As the events in Mathurā unfolded, a respected elder addressed the king with humility and reverence: “O great king, you must guide us all, for by the curse of Yayāti, no Yadu may sit upon the royal throne.” He reminded the king of his own influence, saying, “While I, your servant, am present, even the gods and other exalted beings bow and offer tribute—what need to speak of mere human rulers?” In those days, the Yadus and their kin—the Vrishnis, Andhakas, Madhus, Dasharhas, Kukuras, and others—had been scattered and troubled in every direction, living in constant fear of Kamsa. But now, they were honored and comforted. Those who had suffered exile in distant lands were welcomed home, settled again in their own dwellings, and generously provided with wealth and support. Protected by the strong arms of Krishna and Sankarshana, their every cherished wish was fulfilled. Freed from all their previous distress by the grace of Krishna and Rama, the people lived joyfully in their homes. Day after day, their hearts delighted as they gazed upon the lotus-like face of Mukunda, always radiant, beautiful, and adorned with a compassionate smile. In that blessed company, even the elders seemed youthful and full of vigor, their eyes drinking deeply the nectar of Mukunda’s face, never tiring of its beauty. Then, O King, Krishna—the son of Devaki—together with Sankarshana, approached Nanda. They embraced their beloved foster-father warmly and spoke with deep affection: “By your love and care, dear father, we were cherished and protected. Truly, parents have even greater love for their children than for themselves. That father and mother who nurture children abandoned by others, who cannot care for themselves, do so as if they were their own sons.” Krishna continued, “Please, father, return to Vraja. Once we have ensured the happiness of our friends here, we will come to visit you and all our dear relatives, whose hearts ache with love for us.” Thus, Achyuta consoled Nanda and the people of Vraja, honoring them with gifts of clothing, ornaments, vessels, and other treasures. Overwhelmed with affection, Nanda embraced Krishna and Balarama, his eyes brimming with tears, and then departed for Vraja with the cowherds. Afterwards, Vasudeva, son of Sura, arranged for the sacred thread ceremony of his two sons, Krishna and Balarama. Priests and brahmins performed the rites according to tradition, and Vasudeva honored them with gifts: cows adorned with golden necklaces, beautifully decorated, each with a calf and draped in fine cloth. The priests too were honored with similar gifts. These were the very cows Vasudeva had vowed to give at the birth of Krishna and Rama, but which Kamsa had unjustly seized; now, Vasudeva fulfilled his vow. Having received their initiation and become twice-born, Krishna and Balarama undertook the vow of study under Garga and other family preceptors. Though they are the source of all knowledge, all-knowing and Lords of the universe, they concealed their flawless wisdom, behaving as ordinary human beings. Desiring to reside in a teacher’s house, they approached Sandipani of Kashi, who lived in Avanti. With self-control and devotion, they served their teacher blamelessly, learning from him as if he were a god. Pleased by their pure conduct and devotion, Sandipani, foremost among the twice-born, instructed them in all the Vedas, their branches, and the Upanishads. He also taught them the secret Dhanurveda, the principles of righteousness and justice, the science of reasoning, and the sixfold science of royal governance. Krishna and Balarama, initiators of all knowledge, comprehended everything at once, merely from a single utterance. In just sixty-four days and nights, they mastered all these arts. Then, as their teacher’s fee, they asked Sandipani what he desired. Observing their superhuman intelligence, Sandipani, after consulting with his wife, requested the return of his son, who had perished at Prabhasa in the great ocean. Agreeing, Krishna and Balarama ascended their great chariot and traveled to Prabhasa. There, upon reaching the shore and sitting for a moment, the ocean recognized them and brought offerings of respect. Krishna spoke: “O Ocean, quickly return the son who was swallowed here by you, seized by a great wave.” The Ocean replied, “O Lord, I did not take him. The great demon Panchajana, who dwells in these waters in the form of a conch, seized him.” Hearing this, Krishna swiftly entered the water, slew the demon, but did not find the boy within its belly. However, he took the conch that had arisen from the demon’s body and returned to his chariot. Then, Krishna and Balarama traveled to the city of Samyamani, the beloved abode of Yama. Arriving there, Janardana sounded the conch; its loud blast drew the attention of Yama, the restrainer of beings. Yama offered them great worship, bowing to Krishna and saying, “O Vishnu, who acts in human form, what shall we do for you both?” The Blessed Lord replied, “The son of our teacher, brought here by the bonds of his own deeds, O great king—bring him forth, commanded by my order.” Yama replied, “So be it,” and brought forth the teacher’s son, presenting him to Krishna and Balarama. After returning the boy to their teacher, they again asked Sandipani to choose a boon. The revered teacher replied, “My dear ones, you have fully repaid your teacher’s fee; what more could I desire from such noble disciples? Return home, O heroes. May your fame be pure, and may the Vedas you have learned remain with you always, in this world and the next.” Thus permitted by their teacher, Krishna and Balarama returned to their city on a chariot swift as the wind, with a sound like thunderclouds. The people rejoiced at their return, as those who recover lost treasure after long deprivation. Of the arts they mastered, as stated in the Śaiva Tantras, there were sixty-four: singing, playing instruments, dancing, acting, painting, decorative cuttings, rice and flower arrangements, making flower beds, adornment of teeth, clothing, and body, arranging jeweled floors, preparing beds, playing water instruments, splashing water, artistic combinations, weaving garlands, arranging head ornaments, preparing costumes, shaping ear ornaments, blending fragrances, arranging jewelry, conjuring tricks, wrestling, sleight of hand, making foods, preparing drinks, needlework, string games, riddles, verse recitation, tongue-twisters, reading, seeing plays, poetic puzzles, mat and cane making, spinning, carpentry, architecture, testing gems, metallurgy, knowledge of gem colors, mines, tree life, animal fights, training birds, cleaning, hairdressing, secret codes, mimicking languages, dialects, omens from garlands, mechanical devices, magical diagrams, group recitation, composing poetry in the mind, creative activities, tricks and games, dictionaries and prosody, concealing clothes, dice games, magnet games, toys, and the arts called Vainayikī, Vaijayikī, and Vaitālikī. Among the Vrishnis, there was Uddhava, foremost of all—wise counselor, beloved friend of Krishna, and direct disciple of Brihaspati, excelling in intelligence.