Indra, humbled and repentant, stood before Krishna and spoke with sincerity, admitting his fault. “Those like me, who disregard your command and imagine themselves as lords of the world, upon seeing you at the proper time, quickly lose their arrogance and abandon the noble path, acting with disrespect. Yet, even for the wicked, your instruction is effective.” Indra pleaded, “O Lord, please forgive my offense, committed out of ignorance and pride in my own power. My mind was deluded; may such unworthy thoughts never arise in me again.” He acknowledged Krishna’s divine purpose: “This descent of yours, O Adhokṣaja, is for the removal of the heavy burden of the earth caused by powerful rulers, for the destruction of armies, and for the welfare of those who follow your feet.” With reverence, Indra offered salutations: “Salutations to you, O Blessed One, the Supreme Person, the Great Soul; salutations to Vāsudeva, to Krishna, to the Lord of the Sātvatas. Salutations to the one who assumes a body at will, whose form is pure knowledge, to the all-pervading, the seed of all, the soul of all beings.” Indra confessed his misdeeds: “It was I who, driven by pride and intense anger, acted to destroy this cowherd settlement with storms and winds, after the sacrifice was interrupted by the arrogant. By your grace, I am freed from pride and my futile effort is destroyed; I have taken refuge in you, the Lord, the teacher, and the self.” Śuka, the sage, narrated: Krishna was thus praised by Maghavan (Indra), and the Blessed One, smiling, spoke with a voice deep as thunderclouds. Krishna said, “O Maghavan, I broke your sacrifice to show you favor, so that you would always remember me, and not be intoxicated by Indra’s glory. One blinded by pride in wealth and power does not see the wielder of the rod; I deprive such a person of their prosperity whenever I wish to show them mercy. Go now, Śakra; may all be well with you. Let my instruction be followed. Remain in your own duties, free from pride and properly engaged.” Then Surabhi, the divine cow, thoughtful and full of devotion, approached Krishna, who stood as the Lord in the form of a cowherd, accompanied by her offspring, and offered her respects. Surabhi spoke, “Krishna, Krishna, great yogi, soul of the universe, origin of all, by you, the Lord of the worlds, we are protected, O infallible one. You are our supreme deity, not Indra, O Lord of the world; for the welfare of cows, brahmins, gods, and the virtuous, you exist. We, prompted by Brahmā, shall anoint you, O Indra. You have descended, O Soul of the Universe, to remove the burden of the earth.” Śuka continued: Surabhi then bathed Krishna with her own milk, and Airāvata, Indra’s elephant, brought waters from the celestial Gaṅgā to wash him. Indra, together with the sages among the gods and prompted by the mothers of the gods, anointed Krishna, the descendant of Daśārha, addressing him as Govinda. Tumburu, Nārada, and others—Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas—arrived, singing the fame of Hari, which destroys the impurities of the worlds, while the celestial women danced with joy. The leaders of the divine hosts praised Krishna and showered wondrous rains of flowers; the three worlds attained supreme delight, and the cows gave forth streams of milk. The rivers and trees flowed with honey; grains and herbs grew without cultivation, and the mountains bore precious gems. When Krishna was anointed, all beings—even those cruel by nature—became free from enmity. Thus, after anointing Govinda, lord of the cows and cowherds, Indra, permitted by Krishna and accompanied by the gods and others, returned to heaven. Śuka then explained the proper worship of the Lord: One should worship Durgā, Vināyaka, Vyāsa, Viṣvaksena, the teachers, and the gods, each facing their own direction, with offerings such as sprinkling and others. With sandalwood, camphor, kuṅkuma, aguru, and fragrant waters, one should bathe the deity with mantras daily, if resources allow. With the recitation of the Svarṇagharman hymn, the Mahāpuruṣa-vidyā, the Pauruṣa Sūkta, and Sāman hymns, the rites should be performed. With garments, sacred threads, ornaments, leaf-garlands, and fragrant ointments, the devotee should adorn the Lord with love, as is proper. Water for washing the feet, for sipping, fragrance, flowers, unbroken rice, incense, lamps, and offerings should be presented with faith. Offerings such as sweet rice with jaggery, clarified butter, fried cakes, rice cakes, sweets, curd, soup, and other foods, if available, should be prepared. Oiling, massaging, mirrors, tooth-cleaning, bathing, food, drink, singing, dancing, and the like should be performed daily and on festival days. In the prescribed manner, in a consecrated fire-pit with girdle, fuel, and altar, one should kindle the fire and gather it all around, as directed by hand. After spreading kuśa grass, sprinkling the area, placing the offerings as prescribed, and purifying them with water, the worshipper should approach the fire and offer them to the Lord. One should meditate on Krishna as resplendent as molten gold, holding conch, discus, mace, and lotus, shining with four arms, peaceful and clad in garments the color of lotus filaments. He is radiant with crown, bracelets, waistband, and splendid armlets; adorned with the mark of Śrīvatsa upon the chest, shining with the Kaustubha gem and a garland of forest flowers. Meditating and worshipping, the devotee places the wooden offerings and those soaked in clarified butter; after offering portions of ghee for the ancestors and the gods, he presents the oblation immersed in ghee. Having worshipped and bowed, he offers gifts to the attendants; reciting the root mantra, he contemplates Brahman, remembering the essence of Nārāyaṇa. After giving water for sipping and the remnants, he prepares them for Viṣvaksena; then, with fragrant mouth-fresheners such as betel, he offers them accordingly. Singing, praising, dancing, and enacting deeds of Krishna; narrating and listening to his stories, for a moment the devotee becomes absorbed. With hymns, both high and low, and praises from the Purāṇas and even from common speech, having extolled the Lord, he prays, “Be gracious, O Lord,” and prostrates himself. Placing his head at Krishna’s feet and his arms crossed, he implores, “Protect me, O Lord! I have surrendered, frightened by the ocean of death and its snares.” Thus, placing the remainder given by Krishna upon his head with reverence, if he is to conclude the worship, he should respectfully return the offering to the light, and again to the supreme light.