In that gathering, even the elders of the Yadu dynasty appeared youthful and full of vigor, their eyes repeatedly drinking in the nectar of Mukunda’s lotus-like face. The joy of beholding Krishna seemed to renew their very being. Then, O King, Krishna, the beloved son of Devaki, accompanied by his brother Sankarshana, approached Nanda Maharaja. With warmth and affection, they embraced him, and Krishna spoke with deep feeling: “By you, our affectionate father, we were cherished and cared for. Truly, parents hold even greater love for their children than for themselves. A father and mother who nurture children abandoned by others, unable to care for themselves, do so as if they were their very own sons.” Krishna continued, “Please, dear father, return now to Vraja. We will come to see you and our beloved relatives, who are pained by separation, once we have assured the happiness of our friends here.” Thus, Krishna, the infallible Achyuta, consoled Nanda and the people of Vraja, honoring them with gifts of fine clothing, ornaments, vessels, and other treasures. Overwhelmed by affection, Nanda embraced both Krishna and Balarama, his eyes brimming with tears. Then, together with the cowherds, he departed for Vraja, carrying the love and blessings of the Lord with him. After this, Vasudeva, son of Sura, arranged for the sacred thread ceremony of his two sons, Krishna and Balarama. Priests and brahmins performed the rituals according to tradition. Vasudeva gave them gifts—cows adorned with golden necklaces, fine cloth, and calves—bestowing similar honor upon the priests. He remembered the cows he had mentally dedicated at the birth of Krishna and Rama, which Kamsa had taken unlawfully, and now he gave them as offerings. With their initiation complete, Krishna and Balarama, now twice-born, 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, behaving as ordinary humans. Desiring to reside in a teacher’s home, they approached Sandipani of Kashi, who lived in Avanti. With self-control and reverence, they served their teacher blamelessly, learning from him with devotion as if he were a god. Pleased by their pure and devoted conduct, Sandipani, foremost among the twice-born, instructed them in all the Vedas, their branches, and 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, understood everything at once, merely from a single utterance of their teacher. In just sixty-four days and nights, they mastered all these arts. Then, as their teacher’s fee, they humbly asked Sandipani what he desired. Observing their wondrous and superhuman intelligence, Sandipani, after consulting his wife, requested the return of his son, who had died at Prabhasa in the great ocean. Krishna and Balarama, agreeing to this request, ascended their great chariot and traveled to Prabhasa. Upon reaching the shore, they sat for a moment, and the ocean, recognizing them, came forth with offerings of respect. Krishna spoke: “O Ocean, quickly bring forth 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 swiftly entered the water, slew Panchajana, but did not find the boy within its belly. However, he took the conch that had arisen from its body and returned to the chariot. Then, they journeyed to the city of Samyamani, beloved of Yama, the Lord of Death. There, Janardana sounded the conch, and its mighty blast reached the ears of Yama, the restrainer of beings. Yama came forth, offered them great worship with devotion, bowed to Krishna, and said, “O Vishnu, who acts in human form, what shall we do for you both?” Krishna replied, “The son of our teacher, brought here by the bonds of his own deeds—O great king, bring him forth at my command.” Yama, saying “so be it,” returned the teacher’s son to Krishna and Balarama. After presenting the boy to their teacher, they again asked Sandipani to choose a boon. But their revered teacher replied, “My dear ones, you have fully repaid your teacher’s fee; what more could a teacher like me desire from disciples such as you? Return home, O heroes, may your fame be pure, and may the Vedas you have learned remain with you here and hereafter.” Thus permitted by their teacher, Krishna and Balarama returned to their city in their chariot, swift as the wind and resounding like thunderclouds. All the people rejoiced to see Rama and Janardana, as those who recover lost wealth after many days of deprivation. As mentioned in the Śaiva Tantras, the sixty-four arts they mastered include: singing, playing musical instruments, dancing, acting, painting, decorative cuttings, rice and flower arrangements, making flower beds, body adornment, 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, reciting verse chains, tongue-twisters, reading books, seeing plays, poetic puzzles, making mats, spinning, carpentry, architecture, testing gems, metallurgy, knowledge of gem colors and mines, tree lore, animal fights, training birds, cleaning, hairdressing, secret codes, mimicking languages, dialects, flower omens, mechanical devices, magical diagrams, group recitation, composing poetry in the mind, creative activities, tricks and games, knowledge of dictionaries and prosody, concealing clothes, dice games, magnet games, toys, and the Vainayikī, Vaijayikī, and Vaitālikī arts. Among the Vṛṣṇis, Uddhava was foremost—a wise counselor, beloved friend of Krishna, and direct disciple of Bṛhaspati, excelling in intelligence. To him, Krishna, the remover of distress for those who seek refuge, once spoke, holding Uddhava’s hand in his own, for Uddhava was most dear and devoted. Krishna said, “Go, gentle Uddhava, to Vraja. Bring joy to my parents, and with my messages, relieve the agony of the gopīs, who are suffering from separation from me. Their minds are fixed on me, their lives devoted to me. They have given up all bodily comforts for my sake and have taken me as their very self in their hearts. Those who have abandoned worldly duties for me—I uphold them. Though far away, I am their dearest beloved, and the women of Gokula are bewildered, always remembering me, overwhelmed by the pain and longing of separation. My cowherd maidens, whose hearts are united with me, somehow sustain their lives with great difficulty, holding on only by the hope of my return and the messages I send.” Thus instructed, Uddhava, honoring his master’s command, mounted his chariot and departed for Nanda’s cowherd village, ready to deliver Krishna’s message of love and reassurance.