After the slaying of Jarāsandha, the Lord—creator of all beings and master of Himself—anointed Sahadeva, Jarāsandha’s own son, as king over the Magadhas. With this act, He freed the many kings whom Jarāsandha had imprisoned, bringing relief and justice to the land. From the mountain cave emerged sixteen thousand eight hundred kings, who had been defeated in battle and held captive. They appeared, their bodies dirty and clad in soiled garments, emaciated by hunger, faces drawn and dried up from the torment of their confinement. As they stepped into the light, they beheld before them the dark-complexioned Lord, dressed in radiant yellow silk. They saw Him marked with the auspicious Śrīvatsa, four-armed, with lotus-like reddish eyes, a beautiful and gracious face, shining makara-shaped earrings, and holding the lotus, mace, conch, and discus. He was adorned with a crown, necklace, bracelets, a girdle, and armlets; His neck shone with the finest jewels and was garlanded with forest flowers. The freed kings drank in His divine form with their eyes, as if savoring Him with their tongues; they seemed to smell Him with their noses, embrace Him with their arms. Freed from sin, they bowed their heads at Hari’s feet. Delighted by the sight of Kṛṣṇa, their fatigue and suffering melted away. With joined palms, the kings praised Hṛṣīkeśa with heartfelt words: “Salutations to You, Lord of gods, imperishable remover of distress for those who seek refuge! We have sought Your shelter, O Kṛṣṇa—protect us, weary from this terrible cycle of birth and death. O Madhusūdana, we do not blame You for the loss of our kingdoms at the hands of the Magadhan; O Lord, for us kings, Your favor is the true cause. A king, swollen with pride from sovereignty and opulence, does not attain true welfare; deluded by Your māyā, he considers impermanent riches to be unshakable. Just as children imagine water in a mirage, so do those lacking discernment mistake illusory things for reality. “Formerly, blinded by the intoxication of prosperity, we, driven by the desire to conquer, competed with one another, mercilessly destroying our own subjects, O Lord, recklessly disregarding death before us. Those very riches, O Krishna, have been swept away by Your profound and irresistible power; by time, by Your form, and by Your compassion, our pride is destroyed, and we remember Your feet. Therefore, we no longer desire a kingdom, which is like a mirage, with a body that is ever subject to decay and pain; O Lord, we long to worship You, for the fruit of such acts, both in this life and after, is pleasing to the ear. Instruct us in the means by which, even as we wander in this world, our remembrance of Your lotus feet may never cease. Obeisance again and again to Krishna, son of Vasudeva, to Hari, the Supreme Self, to Govinda, destroyer of the distress of those who take refuge in Him.” Śuka continued: Thus praised by the kings, now freed from bondage, the compassionate Lord—shelter of all—spoke to them gently: “From this day forth, O kings, firm devotion to Me, the Self, the Lord of all, will arise in you, as you have earnestly desired. By good fortune, O kings, you have resolved rightly and spoken truthfully; behold how pride in wealth and power drives men mad. Haihaya, Nahuṣa, Vena, Rāvaṇa, Naraka, and others—lords of gods, demons, and men—were cast down from their positions by pride in prosperity. Knowing this, that all arising from body and so on is perishable, worship Me through sacrifices, and protect your subjects with righteousness. Sustaining the threads of your people, experiencing happiness and sorrow, birth and death as they come, serve what comes your way, and move about with your minds fixed on Me. Detached from body and so forth, delighting in the Self, firm in your vows, fixing your minds wholly on Me, you shall attain Brahman at the end.” Having thus instructed them, Krishna, Lord of the world, assigned attendants to the kings for the bathing ceremony of their wives. He had ceremonial worship performed by Sahadeva, with garments, ornaments, garlands, and ointments befitting royalty. After bathing and adorning the kings, He fed them with excellent food, provided various enjoyments, and offered betel and other things suitable for kings. Honored by Mukunda, the kings, with shining earrings, freed from distress, shone like planets released from the rainy season. Krishna had jeweled and golden chariots yoked with fine horses prepared for them, and with kind words, sent them back to their own lands. Thus rescued from hardship by the greatly noble Krishna, the kings departed, meditating on Him and the deeds of the Lord of the universe. The people marveled at the actions of the Supreme Person, and, as the Lord directed, diligently carried out their duties. After Jarasandha was slain by Bhimasena, Krishna, honored by Sahadeva and accompanied by the two sons of Pritha, departed. Upon reaching Khandavaprastha, the victorious heroes sounded their conchshells, delighting their friends and bringing distress to their enemies. Hearing this, the residents of Indraprastha rejoiced, believing that the Magadha king was subdued and their own king’s desire fulfilled. Then Bhima, Arjuna, and Janardana, after offering respects to King Yudhishthira, reported to him all that they had accomplished. Hearing this, Yudhishthira, understanding Krishna’s compassion, shed tears of joy and, out of love, could not speak a word. Thus ends the seventy-third chapter, ‘The Coming of Krishna and Others,’ in the second half of the Tenth Canto of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas. Śuka continued: Thus, King Yudhishthira, having heard of the slaying of Jarasandha by the mighty Krishna and His wondrous deeds, was pleased and spoke to Him. Yudhishthira said, “Those who are the teachers of the three worlds, the great lords of all beings, even after attaining what is difficult to obtain, accept instruction upon their heads.” Thus the story unfolds, with the kings freed, their hearts transformed, and Yudhishthira honoring Krishna’s greatness and humility.