Let us contemplate the Supreme Lord, who is the very embodiment of pure knowledge, ever established in His own true nature. In Him, every purpose finds fulfillment, and His desires never fail. By His own radiant splendor, He remains forever free from illusion, and from Him flows the very stream of all qualities. To that Lord, the refuge of all beings, I bow in reverence. By His wondrous power of illusion, He has created all distinctions in the world, and, for the sake of divine play, has taken on a human form as the foremost among the Yadus, Vṛṣṇis, and Sātvatas. Śuka continued: Thus, after bowing to Kṛṣṇa, the chief of the Yadus, the foremost of sages among devotees, having received permission, departed—his heart filled with delight from the vision of the Lord. Meanwhile, Lord Govinda, having vanquished Keśin in battle, tended the cows with His joyful companions, bringing happiness to the land of Vraja. One day, as the cowherds grazed their cattle on the gentle slopes of the mountain, they began to play a lively game of hiding, choosing sides as thieves and protectors. Some played the role of thieves, others as cowherds, and still others as sheep; all joined in the game, fearless and carefree. Among them came Vyoma, the son of Maya and a master of illusion. Disguised as a cowherd, he took the lead among the sheep and, under the pretense of play, led away many who were acting as thieves. The great demon then cast those he had taken into a mountain cave, leaving only four or five outside, and sealed the entrance with a heavy rock. But Kṛṣṇa, the protector of the virtuous, saw through this act. As Vyoma was leading away more of the cowherd boys, Kṛṣṇa seized him just as a lion seizes a wolf. The demon, revealing his own colossal form, as massive as a great mountain, struggled fiercely to escape, but overpowered by the Lord, he could not break free. Acyuta subdued Vyoma with His mighty arms and hurled him to the ground. As the gods watched from the heavens, Kṛṣṇa slew the slayer of cattle. Then, breaking open the entrance of the cave with great effort, He released the trapped cowherd boys. Praised by the gods and His companions, Kṛṣṇa returned to His beloved Vraja. Thus concludes the thirty-seventh chapter, entitled "The Slaying of Vyomāsura," in the first half of the tenth book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas. Śuka continued: At this time, Akrūra, the wise and devoted, spent the night in Mathurā. At dawn, he mounted his chariot and set out for Nanda’s Gokula. As he traveled the road, his heart overflowing with devotion for the Lord of lotus eyes, he reflected deeply: "What great merit have I earned, what austerities have I performed, or what worthy gifts have I given, that today I shall behold Keśava? To me, this vision of the Lord of glorious fame is exceedingly rare—just as the sacred chanting of Brahman is rare for one born as a śūdra, entangled in sense pleasures. May it not be that even for one as fallen as myself, the vision of Acyuta is denied; for sometimes, even one being swept away by the river of Time manages to cross over. Today, my misfortune is destroyed and my life has found its true purpose, for I shall bow to the lotus feet of the Lord, which are the object of meditation for yogis. Indeed, today Kaṁsa has unknowingly favored me, for I shall see the lotus feet of Hari—those very feet whose radiant nails once dispelled the impenetrable darkness that even the ancient sages could not cross. Those divine feet are worshipped by Brahmā, Śiva, and all the gods, by the goddess Śrī, by the sages, and by the Sātvatas. They wander the forest paths with His companions as He tends the cows, and are marked by the saffron of the gopīs’ breasts. Surely, I shall behold Mukunda’s face—so beautiful, with charming cheeks and nose, smiling lips, and lotus-like, reddish eyes, framed by curling locks, around which deer move in circumambulation. Perhaps today my eyes will finally achieve their highest purpose by beholding Viṣṇu, who has taken human form by His own will to relieve the earth’s burden, and who is the very embodiment of beauty. He, whom I am about to see, though free from ego and duality, dispels the darkness of ignorance by His own radiance. By His māyā, He is perceived in the homes of all beings through their very life, senses, and intellect. His words—filled with auspicious qualities, deeds, and birth—destroy all inauspiciousness, enliven, purify, and sanctify the world. Those who remain indifferent to Him are like beautiful corpses. He has descended in the lineage of the Sātvatas, bringing joy to the best of the gods, spreading His fame, and dwelling in Vraja, where the gods sing of His all-auspicious deeds. Today, surely, I shall see Him—the goal of the great, the teacher, the delight of the three worlds, the festival for the eyes, who bears a form that is the cherished abode of Śrī—with my own eyes at the break of dawn. Then, as He descends from the chariot with the Lord, I shall attain for myself the feet that even yogis hold in their minds. I shall bow to them, as will His friends and the dwellers of the forest. Perhaps the Lord will place His own lotus hand upon my head as I fall at His feet, granting fearlessness to those terrified by the serpent of Time and seeking refuge. It is by that touch that Viśvāmitra and Bali, having offered worship, attained lordship of the three worlds; or, in play, He removed the fatigue of the women of Vraja with His fragrant hand. Acyuta, who sees all, will not regard me with enmity, even though I am Kaṁsa’s messenger; for He, the knower of the field, perceives with pure vision all that is done, within and without, by the mind. Perhaps He will look upon me, fallen at His feet with folded hands, with a gentle, smiling, compassionate gaze; and at once, all my sins will be destroyed, and I shall experience great, fearless joy. Then, the best of friends, my kinsman, my only deity, will embrace me with His broad arms; for at that very moment, He sanctifies me, and the bondage born of karma is dispelled. When I, bowing with folded hands, attain the touch of His limbs, He will speak to me; and if, though born as humans, we are not honored by Him, then such a birth is truly to be lamented. He has no one whom He regards as dearest, nor any best friend, nor does He neglect or hate anyone; yet, just as the wish-fulfilling tree bestows gifts on those who approach it, so does He favor His devotees. Indeed, the eldest and foremost among the Yadus, smiling, embraced Akrūra—who had bowed with folded hands—and led him into the house, where all honors had been prepared. He inquired about the troubles caused by Kaṁsa among His relatives. Śuka continued: Thus, while reflecting on Kṛṣṇa, the son of Śvaphalka, Akrūra arrived at Gokula by chariot, just as the sun reaches the western mountain at dusk. There, in the settlement of the cowherds, he saw the footprints of the Lord—whose dust is borne upon the crowns of all the rulers of the worlds—distinguished by marks such as the lotus, barleycorn, and goad. Overwhelmed with joy and reverence at this sight, his eyes filled with tears and his hair stood on end with love. He descended from the chariot and moved among the footprints, exclaiming, "Ah! These are the dust of the Lord’s feet!" For all embodied beings, the greatest blessing is to abandon pride, fear, and sorrow—an achievement first made possible by seeing, hearing, and coming into contact with the signs of Hari.