The Lord, radiant and full of compassion, called to His beloved. At their first meeting, she had been shy and hesitant, her delicate hand glimmering with bracelets. Gently, He took her hand and led her to sit beside Him on the bed, where, blessed by the merit of having anointed Him, she enjoyed His company. Her heart and body burned with longing, her eyes filled with desire. She breathed in the fragrance of His feet and, by massaging them, found relief from her pains. Embracing her beloved closely, holding Him between her arms and her breasts, she found in His blissful presence the end to all her long suffering. Having attained the Lord of liberation—so difficult for anyone to attain—she, though feeling herself unworthy, offered Him sandal paste and asked for a boon. With yearning, she said, “Let my beloved stay here with me for a few days. Enjoy with me, O lotus-eyed one, for I cannot bear to be separated from you.” The Lord, ever the Giver of Honor, granted her wish, and after honoring her, He returned to His own revered abode with Uddhava. It is said that one who, after worshipping Viṣṇu, the Lord of all lords, chooses a boon that simply pleases the mind but lacks true goodness, is of poor judgment. With this, Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by Rāma and Uddhava, wishing to accomplish a purpose and to please Akrūra, made His way to Akrūra’s house. From afar, Akrūra saw these best of men, his own kinsmen, approaching. Overflowing with joy, he rose, embraced them, and welcomed them with delight. He bowed to Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, who in turn greeted him warmly. Accepting their seats as prescribed, Akrūra worshipped them properly, offering water for their feet and placing it upon his head in reverence. He honored them with divine garments, fragrant garlands, and the finest ornaments. With his head bowed low, Akrūra washed their feet with his own hands. Full of humility, he addressed Kṛṣṇa and Rāma: “By your grace, wicked Kaṃsa and his followers have been slain, and our family has been rescued from great distress and restored. You two are the Supreme Persons, the very causes and substance of the universe; there is nothing higher or lower than you. This universe, created by yourself, you enter with your own powers and manifest in countless ways, O Brahman, perceivable through hearing and direct experience. Just as various forms appear in the wombs of all beings, moving and non-moving, so too do you, O Lord, manifest in many ways in beings born from yourself, for you are self-dependent. “You create, destroy, and protect the universe by your own powers—passion, darkness, and goodness—yet you are never bound by these qualities or actions, for you are the self of knowledge. How could any cause of bondage touch you? Since your existence is not defined by body or other limiting adjuncts, you are not subject to difference; thus, for you there is neither bondage nor liberation. May we never be confused about your true nature. “Whenever the ancient Vedic path is obstructed by false doctrines and untruth, you, for the world’s welfare, 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 earth’s burden, destroy hundreds of armies of hostile kings, and spread the fame of this dynasty. Today, 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 person would seek shelter anywhere but with you, who are dear to your devotees, whose words are always true, a friend to all and grateful, who grants all desires to those who worship you, and for whom gain and loss mean nothing? By great fortune, O Janārdana, you have appeared before us, though even the lords of yoga and the gods find you hard to reach. Please, quickly cut for us the bonds of delusion—attachment to children, wife, wealth, relatives, home, body, and so on—which are your own māyā.” Thus worshipped and praised by His devotee, the Blessed Lord Hari smiled and spoke, enchanting Akrūra with His words: “You are our teacher, our paternal uncle, ever-honored kinsman. 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. The gods act for their own sake, but the virtuous do not. Holy places are not sanctified by water alone, nor are gods merely images of clay and stone; it is the sight of the virtuous that purifies, even in a moment. “You, as our well-wisher, are most capable of seeking our welfare. Therefore, for the sake of learning about the Pāṇḍavas, go now to Hastināpura. We have heard that, after their father’s death, the children and their mother were brought to their own city by the king and now reside there, deeply distressed. Among them, the king, son of Ambikā, is not impartial toward his brother’s sons; surely, under the sway of his wicked son, his vision is clouded. Go and learn their present condition, whether good or bad. Having understood, we shall act to secure the welfare of our friends.” Thus instructed by Lord Hari, the Supreme Controller, Akrūra departed for Hastināpura, while Hari returned to His own residence with Sankarṣaṇa and Uddhava. And so ends the forty-eighth chapter of the first half of the Tenth Book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, scripture for the paramahaṃsas. Śuka continued: Having arrived at Hastināpura, famed among the kings of the Paurava line, Akrūra saw there the son of Ambikā—Dhṛtarāṣṭra—along with Bhīṣma, Vidura, and Pṛthā. He also met Bāhlīka with his son, Bhāradvāja with Gautama, Karṇa, Suyodhana, Aśvatthāmā, the Pāṇḍavas, and other friends. The son of Gāndinī approached each relative as appropriate, was asked by them about the well-being of friends, and in turn inquired about their welfare. Akrūra remained there for a few months, wishing to observe the conduct of the king, who was ill-advised, lacking in substance, and following the wishes of the wicked. He saw that the king did not wish to acknowledge the brilliance, strength, valor, humility, and other virtues, nor the people’s affection for the sons of Pṛthā. All the wrongs done by the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra—including the poisoning and other misdeeds—were related to him in detail by Pṛthā and also by Vidura. When Pṛthā saw her brother Akrūra had arrived, she approached him with eyes brimming with tears, her heart remembering her birthplace, and she spoke: “O gentle one, do my parents, brothers, sisters, nephews, sisters-in-law, and friends still remember us?