The assembled sages and devotees, seeking relief from a tormentor, addressed Kṛṣṇa, the descendant of Daśārha: “O Lord, slay that wicked one for us—that is our greatest wish. He showers pus, blood, excrement, urine, liquor, and flesh upon us.” They pleaded for deliverance from this corruption. Then, it was said that by leaving the land of Bharata with a steady mind, wandering for twelve months, and bathing at holy places, one would become purified. Later, King Parīkṣit, eager for divine wisdom, addressed the venerable sage: “O master, I wish to hear more heroic deeds of Mukunda, the great soul whose power is infinite.” He continued, “O brāhmaṇa, who, having heard even once the sacred stories of the praiseworthy Lord, would ever cease listening, except one deeply afflicted by the arrows of desire and ignorant of their true worth?” The king reflected on the greatness of devotion: “That speech which praises His qualities, those hands that perform His deeds, that mind which remembers Him dwelling among all beings, and those ears that hear His holy stories—these alone are truly speech, hands, mind, and ears. That head is truly a head which bows to Him who bears both forms; those eyes alone see which behold Him; those limbs are truly limbs which always serve the water that has washed the feet of Viṣṇu or His devotees.” Sūta then spoke: “Thus questioned by Viṣṇurāta, the blessed son of Badarāyaṇa, whose heart was immersed in Lord Vāsudeva, began to speak.” Śuka continued: “Kṛṣṇa had a brāhmaṇa friend, most learned in the Veda, detached from sense pleasures, peaceful in mind, and self-controlled. Living as a householder, he sustained himself with whatever came by chance. His wife, thin from hunger and with clothing in tatters, was just like him.” One day, this devoted wife, pale-faced and trembling, approached her suffering husband and spoke: “O brāhmaṇa, is not the Lord, the husband of Śrī herself, your friend? He is devoted to brāhmaṇas, the refuge of all, and the exalted Lord of the Sātvatas. Go to Him, O blessed one, who is the supreme shelter of the virtuous. He will surely give abundant wealth to you, the householder, who is in distress. He now resides in Dvārakā as the Lord of the Bhojas, Vṛṣṇis, and Andhakas. Even as He remembers His lotus feet, He offers Himself to His devotees. Why would the teacher of the world not grant the desired objects, even those not sought, to one who worships Him?” Thus, gently and repeatedly entreated by his wife, the brāhmaṇa thought, “Indeed, the greatest gain is to see the Lord praised in the highest hymns.” Thinking thus, he resolved to go and asked, “Is there any gift at home, O good lady? Let something be given.” She begged four handfuls of flat rice from the brāhmaṇas, tied them in a piece of cloth, and gave them to her husband as a gift. Taking them, the foremost brāhmaṇa set out for Dvārakā, thinking, “How might I obtain a vision of Kṛṣṇa?” The noble brāhmaṇa passed through three enclosures and three courtyards, entering the homes of the Andhakas and Vṛṣṇis, who followed the path of the infallible Lord. He entered one of the houses of Hari’s sixteen thousand queens and, as if attaining divine bliss, became filled with joy. Seeing him from afar, Acyuta, seated on his beloved’s couch, immediately rose up, approached, and joyfully embraced him with both arms. Delighted by the touch of his dear friend, the sage among the twice-born, the lotus-eyed Lord, overwhelmed with joy, shed tears from his eyes. After seating his friend upon the couch, Kṛṣṇa himself performed the proper honors, bringing water and washing his feet with his own hands. The Lord, purifier of the worlds, respectfully took the water with his head and anointed his guest with divine fragrances of sandalwood, aguru, and saffron. With fragrant incense and rows of lamps, he worshipped his friend with joy, offered him betel nut, and, after presenting a cow, spoke words of welcome. The goddess herself served the twice-born, who was clad in worn, soiled garments, emaciated, and with veins prominent, by fanning him with a yak-tail fan. Seeing the avadhūta so honored by Kṛṣṇa of spotless fame, the women of the inner chambers were amazed and filled with great affection. They wondered, “What pious act has this avadhūta, this mendicant, performed—he who is destitute of fortune, despised and lowly in this world?” He, so honored by Śrīnivāsa, the preceptor of the three worlds, was embraced like an elder brother, even as the goddess of fortune remained seated on the couch. They began to recount delightful stories from their time together in the preceptor’s house, holding each other's hands as they spoke. The Blessed Lord said: “O brāhmaṇa, after you completed your studies in the preceptor’s house and offered the proper fee, did you marry a suitable wife or not, O knower of dharma? It is well known to me, wise one, that your mind is not attached to household life or to wealth, for you act without desire and do not take much pleasure in such things. Some perform actions, their minds deluded by desire, abandoning their divine natures, just as I do for the sake of maintaining the world.” “O brāhmaṇa, do you remember our time living together in the preceptor’s house? For the twice-born, by knowing what is to be known, crosses beyond darkness. Indeed, he is the very origin here of those devoted to righteous action, born of the twice-born, and the foremost among those in the āśramas, just as I am the giver of knowledge and the teacher. O brāhmaṇa, those skilled in the true meaning, among those who follow varṇa and āśrama, easily cross the ocean of worldly existence by my instruction as their teacher.” “I, the indwelling soul of all beings, am not satisfied by worship, offspring, austerity, or restraint, as I am by service to the teacher.” “O brāhmaṇa, do you remember our conduct while living with the preceptor, when, prompted by the preceptor’s wives, we sometimes went to gather firewood? As we entered the great forest, O twice-born one, a fierce storm arose, with violent winds and harsh thunder. By then, the sun had set and darkness covered all directions; the low-lying riverbank, now flooded, could not be discerned at all. There, we were struck repeatedly by powerful winds and torrents of water, overwhelmed by the flood; unable to tell the directions or see each other in the forest, we wandered about, holding hands, distressed.” Thus, the Lord and his friend recalled their days of humble service and adversity, their hearts united in sacred remembrance.