With gentle honesty, Krishna spoke to the grieving queen, “It was out of pride that Kundale was taken, and thus your son met his end. Do not be angry with me, O beautiful one, for what I have done. By your own power, your son has attained the highest state. Therefore, O noble lady, depart in peace—the burden has now been lifted.” Having slain Naraka, the Bhauma, Krishna, accompanied by Satyabhama and the guardians of the worlds, gazed upon the abode of the fallen asura. Together, they entered the house of the mighty Naraka and beheld treasures beyond imagination: inexhaustible wealth and countless precious gems. Pearls, rubies, coral, and transformed beryl glimmered before them, alongside sunstones both small and large, and great, shining crystals. Objects crafted from jambunada gold and pure gold blazed with the brilliance of fire, their cool rays filling the chambers. The house itself glowed with a golden hue, its interior dazzlingly white, and within it Krishna saw Naraka’s limitless riches. Never before had such a heap of wealth been witnessed, not even in the palaces of King Kubera or Mahendra. When both Bhauma and Nishumbha had been slain, Indra, the lord Vasava, approached Krishna, the chief of the Dasharhas, as he sat in majesty, and brought him the jeweled earrings. Alongside these were golden threads, splendid belts, weapons fit for heroes, pure banners, and many-hued garments. There were also monstrous elephants, fearsome in form, with red, misshapen bodies—twenty thousand of these mighty, two-tusked beasts. Eight hundred thousand excellent horses of noble native breeds stood ready, and as many flawless cows as Janardana could desire. “All this wealth, righteously won in the worlds, O subduer of enemies, I shall send to you, O chief of the Vrishnis,” Vasava declared. The treasures of gods and Gandharvas, those of Daityas and Asuras, and all the gold within Naraka’s palace—everything—Vasava swiftly loaded onto Garuda. With Krishna, the lord of the Dasharhas, he set out for Mount Mani. Mount Mani shone in the distance, resembling a mass of intricately woven clouds, its palaces adorned with golden canopies. There stood splendid mansions with jeweled stairways. The women of radiant beauty who dwelled there gazed upon Madhusudana as he arrived. In that heavenly place, the beloved daughters of the foremost Gandharvas and Asuras beheld the unconquered one, Krishna, standing before them. Women with single braids, clad in ochre garments and self-controlled in demeanor, surrounded the mighty-armed Krishna. None there suffered from grief born of austerity or sorrow; their garments were spotless, some even woven from silk. These women gathered together and offered respectful salutations to the lion of the Yadus. With lotus-like eyes, they addressed Hrishikesha: “O best of men, Narada has told us that Govinda would come for the accomplishment of the gods’ purpose. He would slay the asura Naraka, as well as Nishumbha, Mura, Bhauma with his retinue, and the demon Hayagriva. Likewise, he would defeat Panchajana and obtain inexhaustible wealth, and soon, he would set us free. After speaking thus, the steadfast sage Narada departed. We, ever meditating on you, practiced severe austerities. ‘When will we see Madhava, the mighty-armed one, after time has passed?’ With this longing in our hearts, O best of men, we constantly performed penance, though we were guarded by the Danavas.” Then, for the sake of their dearest wish, the blessed Wind-god spoke: “As Narada has said, so it will soon come to pass.” The gods and Gandharvas saw before them the bull-eyed Krishna standing among these supreme women, like a lord of herds among cows. Seeing his face radiant as the moon, their senses delighted, and they joyfully spoke to the mighty-armed one: “O Satyavrata, long ago the Wind-god spoke these words to us here, and so did the great sage Narada, knower of the welfare of all beings. Vishnu, the god Narayana—bearer of conch, discus, mace, and sword—having slain the earthly Naraka, will surely become your husband. By the grace of that foremost sage, the great-souled Narada, and by his very words, it is destined that he shall become our husband. O subduer of foes, how fortunate we are to see and hear what is most dear to us! By beholding this great soul, our purpose is fulfilled.” Seeing all those women overcome with love, Krishna, the best of the Yadus, spoke gently: “O wide-eyed ones, whatever you desire, all shall be yours.” Then the blessed son of Devaki quickly made all of them, along with their treasures and wealth, ascend Garuda. With flocks of birds, elephants, wild beasts, and serpents, adorned with groups of branch-dwelling animals, and with rocky plateaus and stones, the party set forth. The mountain was frequented by boars, antelopes, and deer, with great slopes and precipices, crowded with peacocks of many crests. Before the eyes of all beings, Krishna, the valiant younger brother of Mahendra, uprooted the jewel mountain and placed it upon Garuda. Upendra, Baladeva, and mighty Indra, with the force of their own wings, soared like the peaks of great mountains. Garuda, bearing them all, made a mighty sound in every direction, tearing up mountain peaks and lifting trees as he flew.