A yearning filled the heart of Uddhava as he beheld the sacred land of Vṛndāvana. “How I wish,” he thought, “that I could become even a blade of grass, a humble bush, a creeper, or a tiny herb here in this blessed place! Then, perhaps, I might receive the dust of the feet of those who, forsaking what is most difficult to give up—their own families and the well-trodden path of virtue—have sought the way of Mukunda, the very path the Vedas themselves seek.” He gazed upon the women of Vraja, whose breasts had been adorned by the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa—He who is worshipped by Lakṣmī herself and by the greatest of the self-satisfied yogis, He who is the very goal of the rāsa dance. By embracing Him, they had cast off all suffering. Filled with reverence, Uddhava bowed again and again to the dust of their feet, recognizing that their singing of Hari’s glories purified all the three worlds. At last, his visit drew to a close. Śuka narrates: After taking leave of the gopīs, of Mother Yaśodā and Nanda, and bidding farewell to all the cowherds, Uddhava prepared to depart. He ascended his chariot, but before he could leave, Nanda and the others approached, their hands filled with gifts, their eyes brimming with tears of affection. With deep feeling, they 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 own actions, wherever the Lord’s will may send us, may our devotion to Kṛṣṇa remain steady—through all auspicious acts and charity.” Thus honored by the cowherds and their devotion to Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava returned to Mathurā, protected by the Lord. Upon arrival, he bowed to Kṛṣṇa, his heart overflowing with love for the people of Vraja, and offered gifts to Vasudeva, Rāma, and the king. Śuka continued: Then the Lord, the Soul of all, who sees everything, understood the longing of Sairandhrī, known as Kubjā. Wishing to please her, He went to her house. Her home was splendidly adorned, filled with pleasure furnishings, garlands of pearls, banners, canopies, soft beds and seats, fragrant incense, bright lamps, and sweet perfumes. When she saw Him enter, she was flustered, but immediately rose from her seat. With her companions, she approached Acyuta and honored Him with a seat and other offerings. Uddhava, too, was welcomed and, after touching the seat, sat down. Following the custom of the world, Kṛṣṇa quickly entered the splendid bed. Kubjā, having bathed and anointed herself, dressed in fine garments and ornaments, garlanded and perfumed, and having chewed betel, approached Mādhava. Her bashful, sidelong, smiling glances betrayed her excitement. Kṛṣṇa 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 once anointing Him with sandal paste. Her heart and body burned with passion; her eyes longed for Him. 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 the Lord of liberation, so difficult to attain, she, though not considered fortunate, 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 Lord granted her wish and, honoring her, returned with Uddhava to His own revered abode. Yet, it is said: one who worships Viṣṇu, Lord of all lords, and then asks for a boon that merely pleases the mind, if lacking in goodness, is considered of poor judgment. Later, Kṛṣṇa, together with Rāma and Uddhava, desiring to accomplish something and to please Akrūra, went to his house. Seeing from a distance those best of men, his own kinsmen, Akrūra rose with joy, embraced them, and welcomed them with delight. He bowed to Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, and after they accepted their seats, he worshipped them properly. He held the water for washing their feet upon his head and honored them with divine garments, fragrant garlands, and the finest ornaments. With humility, Akrūra bowed his head, washed their feet with his hands, and addressed Kṛṣṇa and Rāma: “By good fortune, wicked Kaṃsa and his followers have been slain, and our family has been rescued from great distress and restored by you both. You 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. “As in all beings, moving and unmoving, 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 subject to difference; therefore, for you there is neither bondage nor liberation—may we never be confused about you. “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. What wise man would seek shelter anywhere else but you, who are dear to your devotees, whose words are true, who are a friend to all and grateful, who grants all desires to those who worship you, and for whom gain and loss of self mean nothing? “By good fortune, O Janārdana, you have appeared before us here, though even the lords of yoga and the gods find you hard to reach; quickly cut for us the bonds of delusion—attachment to children, wife, wealth, relatives, home, body, and so on—which are your own māyā.” Having been so worshipped and praised by Akrūra, the Blessed Lord Hari smiled and spoke to him, enchanting him with His words: “You are our teacher, paternal uncle, ever-honored kinsman; and we are to be protected, nourished, and shown compassion by you, for we are your dependents. Exalted souls like you, best among the worthy, should always be served by those who seek their own good; gods act for their own sake, but the virtuous do not. “Holy places are not truly sanctified by water, nor are gods merely images of clay and stone; it is the sight of the virtuous that purifies, even in a moment.” Thus, the Lord revealed His heart to His devotee, and the sacred exchanges between God and His beloved ones blessed all who heard of them.