Śuka began: When the women of Vraja heard Uddhava’s words, carrying Krishna’s message, their hearts overflowed with joy. They spoke to Uddhava, recalling the precious words he had brought from their beloved. The gopīs said, “By great fortune, wicked Kaṁsa—the Yadus’ enemy—has been slain; and by fortune, Acyuta is safe, having accomplished all his aims alongside his kin. O gentle one, does the elder brother of Gadā, honored by the bashful, smiling glances of the city women, bring them happiness? Surely, he who knows the subtleties of love and is dear to the women of the city must be captivated by their words and playful gestures. O noble one, does Govinda ever remember us, the village women, amid the city ladies, during their intimate conversations?” They continued, “Do you remember those nights when he delighted with his beloveds in Vrindavan, surrounded by lotus and jasmine, bathed in moonlight, enjoying the rasa dance with the tinkling of anklets, and charming us with delightful stories? Will the descendant of Dasharha return here, afflicted by the sorrow caused by his own actions, and revive us with his touch, just as Indra rejuvenates the forest with rain?” “But why would Krishna come here, O king, now that he has attained his kingdom, destroyed his enemies, married royal maidens, and is surrounded by his dear friends? What purpose could we forest dwellers or others serve for the great soul, the Lord of Lakshmi, who has fulfilled all desires and is accomplished within himself? Supreme happiness lies in freedom from expectation, as Pingala the courtesan declared; yet, even knowing this, our hope in Krishna is difficult to abandon.” “Who could bear to give up communion with the glorified Lord, even unwillingly, when fortune never leaves his limbs? These rivers, mountains, forests, cows, and the sound of his flute—all have been traversed by Krishna, accompanied by Sankarshana, O master. Again and again, the abodes of Lakshmi remind us of Nanda’s son; by those footprints, we cannot forget him. With his graceful walk, noble laughter, playful glances, and sweet speech, he has captivated our minds—how could we ever forget him?” “O Lord, O consort of Lakshmi, O master of Vraja, destroyer of distress, lift up Gokula, O Govinda, from the ocean of suffering in which it is submerged.” Śuka continued: Relieved of the fever of separation by Krishna’s messages, the gopīs honored Uddhava, recognizing him as a manifestation of the Lord. Uddhava remained in Vraja for several months, dispelling the gopīs’ grief, singing stories of Krishna’s pastimes, and delighting Gokula. For as many days as Uddhava stayed in Nanda’s Vraja, the moments flew by for the residents, absorbed in news of Krishna. Beholding the rivers, forests, and blossoming trees, Uddhava remembered Krishna and found joy, serving the people of Vraja. Seeing the gopīs so absorbed in Krishna, their minds overwhelmed, Uddhava, filled with supreme joy, bowed to them and sang: “These cowherd women are the highest among embodied beings on earth, for their love for Govinda is deep within the heart. Sages, fearful of rebirth, and even we desire such devotion—what use is birth as Brahma compared to tasting the nectar of his stories? Where are these women, forest-dwellers, corrupted by transgression, and where is this supreme love for Krishna, the Paramatma? Truly, even those ignorant who worship the Lord directly attain blessing, just as a king bestows favor on those who serve him.” “O friend, this grace of intense love is not found even among the heavenly women, fragrant as lotuses, nor among others; it arose at the rasa festival, when he embraced the necks of the beloveds of Vraja, granting them fulfillment. Oh, how I wish I could become even a blade of grass, a bush, a creeper, or a herb here in Vṛndāvana, so that I might receive the dust of the feet of those who, abandoning what is so hard to give up—their own kin and the path of the virtuous—have sought the path of Mukunda, which is searched for by the Vedas.” “Those whose breasts, adorned with the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa—the Lord, worshipped by Lakṣmī and the greatest of self-satisfied yogis, and who is the very goal of the rāsa dance—have, by embracing Him, cast off all suffering. I bow again and again to the dust of the feet of the women of Nanda's Vraja, whose singing of Hari's glories purifies all the three worlds.” Śuka resumed: After taking leave of the gopīs, Yaśodā, and Nanda, and bidding farewell to the cowherds, Uddhava prepared to depart, ascending his chariot. As he was leaving, Nanda and the others, their hands full of various gifts, approached him with affection, their eyes filled with tears, and spoke: “May our minds always rest at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, may our words speak only His names, and may our bodies bow in His service. Though we are tossed about by our actions wherever the Lord's will may send us, may our devotion to Kṛṣṇa remain steady through auspicious acts and charity.” Thus honored by the cowherds with devotion to Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava returned to Mathurā, protected by Krishna. He bowed to Krishna, and, his heart overflowing with devotion for the people of Vraja, offered gifts to Vasudeva, Rāma, and the king. Śuka continued: Then the Lord, the Soul of all, who sees everything, knowing the desire of Sairandhrī (Kubjā) and wishing to please her, went to her house. Her home was rich with splendid furnishings, enhanced for pleasure, adorned with pearl garlands, banners, canopies, beds, and seats, fragrant with incense, bright with lamps, and decorated with garlands and perfumes. Seeing Krishna enter, Kubjā, flustered, immediately rose from her seat, approached Him as was proper, and, together with her companions, honored Acyuta with a seat and other offerings. Uddhava, too, was respectfully welcomed and, after touching the seat, sat down. Krishna, following worldly custom, quickly entered the splendid bed. Kubjā, having bathed, anointed herself, dressed in fine garments and ornaments, garlanded and perfumed, and having chewed betel, approached Mādhava, her bashful, sidelong, smiling glances betraying her excitement. Krishna called his beloved, who was shy and hesitant at their first meeting, her hand adorned with bracelets; taking her by the hand, He seated her on the bed and enjoyed with her, she blessed by the merit of anointing Him. Her breasts and heart burning with passion, her eyes longing, she inhaled the fragrance of His feet, massaged away her pains with them, and, embracing her beloved between her arms and breasts, found in the embodiment of bliss the end of her long suffering. Having attained Him, the Lord of liberation, so hard to attain, she, though unfortunate, asked Him for a boon by offering Him sandal paste.