With a heart full of longing, a beloved woman pleaded, “Let my dear one stay here with me for a few days; enjoy with me, O lotus-eyed Lord, for I cannot bear to be parted from you.” Hearing her earnest request, Lord Krishna, the Giver of Honor, granted her the boon she desired. He honored her, and then, accompanied by Uddhava, the Lord of all, returned to His own revered abode. It is said that one who worships Vishnu, the Lord of lords, with great devotion and then asks for a boon pleasing only to the mind, but lacking in true goodness, is of poor judgment. Yet, Krishna, together with Rama and Uddhava, wishing to accomplish something and desiring to please Akrura, went to Akrura’s house. As those best of men—Krishna, Rama, and Uddhava—approached, Akrura saw them from a distance. Filled with joy, he rose, embraced his kinsmen, and welcomed them with delight. He bowed reverently to Krishna and Rama, who greeted him in return. After they accepted their seats as prescribed, Akrura worshipped them properly. He took the water for washing their feet and placed it upon his head, honoring them with divine garments, fragrant garlands, and the finest ornaments. Bowing his head and washing their feet with his own hands, Akrura, full of humility, addressed Krishna and Rama: “By good fortune, wicked Kamsa and his followers have been slain, and our family has been rescued from great distress and restored by you both.” He continued, “You two are the Supreme Persons, the causes and 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 differences; 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. 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.” Thus worshipped and praised by his devotee, the Blessed Lord Hari spoke to Akrura with a smile, 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. You, being our well-wisher, are most capable of seeking our welfare; therefore, for the sake of learning about the Pandavas, go now to Hastinapura.” “We have heard that, after their father’s death, the children, together with their mother, were brought to their own city by the king and now reside there, deeply distressed. Among them, the king, son of Ambika, 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 will act so that the welfare of our friends may be secured.” Thus instructing Akrura, Lord Hari, the Supreme Controller, departed to his own residence together with Sankarshana and Uddhava. Here ends the forty-eighth chapter of the first half of the Tenth Book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas. Śuka continued: Having gone to Hastinapura, famed among the kings of the Paurava line, Akrura saw there the son of Ambika, along with Bhishma, Vidura, and Pritha. He also saw Bahlika with his son, Bharadvaja with Gautama, Karna, Suyodhana, Ashvatthama, the Pandavas, and other friends. Akrura, the son of Gandini, approached each relative as appropriate, was asked by them about the well-being of friends, and in turn inquired about their welfare. He stayed there for a few months, wishing to learn the conduct of the king, who was ill-advised, lacking substance, and following the wishes of the wicked. He observed that the king did not wish to see the brilliance, strength, valor, humility, and other virtues, nor the people’s affection for the sons of Pritha. All the wrongs done by the sons of Dhritarashtra, including poisoning and other misdeeds, were related to him in full by Pritha and also by Vidura. Pritha, seeing her brother Akrura arrived, approached him, her eyes filled with tears as she remembered her birthplace, and spoke to him: “O gentle one, do my parents, brothers, sisters, nephews, sisters-in-law, and friends still remember us?” “The illustrious Krishna, my cousin, who is the refuge and beloved of His devotees, and Rama, the lotus-eyed, remember their maternal aunt’s children. In the midst of my co-wives, grieving like a doe among wolves, He will console me with words, and also comfort my children who are bereft of their father.” “Krishna, Krishna, great yogi, soul of the universe, creator of the world, protect me, O Govinda, who have taken refuge in You and am sinking together with my children.