumed the form of Ugrasena and dallied with Ugrasena's wife's Aryanari (Padmavathi in most texts). When Aryanari realizes the truth, she curses Tirumilan that a son born of Yadava will kill the asura race. Krishna has now taken birth with a vow to kill the asuras. And Jarasandha has taken a vow to kill Krishna. Therefore it was his duty to help Jarasandha in killing Krishna.
Jarasandha scornfully tells Tirumilan that he could kill Krishna single-handedly without anybody's help and gratify his widowed daughters. Thirumilan says Krishna was not a mere cowherd; even as an infant he had killed Putana and later, the great serpent Kalinga; he had held the Govardhana mountain as an umbrella and had squashed the powerful Kamsa.
Jarasandha says he is undeterred by Krishna's might as he had received the boons of invincibility against the devas, humans and weapons. Tirumilan reminds of plight of Hiranyakashipu who too had received similar boons. He tells Jarasandha that he has a trick to kill Krishna and he shares the secret with him.
Scene 2
In the next scene we see that Krishna is standing on the sea shore and aiming arrows at the sea. He has come here to rescue and bring back his guru Sandipani's son who has disappeared into the sea and is presumed to be dead.On Krishna's order the Sea King appears but pleads innocence saying that the boy was dragged into the sea by king of the conch Panchjanya. Krishna shoots more arrows. Panchjanya rises from the Shankh. Krishna asks why he killed Sandipani's son. Panchajanya answers that the boy disrespected the shankh which was destined to adorn Lord Vishnu's hands.
Krishna smiles and says King Panchjanya has been liberated from his sins and shows him His form. The king now adorns Krishna's hands in the form of Panchjanya conch.
Learning from King Panchajanya that the boy has already been taken to Yamaloka, Krishna goes to Yamaloka. Yama's assistant Chitragupta informs Krishna that he has performed the duty as per the time set for the boy's end in the account books maintained by him. Krishna asks for the record books, but the page pertaining to the boy is blank. Krishna bids him to give the boy's custody to him. He assures Yama that this incident will cast no aspersions on his ability as the dispenser of justice.
On the way, Sage Narada meets Krishna and the boy and asks if his bringing alive the dead boy indicates a lapse on Yama's part. Krishna answers that it was destiny's written rule (vidhi) that Lord would intercept that bring the boy back to life (hence no contradiction to the laws of action or vidhi).
Krishna then presents the boy before the sage and his wife as his gurudakshina. The sage is overjoyed and bows in reverence. But Krishna says he was his disciple and so he should bless him instead.
Scene 3
Dhritarashtra wants to know whether his sons and Shakuni plotted to kill the Pandavas. He asks pointedly if the palace at Varanavata was made of lac. Shakuni is compelled to accept his culpability but absolves Duryodhana of any crime, saying the Kauravas were unaware of his schemes.
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