The kings, recently freed from captivity, beheld Krishna before them. His form was radiant, marked with the auspicious Śrīvatsa on his chest. Four-armed, he stood with eyes like lotuses tinged with red, his face luminous and gracious, makara-shaped earrings shining from his ears. In his hands he held the lotus, mace, conch, and discus, and he was adorned with a crown, necklaces, bracelets, a jeweled girdle, and armlets. His neck sparkled with the finest gems, and a garland of forest flowers rested on his shoulders. The kings gazed upon him, drinking in his beauty with their eyes as if tasting nectar with their very tongues. It seemed to them that they could smell his divine fragrance with their noses and embrace him with their arms. Freed from all sin, they bowed low, touching their heads to Hari’s feet. The sight of Krishna filled them with delight, and the exhaustion from their long captivity vanished at once. With joined palms, the kings offered heartfelt praise to Hṛṣīkeśa: “Salutations to you, Lord of the gods, imperishable one, remover of distress for those who seek your refuge! We have come to your shelter, O Krishna—protect us, weary as we are from this terrible cycle of birth and death. “O Madhusūdana, we do not blame you for the loss of our kingdoms to the Magadhan king. O Lord, for us rulers, your favor alone determines our fortune. A king, proud of sovereignty and opulence, cannot attain true welfare; deluded by your māyā, he considers fleeting riches to be everlasting. Just as children imagine water in a mirage, so too do the undiscerning mistake illusion for reality. “In the past, blinded by the intoxication of prosperity, we vied against each other, driven by the urge to conquer, and in our recklessness, we destroyed our own subjects, O Lord, heedless of death looming before us. But those very riches have now been swept away by your deep and irresistible power. By time, by your form, and by your compassion, our pride is broken, and we remember your feet. Therefore, we no longer desire kingdoms, which are but mirages, nor bodies that are ever subject to decay and pain. We long to worship you, O Lord, for the fruits of such worship, both in this life and beyond, are always pleasing to the ear and heart. “Instruct us, we pray, in the means by which, even as we go about the world, our remembrance of your lotus feet may never cease. Again and again we offer obeisance to Krishna, son of Vasudeva, to Hari, the Supreme Self, to Govinda, destroyer of the distress of those who take refuge in him.” Śuka then said: Thus praised by the kings, now freed from bondage, the compassionate Lord, shelter of all beings, addressed them with gentle words. Krishna said, “From this day forth, O kings, firm devotion to me—the Self, the Lord of all—will arise in you, just as you have sincerely desired. By good fortune, you have resolved rightly and spoken truthfully. See how pride in wealth and power drives people mad. Haihaya, Nahuṣa, Vena, Rāvaṇa, Naraka, and others—lords of gods, demons, and men—were all cast down from their high positions by pride in prosperity. “Knowing this, that all arising from the body and so forth is perishable, worship me through sacrifices and protect your subjects with righteousness. Sustain your people, experience happiness and sorrow, birth and death as they come, serve what arrives, and move about with your minds fixed on me. Detached from body and possessions, delighting in the Self, firm in your vows, and wholly fixing your minds on me, you shall attain Brahman at the end.” Śuka continued: Having thus instructed the kings, Krishna, Lord of the world, assigned attendants to care for the ceremonial bathing of their wives. He had Sahadeva perform the ceremonial worship, providing garments, ornaments, garlands, and ointments suitable for kings. After bathing and adorning them, Krishna fed the kings with excellent food, offered them various enjoyments, betel, and other royal pleasures. Honored by Mukunda, the kings, their earrings shining, freed from distress, shone like planets emerging brilliant after the rainy season. Krishna then had their chariots, adorned with jewels and gold and yoked with fine horses, readied for them. With kind words, he sent them back to their own lands. Thus, rescued from hardship by the greatly noble Krishna, the kings departed, their minds absorbed in thoughts of him and his wondrous deeds. The people marveled at the actions of the Supreme Person, and, as the Lord directed, they diligently performed their duties. After Jarasandha was slain by Bhimasena, Krishna, honored by Sahadeva and accompanied by the two sons of Pritha, departed. When they reached Khandavaprastha, the victorious heroes sounded their conchshells, delighting their friends and causing distress to their foes. Hearing this, the residents of Indraprastha were filled with joy, believing the Magadha king had been subdued and their own king’s desire fulfilled. Bhima, Arjuna, and Janardana then approached King Yudhishthira, offered their respects, and reported all that they had accomplished. Hearing their account, King Yudhishthira, understanding Krishna’s compassion, was overcome with joy; tears filled his eyes, and out of love, he could not speak a word. Thus ends the seventy-third chapter, entitled “The Coming of Krishna and Others,” in the second half of the Tenth Canto of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the great Purāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas. Śuka continued: King Yudhishthira, having heard of Jarasandha’s slaying by the mighty Krishna and of his wondrous deeds, was pleased and spoke to him: “Those who are teachers of the three worlds, the great lords of all beings, even after attaining what is most difficult to obtain, accept instruction upon their heads. You, O lotus-eyed one, are the ruler even over those who consider themselves masters among the distressed; O great one, this is indeed a profound mystery. “For the one Supreme, the Absolute, the Paramātman, who is without a second, neither does his glory increase nor diminish through actions, just as the sun remains unaffected. O unconquered one, O Mādhava, among your devotees there is no division of ‘mine’ and ‘yours’; such distinctions are like the differences among animals.” Having thus spoken, Śuka said, at the proper time for the sacrifice, Yudhishthira, with Krishna’s approval, chose as priests the brāhmaṇas who were learned in the Veda and fit to perform the sacred rites.