Absorbed completely in Krishna, their minds ever fixed on him, their words spoken only of him, their actions imitating his every movement, and their very selves wholly devoted to his service, the people sang only of his virtues. So enraptured were they that they forgot even their own homes, all sense of self lost in their love for him. Once more, they gathered together along the banks of the sacred Yamunā, their thoughts unwaveringly centered on Krishna. Longing deeply for his arrival, they sang his praises, their voices blending in a chorus of devotion. But then, O King, anger overtook them, and as if at the end of the age, they released fire and wind from their mouths, threatening to render the earth barren like the terrible Samvartaka fire that consumes all at the time of dissolution. The trees, caught in the fury, began to burn to ashes. At this moment, Brahmā himself appeared, witnessing the destruction. He pacified the sons of Barhiṣmat with wise and gentle counsel, calming their wrath. The remaining trees, trembling with fear, offered their daughter to the Pracetas, just as Svayambhū had instructed. By Brahmā’s command, the Pracetas accepted Māriṣā. From her, due to a great offense, would be born the one destined to become the progenitor of all living beings. When the interval of the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara arrived and the cycle of creation began anew, time itself impelled Dakṣa to create the beings he desired. Dakṣa, whose brilliance at birth outshone all others, was renowned for his skill and deeds, earning him the name "the able one." He, who is without beginning, installed Dakṣa as the creator and protector of beings, appointing him and others as lords over all creatures. Meanwhile, in Vraja, the gopīs sang to Krishna: "Vraja flourishes because of your birth; Lakshmi herself dwells here. Beloved, let your devotees be seen everywhere, for those whose lives depend on you are ever searching for your presence. "O noble one, on this autumn night, your gaze steals the beauty from the very heart of the lotus. Lord of love, we are your unpaid servants—giver of boons, can it be right for you to let us perish here? "O supreme one, you have protected us time and again—from the poison in the water, from the serpent-demon, from storms, lightning, fire, from the son of the rain-god, and from every danger. "You are not merely the delight of the gopīs; you are the inner witness in all beings. At Brahmā’s request, you appeared in the Sātvata clan to protect the world. "O foremost of the Vṛṣṇis, your feet are a shelter for all who approach, freeing them from the fear of worldly existence. Beloved, whose lotus hands grant every desire, place your auspicious touch upon our heads. "O hero, remover of Vraja’s suffering, your smile destroys the pride of your own people. Friend, accept us as your servants and show us your beautiful, lotus-like face. "Destroyer of sin for those who bow, follower of those who graze grass, abode of fortune, your lotus feet were worshipped by the serpent’s hoods. Place them on our breasts and relieve the pain in our hearts. "With sweet speech, charming words, and wisdom that delights the mind, O lotus-eyed one, you bewilder us. Hero, nourish us with the nectar of your lips. "The nectar of your stories is life itself for the suffering; praised by poets, it removes all sin. Hearing them brings auspiciousness and wealth—those who spread them are truly generous. "Your laughter, your loving glances, your playful acts, and your meditations are all auspicious. The secret conversations that touch our hearts, O enchanter, disturb our minds. "When you wander from Vraja, herding the cows, O lord, your soft lotus feet tread on stones, grass, and shoots. Our minds, afflicted by longing, follow you, beloved. "At the end of the day, with your blue hair and a face adorned with forest flowers and dust, you appear again and again, O hero, stirring love in our hearts. "Your lotus feet, which fulfill the desires of those who bow, are worshipped by Lakshmi and are worthy of meditation in adversity. Beloved, place them upon our breasts and relieve our pain. "Your lips, touched by the melodious flute, increase love and destroy sorrow, making people forget all other passions. O hero, grant us the nectar of your lips. "When you wander the forest by day, for those who do not see you, a moment becomes an age. Your curly hair and beautiful face are hidden from our eyes by our own eyelids. "Abandoning husbands, sons, families, brothers, and relatives, we have come to you, O infallible one. Knowing your path, enchanted by your song, what woman could return home at night? "The secret conversations, the rising of love in the heart, your smiling face, loving glances, and the splendor of your broad chest, O abode of fortune, repeatedly cause our minds to long and become bewildered. "O embodiment of auspiciousness for all in Vraja, your presence alone destroys suffering and brings universal blessings. If only, beloved, you would withdraw even slightly from those whose hearts are afflicted with longing, for your absence alone is the cure for the pain of separation. "O beloved, we gently place your beautiful lotus feet upon our breasts, though we fear their hardness. Is it for this reason you wander the forest, and do your feet not feel pain from the sharp stones? Our minds, sustained by your life, never stray from you." Thus concludes the chapter known as "The Song of the Gopīs," in the first half of the Tenth Book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the great Purāṇa, the scripture of the supreme renunciates. In time, when Krishna departed from this world, the wives of Rāma entered the fire, united in spirit with him. The wives of Vasudeva, the daughters-in-law of Hari, including those of Pradyumna, and the wives of Krishna, led by Rukmiṇī, all entered the fire, their hearts joined with their beloved. Arjuna, overwhelmed by the pain of separation from his dearest friend Krishna, found solace by singing songs and recalling wise sayings about him. He performed the proper funeral rites for his relatives whose lineage had been lost, arranging everything in due order for those who had fallen. Soon after, the ocean rose and flooded Dvārakā, which had been abandoned by Hari, in a single moment, sparing only the splendid abode of the Lord. There, Madhusūdana is eternally present, removing all evil by remembrance, the most auspicious among all that is auspicious. Arjuna took the surviving women, children, and elders, and brought them to Indraprastha, installing Vajra as king. When news of the deaths of their friends reached them, Arjuna’s grandfathers appointed you, O King, as the bearer of the lineage, and then they all departed on the great path. Whoever, with faith, recounts the deeds and birth of Viṣṇu, Lord of the gods, is freed from all sins. By hearing and reciting the charming descents, heroic deeds, and childhood exploits of Hari, the Lord, whether here or elsewhere, one attains supreme devotion on the path of the highest renunciates. But one who, driven by pride, anger, and desire, engages in conflict with others who are equally desirous, brings ruin upon himself. The ignorant soul, bound in a body composed of the five elements, clings to the false notions of "I" and "mine," and this misguided thinking gives rise to a faulty intellect.