Purañjana, accompanied by those who bear knowledge, entered the northern Pañcāla region through the northern gate of his city, known as Devahū. Turning westward, he passed through the gate called Āsurī, entering the territory of Grāmaka, this time in the company of arrogance. Again, through the western gate named Nirṛti, he made his way into the region of Vaiśasa, led by greed. Within his city, two gates, Andha and Avamīṣā, remained silent and skillful, yet their lord, endowed with vision, moved through them and acted as he wished. Entering his inner chambers with Viṣūcī, Purañjana became subject to delusion, tasting pleasure and joy born of his wife and children. Absorbed in various actions, driven by desire, and shrouded in ignorance, he found himself following the wishes of his queen, deceived by her charm. Sometimes, when she drank wine, he too became intoxicated; when she ate, he ate; when she delighted in enjoyment, he joined her. When she sang, he sang; when she wept, he wept; when she laughed, he laughed; and when she spoke, he replied. If she ran, he ran beside her; if she stood, he stood; if she lay down, he lay with her; and sometimes he simply sat by her side. When she listened, he listened; when she gazed, he looked; when she smelled, he smelled; when she touched, he touched. If she grieved, he shared her sorrow; if she rejoiced, he rejoiced with her. Thus, deceived by his wife’s qualities, even when reluctant, the ignorant man imitated her every move, like a plaything in her hands, out of sheer weakness. At this point, Śuka continued his narration. Witnessing the extraordinary deeds of Kṛṣṇa, the cowherds of Vraja, amazed and not understanding his true power, approached Nanda, their leader, recalling the words of the sage Garga. They said, “These acts of your boy are truly astonishing—how could such a child be born among us villagers, whose children are usually unremarkable? How could a mere seven-day-old, with effortless grace, hold aloft the great mountain with one hand, just as the king of elephants lifts a lotus? With his eyes half-closed in childish innocence, he drank the breast milk of the mighty Pūtanā, along with her very life, as time devours all. Once, as an infant, when he lay beneath a cart, his little feet struck it, and the wheel fell, overturned, as he cried and kicked. At one year old, he was seized and carried through the sky by the demon Tṛṇāvarta, but he overcame that great affliction. When his mother tied him to a mortar for stealing butter, he crawled between two arjuna trees and brought them down with his arms. “In the forest, tending calves with other boys around him, he tore apart the mouth of the demon Baka, though Baka meant to kill him. When another demon, disguised as a calf, entered among the herd to harm him, he slew him and, as if in play, knocked down the kapittha fruits. He killed the ass-demon and his powerful companions, making the tāla grove safe and full of ripe fruit. By his strength, he slew the fierce Pralamba demon, and rescued the cows and cowherds from the forest fire. He subdued the great serpent king, drained of pride, and drove him from the lake, making the waters of the Yamunā pure once more. “All the people of Vraja feel a love for him that cannot be abandoned. Nanda, how could such spontaneous affection arise in us for your son? How can a seven-day-old child perform such a feat as holding up a mountain? O leader of Vraja, these things fill us with doubt about your boy.” Nanda replied, “Listen to me, dear friends, and let your doubts be dispelled. The Yadu sage, Garga, spoke to me about this child. He told me that this illustrious one has taken on three colors in previous ages—white, red, and yellow—and now, he appears dark. In a former birth, he was born as the son of Vasudeva; now, he is my son. The wise call him Vāsudeva. Your son has many names and forms, reflecting his many qualities and deeds. I know them, but most people do not. “This beloved of the cowherds and of Gokula will bring you all prosperity; through him, you will easily overcome all dangers. In ancient times, when the virtuous were oppressed by robbers in a land without a king, he protected them and, united together, they defeated the bandits. Those who develop affection for him are never overcome by misfortune, just as demons cannot harm those protected by Viṣṇu. Therefore, my son is equal to Nārāyaṇa in qualities, fortune, fame, and influence; thus, there is no wonder in his actions. “Having been directly instructed by Garga, and after he returned to his home, I have come to consider Kṛṣṇa, the doer of effortless deeds, as a portion of Nārāyaṇa.” Hearing Nanda’s words and Garga’s pronouncements, the residents of Vraja, having seen and heard of Kṛṣṇa’s immeasurable brilliance, honored both Nanda and Kṛṣṇa with joy, now free from astonishment. When Indra, angered by the disruption of his sacrifice, sent torrents of rain, hail, and wind to afflict the cowherds and their cattle, they turned to Kṛṣṇa, their only refuge. Seeing them distressed, Kṛṣṇa smiled with compassion, and, as easily as a child lifts a toy, he uprooted the mountain with one hand and held it aloft, sheltering the cowherd community. Indra, proud of his power, was not pleased with the cows. Thus concludes the twenty-sixth chapter of the first part of the tenth book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the great Purāṇa, the scripture of the supreme renunciates. The saints, unattached and absorbed in the Supreme, remain peaceful, seeing all equally, free from possessiveness and ego, undisturbed by dualities, and without greed. Among them, O fortunate one, my stories are always recounted by the most blessed; these stories purify those who cherish them, removing all sin.