While I, your humble servant, am present, even the gods themselves bow down and offer tribute—how much more so all the kings of men? It was in such times that the Yadus, Vrishnis, Andhakas, Madhus, Dasharhas, Kukuras, and all their kin—who had suffered greatly and were beset by fear of Kamsa from every direction—were finally freed from their burdens. Krishna honored them all, comforting those who had grown weary from exile in foreign lands, restoring them to their own homes, and generously bestowing wealth upon them. Protected by the powerful arms of Krishna and Sankarshana, their dearest wishes fulfilled, these families lived in happiness, all their sorrows swept away by Krishna and Rama. Day after day, their hearts delighted, they gazed upon the lotus face of Mukunda—always radiant, beautiful, and beaming with a gentle, compassionate smile. Even the elders among them appeared youthful and vigorous, as they drank again and again with their eyes the nectar of Mukunda’s lotus-like face. Then, O King, the Lord, son of Devaki, together with Sankarshana, approached Nanda. They embraced him warmly and spoke with deep affection: “By you, our loving father, we were cherished and cared for; truly, parents bear even greater love for their children than for themselves. Those fathers and mothers who nurture children abandoned by others, and unable to care for themselves, do so as if they were their very own sons. Please, dear father, return to Vraja. Once we have ensured the happiness of our friends here, we will come to visit you and our beloved relatives, who suffer from longing.” Thus consoling Nanda and the people of Vraja, Achyuta honored them with great respect, giving them fine clothing, ornaments, vessels, and many other gifts. Overwhelmed with love, Nanda embraced Krishna and Balarama, his eyes brimming with tears, and departed for Vraja with the other cowherds. Afterward, Vasudeva, son of Sura, arranged for the sacred thread ceremony for his two sons. Priests and brahmins performed the rituals according to tradition, and Vasudeva gave them gifts: cows adorned with golden necklaces, beautifully decorated, with calves and draped in fine cloth, honoring the priests in the same manner. These were the very cows Vasudeva had mentally dedicated at the birth of Krishna and Rama, but which Kamsa had unlawfully taken; now, recalling this, he fulfilled his vow. Having thus received their initiation and attained the status of twice-born, Krishna and Balarama undertook the vow of study under Garga and other family preceptors. Though they are the very source of all knowledge, all-knowing and Lords of the universe, they concealed their flawless wisdom and lived as ordinary humans, faithfully observing the customs. Desiring to reside in a teacher’s house, they approached Sandipani of Kashi, who lived in Avanti. With self-control and humility, they served their teacher blamelessly, learning from him with devotion, honoring him as a god. Pleased by their pure and devoted conduct, Sandipani instructed them in all the Vedas, with their branches and Upanishads, as well as the secret Dhanurveda, the principles of righteousness, the paths of justice, the science of reasoning, and the sixfold science of royal governance. Krishna and Balarama, initiators of all knowledge and best among men, grasped everything at once, simply from a single utterance. In only sixty-four days and nights, they mastered all these arts. Then, as the time came for their teacher’s fee, they humbly asked their preceptor what he desired. Amazed at their wondrous and superhuman intelligence, Sandipani, after consulting with his wife, asked as his fee the return of his son, who had died at Prabhasa in the great ocean. Agreeing, Krishna and Balarama ascended their splendid chariot and journeyed to Prabhasa. There, they sat upon the shore, and the ocean, recognizing their divinity, came forth with offerings of respect. The Lord spoke: “O Ocean, quickly return the son who was swallowed here, 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, O Krishna.” Hearing this, Krishna entered the water, slew the demon, but did not find the boy within its belly. From the demon’s body, however, he took a conch, and then returned to the chariot. They then went to the city of Samyamani, beloved of Yama, the lord of death. Arriving there, Janardana sounded the conch; its mighty blast drew the attention of Yama, the restrainer of beings. Yama received them with great worship and devotion, bowing before Krishna, the abode of all hearts, and said, “O Vishnu, who acts in human form, what may 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 agreed, and brought forth the teacher’s son to Krishna and Balarama. They returned the boy to their teacher and again asked him to name a boon. The revered teacher replied, “My dear ones, you have fully repaid your teacher’s fee; what more could a teacher of yours desire? Return home, O heroes. May your fame be pure, and may the Vedas you have learned remain with you always, here and hereafter.” Thus permitted by their teacher, Krishna and Balarama returned to their city in a chariot swift as the wind, its rumble like thunderclouds. All the people rejoiced to see Rama and Janardana, as those who have recovered lost wealth after long deprivation. As for the sixty-four arts they had mastered, the Śaiva Tantras enumerate them as follows: singing; playing musical instruments; dancing; acting; painting; making decorative cuttings; arranging rice and flowers; making flower beds; adorning teeth, clothing, and body; arranging jeweled floors; preparing beds; playing water instruments; splashing water; various artistic combinations; weaving garlands; arranging head ornaments; preparing costumes; shaping ear ornaments; blending fragrances; arranging jewelry; conjuring tricks; wrestling techniques; sleight of hand; making various foods from vegetables and flour; preparing drinks and flavored liquors; needlework; string games; riddles; reciting chains of verses; tongue-twisters; reading books; seeing plays and stories; completing poetic puzzles; making various mats and canes; spinning and weaving; carpentry; architecture; testing silver and gems; metallurgy; knowledge of gem colors; knowledge of mines; knowledge of tree life; rules for animal fights; training parrots and mynas to speak; cleaning; skill in hairdressing; reciting secret codes; mimicking foreign languages; knowledge of regional dialects; interpreting omens from flower garlands; making mechanical devices; making magical diagrams; reciting together; composing poetry in the mind; various creative activities; tricks and games; knowledge of dictionaries, meters, and prosody; methods of concealing clothes; special dice games; magnet games; children’s toys; and knowledge of the Vainayikī, Vaijayikī, and Vaitālikī arts. Among the Vrishnis, Uddhava was foremost—a wise counselor, beloved friend of Krishna, and direct disciple of Brihaspati, excelling in intelligence. To him, the Lord, remover of all distress for those who seek refuge, once spoke, taking Uddhava’s hand in his own, for Uddhava was most dear and devoted.