Vyoma, the son of Maya and master of illusion, once took on the guise of a cowherd boy amidst Krishna’s companions. Pretending to be the leader in their playful game of thieves and sheep, he slyly led many of the boys away from the group. One by one, the great demon Vyoma herded his unsuspecting playmates into a mountain cave. When only four or five remained outside, he sealed the cave’s entrance with a heavy rock, trapping them within. Krishna, the ever-compassionate protector of the virtuous, quickly realized what had happened. As Vyoma attempted to lead away more boys, Krishna seized him with the strength and swiftness of a lion pouncing upon a wolf. The demon, abandoning his disguise, revealed his true, mountainous form and struggled mightily to break free. Yet, despite his immense power, Vyoma could not escape Krishna’s grasp. With His powerful arms, Acyuta subdued the demon, hurled him to the ground, and, as the gods looked on from the heavens, He slew the cattle-killer. Krishna then broke open the rock sealing the cave and, though it took some effort, freed the imprisoned cowherd boys. The gods and the cowherds alike offered Him their heartfelt praises as Krishna returned to His beloved Vraja. Thus concludes the thirty-seventh chapter, “The Slaying of Vyomāsura,” in the first half of the tenth book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture cherished by the paramahaṃsas. As the next chapter begins, Śuka continued: Akrūra, wise and devoted, spent the night in Mathurā. At dawn, he mounted his chariot and set out for Nanda’s Gokula. As he traveled along the road, his heart brimmed with devotion for the Lord with lotus eyes, and he reflected deeply. “What good deed have I performed, what austerity have I practiced, or what worthy gift have I given, that today I am destined to behold Keśava?” he wondered. “To see the Lord of such excellent fame is a rare blessing for me, as rare as the chanting of Brahman’s name for one born as a śūdra, attached to sense pleasures. May it not be that even for one as fallen as myself, the vision of Acyuta is denied—for sometimes, even one swept away by the river of Time is able to cross over. “Today my misfortune is destroyed and my life has borne fruit, for I shall bow before the lotus feet of the Lord, which are the constant object of yogis’ meditation. Indeed, Kaṁsa has shown me the greatest favor, for I shall see the lotus feet of Hari—incarnate on earth—whose nails once dispelled the darkness that even the ancients could not cross. “Those feet, worshipped by Brahmā, Śiva, all the gods, the goddess Śrī, the sages, and the Sātvatas, wander through the forest with His companions, tending the cows, and are marked with the saffron from the gopīs’ breasts. Surely I shall behold Mukunda’s face, with its beautiful cheeks and nose, its smiling glances and reddish lotus eyes, framed by curling locks, around which deer move in circumambulation. “Perhaps today my eyes will finally attain their highest purpose by beholding Viṣṇu, who has taken human form to relieve the earth’s burden, the very embodiment of beauty. He whom I am about to see, though free from ego and duality, dispels the darkness of ignorance with His own radiance; by His māyā He is perceived in the homes of all beings, through their life, senses, and intellect. “His words, filled with auspicious qualities, deeds, and birth, destroy all inauspiciousness, enliven and purify the world; those indifferent to them are like beautiful corpses. He has descended in the lineage of the Sātvatas, bringing joy to the best of the gods and spreading His fame, dwelling in Vraja, where the gods sing of His all-auspicious deeds. “Today, surely, I shall see Him—the supreme goal, the teacher, the delight of the three worlds, the festival for the eyes, the very abode of Śrī—with my own eyes at dawn. When He descends from the chariot with the Lord, I shall obtain 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 lotus hand upon my head as I fall at His feet, granting fearlessness to those terrified by the serpent of Time and seeking refuge. By that touch, Kauśika (Viśvāmitra) and Bali attained lordship over the three worlds after offering their worship; 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 all that is done, within and without, by the mind, with pure vision. 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 know fearless joy. “Then, the best of friends, my kinsman, my only deity, will embrace me with His broad arms; for at that moment, He sanctifies me and my bondage, born of karma, is dispelled. When I, bowing with folded hands, attain the touch of His limbs, He will speak to me; but if, though born as a human, I am not honored by Him, then such a birth is truly to be lamented. “He has no one as dearest, no best friend, nor anyone unloved, hated, or neglected; yet, like the wish-fulfilling tree that gives to all who approach, He favors His devotees.” And so it was: the eldest and foremost among the Yadus, smiling, embraced him who bowed with folded hands, led him into the house where all honors were prepared, and inquired about the troubles caused by Kaṁsa among his relatives. Śuka continued: Thus, as Akrūra reflected on Krishna while journeying, he arrived at Gokula by chariot, just as the sun reaches the western mountain at day’s end. In the cowherd settlement, Akrūra saw the footprints of the Lord—whose dust is worn by all the rulers of the worlds upon their crowns—distinguished by the marks of the lotus, barleycorn, and goad. Overcome with joy and reverence, his eyes brimming with tears and his hair standing on end from love, he descended from his chariot and moved among the footprints, exclaiming, “Ah! This is the dust of the Lord’s feet!” For embodied beings, the greatest benefit is to abandon pride, fear, and sorrow, which is first achieved by seeing, hearing, and coming into contact with the signs of Hari. Akrūra then beheld Krishna and Rama in Vraja, returning from the milking of the cows, clad in yellow and blue garments, their eyes like autumn lotuses. In the full bloom of youth, one dark and one fair, they were the very abodes of beauty, with broad arms, handsome faces, splendid forms, and the strength and gait of young elephants. Their feet, marked by banners, thunderbolts, goads, and lotuses, adorned Vraja as they walked, their glances smiling and filled with compassion. Noble and charming in their play, adorned with garlands and forest wreaths, their bodies anointed with sacred fragrances, bathed and clad in spotless garments, the two—primeval Purushas, causes and lords of the world—had descended for the sake of the earth as Balarama and Keshava, each with their own portion. O King, they dispelled the darkness in all directions with their radiance, like an emerald mountain and a silver one adorned with gold.