O Krishna, you are truly without possessions, for nothing exists apart from you; even the most powerful offer you tribute. Those blinded by insatiable desire and wealth fail to know you, beloved Lord, yet even the mighty are dear to you, and you are dear to them. You are the embodiment and fulfillment of all human goals; thus, the wise, desiring only you, renounce everything. Your association is fitting for them alone—not for those absorbed in the fleeting pleasures and pains of worldly life. Sages who have cast aside anger praise your greatness. You are the soul of the worlds and the giver of souls, as I have heard. When your eyebrow signals the force of time, even Brahmā and Śiva lose their blessings—what, then, of others? O elder brother of Gadā, your words may seem gentle, but with the twang of your bow you drove away the assembled kings and claimed me, just as a lion seizes his rightful share among animals. Out of fear of those kings, I sought refuge in the ocean. Desiring you, O lotus-eyed one, the foremost of kings—such as Ambarīṣa, Nahuṣa, and Gaya—abandoned their kingdoms and entered the forest; yet those who remain in this world, why do they not follow your path? Who, after smelling the fragrance of your lotus feet—celebrated by the virtuous and granting liberation—would seek shelter elsewhere? Mortal men, their vision clouded by material pursuits, disregard the abode of Lakṣmī, the treasury of all virtues. I have worshipped you, Lord of all worlds, as is proper. You fulfill desires in this life and the next. May your feet be my sole refuge as I wander through the cycles of birth, for you surely come to those who worship you, granting them freedom from falsehood. O Acyuta, in the homes of women, men who are not instructed by you are like donkeys, cows, horses, cats, and servants. If your stories—sung in the assemblies of Śiva and Brahmā—do not reach their ears, what is the use of their lives? A foolish woman who has not tasted the nectar of your lotus feet cherishes her beloved—whose body is but a living corpse, covered with skin, hair, and nails, filled with flesh, bones, blood, worms, excrement, phlegm, bile, and wind. O Lotus-eyed One, may I have devotion to your feet, for you are self-satisfied and see no one as separate from yourself. When, under the influence of old age, the mode of passion increases in someone, and you look upon me, that alone is your supreme compassion. O Madhusudana, I do not think your words are false. For a maiden's love is generally for her mother, and only sometimes for another. Even for a married woman of loose character, her mind turns again and again to something new. A wise man should not keep such a faithless woman; if he does, he loses both sides. Then the Blessed Lord spoke: "O chaste one, princess, you have been tested by Me with words, for I wished to see your desire to hear. Everything you have asked, as I have spoken, is indeed true. O beautiful one, whatever desires you may have, if you are devoted only to Me, O auspicious lady, they are always fulfilled for you, who are My exclusive devotee. O sinless one, your love for your husband and your fidelity have been proven. Even when you were agitated by My words, your mind did not waver from Me. Those who worship Me in married life, with austerity and vows, but are still attached to desires, are deluded by My māyā, thinking of Me as the lord of liberation. Those proud ones who, after attaining Me—the Lord and the wealth of liberation—still desire material prosperity and a husband, are unfortunate. Even in hell, for such people, hell is pleasant because of their attachment to their own kind. O mistress of the house, by good fortune you have repeatedly acted in accordance with Me, which is rare and liberates one from birth, even for women who are difficult to please, whose desires are hard to fulfill, and who indulge in deceit. O proud one, I do not see in any household a wife as devoted as you, who, at the time of your own wedding, did not consider the kings who had come, but sent the brahmin who had heard My glories to Me in secret. When your brother was disfigured in battle and killed at the gambling arena during the wedding festival, you endured that unbearable sorrow out of fear of separation from Me, and did not say anything; thus, you have conquered us. When you sent a messenger with a secret message to obtain Me, and when you thought I might abandon this unworthy body, you remained steadfast in Me; for that, we respond in kind." Thus, Śuka said, the Lord of the universe delighted Rukmiṇī with affectionate conversation, pleasing her with His own words, while playfully imitating the ways of humans. In the same way, the all-pervading Lord Hari, as the teacher of the world, resided in each of His wives' homes, upholding the duties of householders as if He Himself were a householder. Then, each of Krishna's wives bore ten sons, each equal in strength, and a ninth son as well, all endowed with their father's qualities. Seeing Acyuta, who never leaves home, ever present in their houses, the royal princesses regarded Him as their dearest, though they did not truly know His nature. With faces like blooming lotuses, long arms and eyes, with loving glances and sweet words, the Lord enchanted the women, who could not control their minds by their own charms before His majesty. With smiling glances, gestures revealing His inner feelings, and skillful, love-filled words sent with the movement of His brows, the sixteen thousand wives could not disturb His senses with their feminine arts, though they tried with Cupid's arrows. Thus, having attained the Lord of Lakṣmī as their husband, these women—whose path even Brahmā and the others do not know—joyfully served Him with unceasing affection, eager for His smile, glance, touch, and embrace. Hundreds of maidservants attended the Lord, performing all manner of service: welcoming Him, offering seats, washing His feet, providing betel, arranging for His rest, fanning Him, making fragrant garlands, arranging His hair, preparing His bed, bathing Him, and offering other gifts. Among Krishna’s wives, those who were foremost among the ten sons are eight queens; I will name their sons, beginning with Pradyumna. They are Charudeṣṇa, Sudeṣṇa, Charudeha the mighty, Suchāru, Charugupta, Bhadracāru, and another; Charucandra, Vichāru, and Charu are the tenth of Hari. These, headed by Pradyumna, were born to Rukmiṇī, not inferior to their father. Bhānu, Subhānu, Svarbhānu, Prabhānu, Bhānumān, Chandra Bhānu, Bṛhadbhānu, and Ratibhānu are the eight; Śrībhānu and Pratibhānu are the ten sons of Satyabhāmā. Sāmba, Sumitra, Purujit, Shatajita, and Sahasrajit; Vijaya, Citraketu, Vasumān, Draviḍa, and Kratu—these are the sons of Jāmbavatī, headed by Sāmba, esteemed by their father. Vīra Chandra, Ashvasena, Citragu, Vegavān, Vṛṣa, Āma, Shaṅku, Vasu, Śrīmān, and Kuntir—these are the sons of Nāgnajit. Śruta, Kavi, Vṛṣa, Vīra, Subāhu, Bhadra, Ekala, Śānti, Darśa, and Pūrṇamāsa are the sons of Kālindī; Somaka is the youngest. Praghoṣa, Gātravān, Siṃha, Bala, Prabala, Ūrdhvaga, Mahāśakti, Saha, Oja, and Aparājita are the sons of Mādrī. Vṛka, Harṣa, Anila, Gṛdhra, Vardhana, Annāda, Mahāśa, Pāvana, and Vahni are the sons of Mitravinda, along with Kṣudhi. Saṅgrāmajit, Bṛhatsena, Śūra, Praharaṇa, Arijit, Jaya, Subhadra, Vāmāyu, and Satyaka are the sons of Bhadrā. Thus, the Lord, surrounded by His devoted queens and noble sons, resided in Dvārakā, the delight and shelter of all worlds.