Śuka continued his narration: Akrura, having journeyed to Vraja, was received with the highest honor by Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa. Seated comfortably upon a couch, he found all the desires he had cherished along the road fulfilled in their gracious company. Truly, when the Supreme Lord—the very abode of all fortune—is pleased, what could ever remain unattainable? Yet, O King, those devoted to Him, their hearts full of love, desire nothing at all. After the evening meal, the Blessed One, Kṛṣṇa, son of Devakī, turned to his friends and inquired about Kamsa—how he had been acting and what his latest intentions were. With gentle affection, Kṛṣṇa addressed Akrura: “Dear one, gentle Akrura, welcome! May all be well with you. Are your relatives and kin free from illness and misfortune?” He added, “How can I ask about our own welfare, when our family is so afflicted? Kamsa, our maternal uncle, rules over us and our people. Alas, so much suffering has befallen my noble parents because of us—on our account, their sons were killed, and they were imprisoned. Yet, by good fortune, today I see my own people as I have longed. Tell me, dear one, the reason for your coming.” Thus questioned by the Blessed Lord, Akrura described everything: the enmity among the Yadus, Kamsa’s intent to kill Vasudeva, and the message for which he himself had been sent as a messenger. He also recounted what Nārada had told Kamsa about the birth of Vasudeva’s son. Hearing Akrura’s words, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, destroyers of enemy heroes, smiled and informed Nanda, their father, of the king’s command. Nanda then instructed the cowherds: “Gather all the milk and dairy products. Collect gifts to present, and yoke the wagons. Tomorrow we will go to Mathurā, offer our produce to the king, and witness the great festival, for people from the countryside are said to be going.” Thus, Nanda announced these plans in the settlement. When the cowherd women heard this, they became greatly distressed, for Akrura had come to Vraja to take Rāma and Kṛṣṇa to the city. Some, afflicted in heart, grew pale from sighing; some let their garments, bangles, and hair-braids slip loose. Others, so absorbed in thoughts of Him, ceased all their usual activities, unaware of the world around them, as if lost in their own inner realm. There were those who, recalling the loving smiles and words of Śauri, were overwhelmed; the charming phrases that had touched their hearts left them bewildered. They remembered his graceful walk, his gestures, his affectionate smiles and glances, his jokes that dispelled sorrow, and his playful deeds. Thinking of Mukunda, fearful and distressed by separation, the gopīs gathered together in groups, their faces wet with tears, and spoke, their hearts fixed on Acyuta. They cried, “O Creator, how merciless you are! After uniting embodied beings in friendship and love, you separate them before their desires are fulfilled, just as children’s playthings are taken away. You showed us Mukunda’s face, framed by dark curls, with lovely cheeks and raised nose, beautiful with a hint of a smile that dispels sorrow—then you make him distant from us; this is not right. “You are cruel, truly living up to the name Akrūra! You gave us sight, but now you take it away like a tyrant, for through you we saw the beauty of the enemy of Madhu, the perfection of all creation, in one place. “The son of Nanda, whose affection is fleeting, no longer looks upon us, though we are tormented by our own actions. Having left home, family, and husbands, we came to serve him, but now he has found new beloveds. “Surely, for the women of that city, the night passed happily and their wishes came true, for they will drink in the face of the Lord of Vraja, as he enters, tasting the nectar of his sidelong, smiling glances. Mukunda, captivated by their sweet, honeyed words, is now under their control, though he is strong-willed. How will he ever return to us village women, who are bashful and bewildered by love? “Today, surely, there will be a great festival for the Daśārhas, Bhojas, Andhakas, Vṛṣṇis, and Sātvatas; those on the road will see the beautiful Lord, the abode of all virtues, the son of Devakī. “Let the name Akrūra be given to one so pitiless as this! How cruel, that he, without comforting us in our deep sorrow, will take our dearest friend far away. He, with an unfeeling heart, has mounted the chariot, and the reckless urge him on. The cowherds, neglected by their elders, follow with their carts, while fate itself turns against us today. “Let us go and stop Mādhava! What could our elders and relatives do for us, when, by fate, our hearts—unable to bear even a half-blink’s separation from Mukunda—are now shattered? “We gopīs, whose hearts were led away by his loving smiles, enchanting words, playful glances, embraces, and the joys of the rāsa dance—how can we cross this endless darkness of separation, even for a moment, without him? “When, at day’s end, the friend of Ananta returns to Vraja, surrounded by cowherds, his hair dusted by their hooves, playing his flute, glancing with smiling eyes—how could we live if we were deprived of him?” Śuka said: Thus, the women of Vraja, their minds absorbed in Kṛṣṇa and tormented by separation, cast off their shyness and wept aloud, crying, “Govinda! Dāmodara! Mādhava!” As the women wept in this way and the sun rose, Akrura, having fulfilled his friendly duties, urged the chariot onward. The cowherds, led by Nanda and others, followed with their carts, bringing many gifts—jars filled with the products of their cows. The cowherd women, enchanted by their beloved Krishna, followed after him; longing for a sign from the Lord, they stood waiting. Seeing them so afflicted as he departed, the foremost of the Yadus comforted them with loving words, assuring them through messengers, “I will return.” As long as the banner was visible and the dust of the chariot could be seen, they continued following, their hearts set upon him, as if drawn by painted images. When hope of Govinda’s return was gone, they turned back; yet, free from sorrow, they spent their days singing of their beloved’s deeds. O King, the Lord arrived, accompanied by Balarāma and Akrura, riding swiftly in the chariot, to the purifying Yamunā river. There, after rinsing his mouth and drinking the clear, jewel-like water, he approached a grove of trees with Rāma and entered the chariot. Akrura, having bid them farewell and seated himself atop the chariot, went to the Yamunā’s pool and performed ritual bathing. Immersing himself in those waters and reciting the eternal Brahman, Akrura beheld a wondrous sight: Rāma and Kṛṣṇa together, revealed in divine splendor.