Bhallāṭanagara was the capital city of King Śaśidhvaja, a warrior and thinker who was deeply devoted to Bhagavān Vishṇu. In the Kalki Purāṇa it is the scene of one of the main meetings of Bhagavān Kalki’s Digvijaya (his conquest of the quarters). Śaśidhvaja fought Bhagavān Kalki as his kshatriya-dharma (duty of a warrior) and as an act of devotion. He struck Bhagavān Kalki unconscious and carried him to his palace. He then gave his daughter Ramā, who is the avatāra of Satyabhāmā, in marriage to Bhagavān Kalki. The fight ended not in conquest but in the deepest exchange of bhakti (devotion) of the whole campaign.

The Tṛtīyāṃśa gives the name of the city as Bhallāṭanagara or Bhallāṭa-grāma.

Kalki marches to Bhallāṭanagara

Bhallāṭanagara was the next great target of Bhagavān Kalki’s Digvijaya after he defeated Koka and Vikoka. The text describes Bhagavān Kalki marching there with his whole army. It was hung with banners and flags and went with the sound of many instruments, and the assembled kings rode in their vehicles. (Kalki Purāṇa, Tṛtīyāṃśa, Chapters 7–8)

The city during the battle

During the great battle at the gates of Bhallāṭa, the city became a stage of vast scale. Elephants, horses and chariots blocked the streets. Banners (dhvaja) and chariots (ratha) covered the ground. The sounds of the śaṅkha (conch), the bherī (drum) and the mṛdaṅga (drum) filled the air. The battle was as great as a war of devas and asuras, and the blood of the dead filled the plain “like rivers”.

When the battle was settled, Śaśidhvaja carried the unconscious Bhagavān Kalki to his palace. Then the whole city gathered to see the marriage of Bhagavān Kalki and Ramā. The celebration is described as nānāvidha vādya-gīta-nṛtya (varied music, song and dance), with the auspicious rites (maṅgalācaraṇa) of the women of the city and the gathering of all the kings and brāhmaṇas in the sabhāmaṇḍapa (assembly hall). The city turned from a battlefield into a marriage ground. (Kalki Purāṇa, Tṛtīyāṃśa, Chapters 8–10)

After the battle

The kings gathered, Śaśidhvaja gave his teachings on the nature of reality, Bhagavān Kalki married Ramā, and Śaśidhvaja told the story of his past lives. After that Bhagavān Kalki left Bhallāṭanagara. Śaśidhvaja followed soon after, going to the forest at Haridvāra with Suśānta to do tapas (austerity).

The last royal arrangements for Bhallāṭa are part of the larger gifts of kingdoms in Chapter 14. Sūryaketu, the son of Śaśidhvaja, who had fought so well against Maru, was made king of Mathurā by Bhagavān Kalki. It was an honour for his courage and ability. (Kalki Purāṇa, Tṛtīyāṃśa, Chapters 13–14)

Sources

Kalki Purāṇa, Tṛtīyāṃśa, Chapters 7–14