He beheld the Supreme Lord present within all beings as his very own Self, and at the same time, saw all beings abiding within the Lord who dwelt within his own heart. Freed from all desire and aversion, with an even mind toward every creature, and endowed with unwavering devotion, he thus attained the exalted state of a true devotee of the Lord. In his vision, the Lord appeared radiant, adorned with a resplendent crown, bracelets, necklace, anklets, and girdle. He shone with the symbols of conch, discus, mace, lotus, and garland, and was embellished with the finest jewels, his form effulgent with supreme splendor. Upon his auspicious neck rested the Kaustubha gem, and his shoulders were broad and majestic like those of a lion, his glory unfading and his form shining like a flawless touchstone. His abdomen bore three graceful lines, moving gently with the rhythm of his breath, as if the entire universe was being drawn in and released with the deep whirl of his navel. He wore a brilliant yellow garment, fastened with a golden belt across his dark hips, and his thighs, knees, and shins were perfectly formed, beautiful to behold. His feet glowed like autumn lotuses, their radiant nails dispelling all inner darkness. O Teacher, reveal your own feet, for they are the path by which seekers cross the gloom of ignorance. This divine form is to be meditated upon by all who seek purification of the self; devotion to it grants fearlessness to those who sincerely perform their duties. Though difficult to attain for embodied beings, the Lord is accessible to the devoted, and even mastery over the self is considered inferior to the supreme realization gained through exclusive devotion. Who, having worshipped Him—He who is hard to approach even for the virtuous—would desire anything apart from His blessed feet? For those indifferent to death, who take refuge in Him, even the mighty destroyer of life cannot approach, though he devastates the universe with the fierce arching of his brows. Not even the joys of heaven or liberation can compare to even half a moment spent in the company of the Lord’s devotees—how much less, then, can any other blessing be weighed against such association? Therefore, O sinless one, let us seek the company of those pure-hearted souls who are compassionate to all beings, whose sins are washed away by constant remembrance of Your sacred fame. This alone is Your highest grace to us. The sage whose mind is undistracted by external objects, who does not enter the darkness of ignorance, and whose mind is purified by devotion and yoga, surely perceives Your path. That reality in which the universe appears, by which it is illumined—the supreme Brahman, the highest light—is vast and all-pervading like space. By His own wondrous power of illusion, He creates the world of many forms, sustains it, and dissolves it again, remaining unchanged. The perception of difference arises only from the restless mind; truly, the Lord is self-dependent. With faith, yogis worship Him alone through various rituals, seeking perfection. He is perceived in all beings, senses, and the mind; thus, those learned in the Vedas and Tantras know Him. He is the primeval Person, whose power lies dormant; by that power, the modes of goodness, passion, and darkness are differentiated. From Him arise the great ego, space, air, fire, water, earth, the gods, the sages, and all beings. Entering this creation by His own power, He dwells within the fourfold body as a portion of the Self. The wise know that Person, abiding within, who enjoys the essence of the senses as one savors honey. As the swift chariot of time, He draws all worlds with irresistible force; the elements, subtle as they are, are like passing clouds, and He is like the mighty wind—unbearable and unstoppable. While people, intoxicated and distracted by thoughts of action, greedily long for sense objects, He, ever alert, suddenly seizes them, just as a snake swiftly devours a mouse. What wise person would abandon His lotus feet, the very abode of honor and humility? Even the fourteen Manus, out of reverence and fear of falling from their positions, worshipped Him. Therefore, O Brahman, Supreme Self, You are the refuge of the wise; when the universe trembles in fear of Rudra, You alone are the shelter free from all fear. Recite this, O noble sons of kings, remaining pure, performing your duties, and offering your intentions to the Lord—may all be well for you. Worship that very Self, who abides within all beings, praising and meditating constantly on Hari. Having received this instruction in yoga, maintaining the vows of sages, and with concentrated minds, may you all practice this with reverence. Long ago, the Lord, the master of creation, imparted this teaching to us, desiring to bring forth the sons of Bhṛgu and others, and to those wishing to create. We, all the lords of progeny, were not prompted in the creation of beings; but by this knowledge, with darkness dispelled, we set forth to create various creatures. Now, one who is always engaged, who recites this attentively, soon attains the highest good, being devoted to Vāsudeva. Here, the supreme knowledge is the highest welfare for all; with the boat of this wisdom, one easily crosses the difficult ocean of misfortune. Whoever, with faith, recites this praise of the Lord sung by me, worships Hari, who is otherwise hard to worship. A person obtains from this whatever he desires, swiftly, from the song sung by me, which is dear to the highest welfare. Whoever, rising early, with joined palms and filled with faith, hears or recites this, is freed from the bonds of karma. O sons of men-gods, this song, this praise of the Supreme Person, the Paramātmā, has been sung by me; recite it with focused mind as great austerity, practice it, and in the end you will attain your desired goal. Meanwhile, out of anger, Indra poured down a torrent of rain, fierce as clubs, upon the land of Vraja, for the protection of its people and the lifting of Govardhana. Indra, enraged, summoned the destructive clouds known as Sāṃvartaka and commanded them with words full of authority. He exclaimed, “Ah! The pride and audacity of these cowherds, dwellers of the forest, who, relying on Krishna—a mere mortal—have shown disrespect to the gods! Just as some, abandoning the true science of inquiry, seek to cross the ocean of existence with mere rituals and the power of names, so too do these cowherds, depending on Krishna—a talkative, childish, arrogant, and ignorant one who thinks himself wise—commit wrong against me. Blinded by their own wealth and puffed up by Krishna, they destroy their pride born of prosperity and drive their cattle to ruin.” Thus, the stage was set for the Lord’s divine play, the hearts of the devotees fixed in faith, and the power of devotion revealed as supreme above all.