Akrūra, filled with reverence, approached the Lord’s feet—feet that are difficult for the unworthy to attain. He recognized that even this closeness was granted only by the Lord’s grace. With humility, he acknowledged that true liberation from the cycle of birth and death comes to one whose mind is devoted to proper worship of the Lotus-naveled One. He then offered salutations to the Lord, who is pure consciousness and the cause of all certainty, the master of both Puruṣa and Pradhāna, the Brahman of infinite power. With heartfelt devotion, Akrūra bowed to Vāsudeva, the destroyer of all beings, and to Hṛṣīkeśa, imploring, “Protect me, O Lord, for I have surrendered myself to You.” Thus concluded the fortieth chapter, “Akrūra’s Praise,” in the first half of the tenth book of the glorious Bhagavata Mahapurana, the scripture revered by supreme renunciates. As Akrūra was offering his praises, Śuka narrated that the Lord revealed His divine form in the water. But just as an actor ends his performance, Kṛṣṇa withdrew this vision once more. When Akrūra saw that the vision had vanished, he quickly emerged from the water, completed his necessary duties, and, astonished, returned to the chariot. Hṛṣīkeśa, seeing Akrūra’s amazement, asked, “What wondrous thing did you see—on earth, in the sky, or in the water—that you appear so amazed?” Akrūra replied, “Whatever marvels exist here—on earth, in the sky, or in the water—are all found in You, the soul of the universe. What could I have seen that is not already known to me? Wherever all wonders are found, seeing You, O Brahman, what marvel could I have witnessed here?” Having spoken thus, Akrūra, the son of Gāndinī, urged the chariot onward. By the end of the day, he brought Rāma and Kṛṣṇa to Mathurā. Along the way, villagers gathered in excitement. Seeing the sons of Vasudeva, they were delighted and could not turn their gaze away. Meanwhile, the residents of Vraja, led by Nanda and the cowherds, arrived at the city’s gardens and waited there in anticipation. Meeting them, the Lord, master of the universe, greeted Akrūra warmly, taking his extended hand in His own and smiling. Kṛṣṇa advised, “You should enter the city and your house ahead of us, accompanied by your chariot. We will remain here for now and then come to see the city.” But Akrūra pleaded, “O Lord, I will not enter Mathurā without You both. Do not abandon me, O master, for I am Your devotee and You are fond of Your devotees. Come, let us go to our homes and make them blessed, O Acyuta, together with Your elder brother, the cowherds, and Your dearest friends. Sanctify the homes of us householders with the dust of Your feet; by its purity, even the ancestors, the sacrificial fires, and the gods are never fully satisfied.” He recalled, “After washing Your pair of feet, the great Bali became worthy of praise, attained incomparable prosperity, and the ultimate devoted path. The waters from washing Your feet purified the three worlds; Śiva placed them on his head, and the sons of Sagara ascended to heaven. O God of gods, Lord of the universe, whose hearing and praise are holy, O foremost among the Yadus, praised by the best of hymns, O Nārāyaṇa, I bow to You.” The Blessed Lord replied, “I will come to your house, accompanied by the noble ones. After slaying the wicked Yadu king, I will bring joy to my friends.” Thus addressed, Akrūra, though troubled in mind, entered the city, reported his task to Kaṃsa, and went to his house. In the afternoon, Lord Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by Saṅkarṣaṇa and surrounded by eager cowherds, entered Mathurā. He saw the city’s lofty crystal gates, grand doorways adorned with golden arches, copper-plated walls, deep moats, and beautiful gardens and groves. The city was adorned with palaces having golden spires and balconies, rows of assembly halls and mansions, balustrades and altars inlaid with beryl, diamonds, spotless sapphires, coral, pearls, and emeralds. Latticed windows, doorways, and floors echoed with the sounds of pigeons and peacocks; the streets, markets, and crossroads were sprinkled with water and strewn with garlands, sandalwood powder, and rice grains. Doorways and houses were beautifully decorated with full pots anointed with yogurt and sandal paste, rows of flowers and lamps with tender leaves, clusters of plantain trees, and festoons with cloth banners. As the sons of Vasudeva entered, surrounded by friends and following the royal road, the women of the city, eager to see them, hurried forth and climbed the mansions, filled with excitement. Some, in their haste, put on their clothes and ornaments incorrectly, some forgot to finish dressing, some wore only one earring or one anklet, and others adorned only one eye with collyrium. Some, leaving their meals unfinished and the festival aside, came without bathing; others, rising from sleep at the sound, left their children unweaned and hurried out, even the mothers. With his lotus eyes, bold playful glances, and gentle smiles, Kṛṣṇa stole the minds of those women, like a proud, intoxicated elephant, giving joy to their eyes and delight to their hearts. Seeing him again and again, their minds drawn to him as they had heard, the women, their pride awakened by his smiling glances, embraced with their eyes the embodiment of bliss and, their skin bristling with joy, forgot all their sorrows. Their faces blooming with joy, the women climbed to the tops of the mansions and showered flowers of good wishes upon Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. The delighted brāhmaṇas, at various places, worshipped them with curds, unbroken rice, water vessels, garlands, fragrant substances, and other offerings. The townspeople exclaimed, “Oh, what great austerity did the cowherd women perform, that they are able to see these two, the great festival of the human world!” As they went, Kṛṣṇa, the elder brother of Gadā, saw a washerman approaching—a dyer—and asked him for some fine, clean clothes. He said, “O good man, give us suitable garments, for we are worthy; you will gain the highest good by giving—of this there is no doubt.” But the king’s servant, full of arrogance, replied with contempt and anger. “Such clothes are only for those who dwell in the forest and mountains; why do you, so bold, desire the king’s property? Go quickly, children; do not ask for such things if you wish to live. The royal households, proud as they are, bind, kill, and plunder.” Thus unfolded the arrival of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in Mathurā, as witnessed by the city’s people, brāhmaṇas, and the cowherds, and as the Lord’s divine play continued.