O descendant of the Kuru lineage, when Krishna was ceremoniously anointed, a remarkable transformation swept across all beings. Even those known for their harsh or cruel natures found their hearts free from enmity, such was the profound effect of Govinda’s consecration. After the sacred anointing of Govinda—the beloved lord of cows and cowherds—Indra, having received Krishna’s permission and accompanied by the other gods, returned to his heavenly abode. The atmosphere was filled with harmony and reverence. At such times of worship, it is prescribed that one should honor Durgā, Vināyaka, Vyāsa, Viṣvaksena, the teachers, and the gods, each facing their own direction, with appropriate offerings such as sprinkling and other rituals. If resources allow, the deity should be bathed daily with sandalwood, camphor, kuṅkuma, aguru, and fragrant waters, accompanied by sacred mantras. The rites are to be performed with the recitation of hymns such as the Svarṇagharman, the Mahāpuruṣa-vidyā, the Pauruṣa Sūkta, and the Sāman hymns, O King. With garments, sacred threads, ornaments, leaf garlands, and fragrant ointments, the devotee should lovingly adorn the Lord, as is proper. Water for washing the feet, for sipping, fragrant flowers, unbroken rice, incense, lamps, and offerings should be presented with faith. One should prepare sweet rice with jaggery, clarified butter, fried cakes, rice cakes, sweets, curd, soup, and other foods, as available. Daily and on festival days, oiling, massaging, mirrors, tooth-cleaning, bathing, food, drink, singing, dancing, and similar acts should be performed. In the prescribed manner, a consecrated fire-pit with girdle, fuel, and altar should be prepared. The fire is kindled and gathered as directed. After spreading kuśa grass and sprinkling the area, offerings are placed and purified with water, and then offered to the Lord. One should meditate upon Krishna as resplendent as molten gold, bearing the conch, discus, mace, and lotus, shining with four peaceful arms, clothed in garments the color of lotus filaments. He is radiant with crown, bracelets, waistband, splendid armlets, adorned with the mark of Śrīvatsa upon his chest, shining with the Kaustubha gem and a garland of forest flowers. In meditation and worship, the devotee places wooden offerings and those soaked in clarified butter; after offering ghee portions for ancestors and gods, he presents the oblation immersed in ghee. Having worshipped and bowed, gifts are offered to the attendants; reciting the root mantra, he contemplates Brahman, remembering the essence of Nārāyaṇa. Water for sipping and remnants are prepared for Viṣvaksena; then fragrant mouth-fresheners like betel are offered accordingly. Singing, praising, dancing, and enacting the Lord’s deeds, narrating and listening to his stories, the devotee becomes absorbed, even if for a moment. With hymns both high and low, praises from the Purāṇas and even from common speech, the devotee extols the Lord, prays, “Be gracious, O Lord,” and prostrates himself. Placing his head at Krishna’s feet and 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 the Lord upon his head with reverence, if worship is to be concluded, the offering is respectfully returned to the light and again to the supreme light. Whenever and wherever there is faith in worship and the like, the devotee should worship Krishna there, for he is present in all beings and within the self, as the universal soul. By the paths of ritual and yoga—both Vedic and Tantric—a person who worships attains from Krishna the desired perfection in both ways. Establishing his image, one should build a firm temple, with delightful flower gardens for worship and festivals. To ensure the ongoing flow of worship and related rites, on great festivals and daily, one should dedicate fields, shops, towns, and villages, thereby attaining the Lord’s realm. Through consecration, the devotee becomes sovereign over the three worlds with a residence; through worship and the like, he attains Brahma’s world, and by three means, equality with Krishna. Exclusive devotion and yoga lead one to Krishna alone; thus, whoever worships him obtains the path of devotion. Yet, whoever takes what is given to the gods or Brahmins for their maintenance becomes a dung-eater for tens of thousands of years. For the sake of the doer, the essence, and the approver, those who share in the actions, after death, repeatedly obtain the greater fruit of those deeds. Śuka continued: On the eleventh day, Nanda fasted and worshipped Janārdana; on the twelfth, he entered the waters of the Kālindī to bathe. But a servant of Varuṇa, an asura, seized him and brought him to Varuṇa’s presence, for Nanda had entered the water at night, disregarding the asuric boundary. The cowherds, unable to see Nanda, cried out, “Krishna! Rama!” Hearing their calls, the Blessed Lord understood that his father had been taken by Varuna. The mighty Krishna, who grants fearlessness to his own, went to that place. Seeing Hrishikesha arrive, the guardian of the world—Varuna—welcomed Krishna with great honor, worshipped him splendidly, and spoke, celebrating the great festival of beholding him. Varuna said, “Today my body is pacified; today, O Lord, my purpose is fulfilled. Those devoted to your feet, O Blessed One, have reached the end of the path. Obeisance to you, O Blessed Lord, Supreme Self, Brahman, where illusion and the imagined creation of worlds are not heard of. Unknowingly, by my own foolishness and ignorance of what should not be done, your father was brought here; may you forgive this. You, who see all, O Krishna, are worthy to show your favor to me as well. O Govinda, lover of your father, let your father be taken back.” Thus propitiated, Krishna, the Lord of lords, took his father and returned, bringing joy to his relatives. Nanda, having witnessed the extraordinary glory of the guardian of the world and their reverence for Krishna, spoke to his kinsmen, astonished. The cowherds, their minds eager, wondered, “Will this Lord show us our own subtle destination?” Krishna, knowing the minds of his people, considered their wish with compassion, intent on fulfilling their desire.