As Uddhava remained in the land of Nanda, among the cowherds of Vraja, the days seemed to pass in the blink of an eye for its people. Their hearts and minds were wholly absorbed in hearing news of Krishna, and so, time itself felt swift and sweet. As Uddhava wandered through the rivers, forests, and among the blossoming trees of Vraja, memories of Krishna filled his heart with joy. He devoted himself to serving the people there, who were so dear to Krishna. Uddhava observed the gopīs—those cowherd women—so deeply absorbed in thoughts of Krishna that their minds seemed overwhelmed by love for Him. Witnessing their devotion, Uddhava was filled with supreme joy. With reverence, he bowed to them and, in praise, sang: “These women of Vraja are the highest among all embodied beings upon earth. Their love for Govinda is so deep within their hearts that even sages, who fear rebirth, and even we ourselves, long for such devotion. What use is it to be born as Brahma if one cannot taste the nectar of Krishna’s stories?” He marveled, “Where are these women, dwellers of the forest, who have strayed from the path of ordinary virtue, and where is this supreme love for Krishna, the Paramatma? Yet, even those ignorant who worship the Lord directly are blessed, just as a king bestows favor upon those who serve him. O friend, this grace of intense love is not found even among the heavenly women, fragrant as lotuses, nor among any others; it arose at the rasa festival, when Krishna embraced the necks of the beloveds of Vraja and granted them fulfillment.” With humility, Uddhava wished, “Oh, if only I could become even a blade of grass, a bush, a creeper, or a herb here in Vrindavana, 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 virtue—have sought the path of Mukunda, which is searched for by the Vedas. Those whose breasts, adorned with the lotus feet of Krishna—the Lord worshipped by Lakshmi and the greatest of the self-satisfied yogis, the very goal of the rasa 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.” When the time came for Uddhava to depart, he took leave of the gopīs, Yashodā, Nanda, and all the cowherds. He ascended his chariot, preparing to return to Mathurā. As he was about to leave, Nanda and the others approached him with affection, their hands full of gifts and their eyes brimming with tears. They spoke with deep longing, “May our minds always rest at the lotus feet of Krishna, 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 Krishna remain steady through auspicious acts and charity.” Thus honored by the cowherds and their devotion to Krishna, Uddhava returned to Mathurā, protected by Krishna. Upon his arrival, he bowed before Krishna, his heart overflowing with devotion for the people of Vraja, and offered gifts to Vasudeva, Balarāma, and the king. At this time, the Lord, the Soul of all, who sees everything, understood the desire of Kubjā, the hunchbacked Sairandhrī, and, wishing to please her, went to her house. Her dwelling was splendid and richly adorned for pleasure, with garlands of pearls, banners, canopies, beds and seats, all fragrant with incense, bright with lamps, and decorated with garlands and perfumes. Seeing Krishna enter, Kubjā became flustered and immediately rose from her seat. She approached Him with proper respect 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. Following the custom of the world, Krishna 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 excitement shone in her bashful, sidelong, smiling glances. Krishna called her, and though she was shy and hesitant at their first meeting, her hand adorned with bracelets, He took her by the hand, seated her on the bed, and enjoyed with her, she blessed by the merit of having anointed Him. Her heart and body burned with longing, her eyes full of desire. She inhaled the fragrance of His feet, massaged away her pains with them, and, embracing her beloved between her arms and breasts, found in Him—the embodiment of bliss—the end of her long suffering. Having attained the Lord of liberation, so difficult to attain, Kubjā, though considered unfortunate, offered Him sandal paste and asked for a boon: “Let my beloved stay here with me for a few days; enjoy with me, O lotus-eyed one, for I cannot bear to be parted from you.” The Giver of Honor granted her the boon she desired and, having honored her, Krishna, along with Uddhava, returned to His own revered abode. Truly, one who, by great worship, propitiates Vishnu, the Lord of all lords, and then chooses a boon pleasing only to the mind, if lacking in goodness, is of poor judgment. Afterwards, Krishna, together with Balarāma and Uddhava, desiring to accomplish something and to please Akrūra, went to Akrūra’s house. Seeing from a distance those best of men, his own kinsmen, Akrūra rose joyfully, embraced them, and welcomed them with delight. He bowed to Krishna and Balarāma, and they too greeted him. After accepting their seats as prescribed, he worshipped them properly. He held the water for washing their feet upon his head, honored them with divine garments, fragrant garlands, and the finest ornaments. Having worshipped them, bowing his head and washing their feet with his hands, Akrūra, full of humility, addressed Krishna and Balarāma: “By good fortune, wicked Kaṁsa and his followers have been slain, and this family has been rescued from great distress and restored by you both. You two are the Supreme Persons, the causes and the substance of the universe; apart from you, there is nothing higher or lower. This universe, created by yourself, you enter with your own powers and manifest in many ways, O Brahman, perceivable by hearing and direct experience. Just as in all beings, moving and non-moving, various forms appear in wombs such as mine, so you, O Lord, alone manifest in many ways in beings born from yourself, being self-dependent. “You create, destroy, and protect the universe by your own powers of passion, darkness, and goodness; yet you are not bound by those qualities or actions, for you are the self of knowledge—how could there be any cause of bondage for you? Because your existence is not defined by body or other limiting adjuncts, you are not directly subject to difference; therefore, for you there is neither bondage nor liberation—may there never be confusion about you for us. “Whenever the ancient Vedic path is obstructed by false doctrines and untruth, you, for the welfare of the world, manifest yourself, endowed with the quality of goodness. Therefore, O Lord, today you have descended into the house of Vasudeva, with your own portion, to remove the burden of the earth, destroying hundreds of armies of hostile kings, and spreading the fame of this dynasty. Today, O Lord, our dwellings are truly blessed, for you, who are the form of all gods, ancestors, beings, and men, whose foot-washing water purifies the three worlds, O teacher of the universe, Adhokṣaja, have entered them.