Desiring to fulfill a certain purpose and to bring joy to Akrūra, Lord Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by Rāma and Uddhava, made his way to Akrūra’s house. As they approached, Akrūra saw these illustrious kinsmen from afar. His heart overflowed with happiness, and he rose swiftly, embracing them with warmth and welcoming them with delight. With reverence, Akrūra bowed to Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, and they in turn greeted him kindly. Once they had accepted their seats, as prescribed by tradition, Akrūra honored them with proper worship. He took the water used to wash their feet and placed it upon his own head, showing his deep devotion. He adorned them with divine garments, fragrant garlands, and the finest ornaments. After this worship, bowing his head and washing their feet with his own hands, humble Akrūra addressed Kṛṣṇa and Rāma. He spoke with gratitude: “By your grace, the wicked Kaṃsa and his followers have been vanquished, and our family has been rescued from great distress and restored. You two are the Supreme Persons, the cause and essence of the universe; nothing exists beyond you, neither high nor low. “This universe, created by you, is entered and manifested in countless ways by your own powers, O Brahman, perceivable through hearing and direct experience. Just as various forms arise in all beings, moving and unmoving, so, O Lord, you manifest yourself in many ways in beings born from yourself, being self-dependent. “You create, destroy, and protect the universe through your powers of passion, darkness, and goodness, yet you remain untouched by these qualities and actions, for you are the self of knowledge—how could there be any cause of bondage for you? Your existence is not defined by body or other limiting adjuncts; you are free from differences. Thus, for you, there is neither bondage nor liberation—may we never be confused about your nature. “Whenever the ancient Vedic path is obstructed by false doctrines and untruth, you manifest yourself, endowed with the quality of goodness, for the welfare of the world. Therefore, O Lord, today you have descended into the house of Vasudeva with your own portion, to remove the burden of the earth, destroy hundreds of armies of hostile kings, and spread the fame of this dynasty. “Today, O Lord, our homes 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 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 here, 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 to Akrūra, enchanting him with his words. “You are our teacher, paternal uncle, and 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; 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 Pāṇḍavas, go now to Hastināpura. 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 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 will act so that the welfare of our friends may be secured.” Having thus instructed Akrūra, Lord Hari, the Supreme Controller, departed to his own residence, accompanied by Sankarṣaṇa 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 then spoke: Akrūra traveled to Hastināpura, famed among the kings of the Paurava line. There, he saw the son of Ambikā, along with Bhīṣma, Vidura, and Pṛthā. He also encountered Bāhlīka with his son, Bhāradvāja with Gautama, Karṇa, Suyodhana, Aśvatthāmā, the Pāṇḍavas, and other friends. Akrūra approached each relative as appropriate, exchanging inquiries about the well-being of friends and family. He stayed there for a few months, wishing to observe the conduct of the king, who was ill-advised, lacking substance, and following the wishes of the wicked. Akrūra noticed 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 Pṛthā. All the wrongs committed by the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra—including the poisoning and other misdeeds—were recounted to him in detail by Pṛthā and also by Vidura. Pṛthā, seeing her brother Akrūra had arrived, approached him, her eyes filled with tears as she remembered her birthplace, and spoke: “O gentle one, do my parents, brothers, sisters, nephews, sisters-in-law, and friends still remember us? Does the illustrious Kṛṣṇa, my cousin, who is the refuge and beloved of His devotees, and Rāma, 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 comfort my children who are bereft of their father. O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, 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. “I see no other refuge for people than Your lotus feet, O Lord, who delivers from the fearful ocean of birth and death. Salutations to Kṛṣṇa, the pure, the Supreme Spirit, the Supreme Soul, the Lord of yoga and embodiment of yoga; I have sought refuge in You.” Thus, remembering her relatives and Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the universe, your great-grandmother, O King, began to pray, afflicted with sorrow.