Sūta began, “When King Viṣṇurāta asked, the blessed son of Badarāyaṇa—whose heart was absorbed in Lord Vāsudeva—spoke.” Śuka continued: Kṛṣṇa had a brāhmaṇa friend, a man deeply learned in the Vedas, detached from sense pleasures, peaceful and self-controlled. Though he lived as a householder, he accepted whatever came to him by chance, never seeking more. His wife, equally devoted, was thin from hunger; her clothes were in tatters, and she lived as austerely as he did. One day, this faithful wife, her face pale and trembling from suffering, approached her impoverished husband and spoke gently: “O brāhmaṇa, is not the Lord—the very husband of Śrī and your friend—devoted to brāhmaṇas, the refuge of all, and the exalted Lord of the Sātvatas? Go to Him, O blessed one, for He is the supreme shelter of the virtuous. Surely, He will grant abundant wealth to you, the householder, who is in distress. He resides now 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 behold the Lord praised in the highest hymns.” With this resolve, he decided to go. He asked his wife, “Is there any gift at home, O good lady? Let something be given.” She went out and begged four handfuls of flat rice from the brāhmaṇas, tied them in a cloth, and gave them to her husband as a gift. Taking the rice, the brāhmaṇa set out for Dvārakā, his heart pondering how he might obtain a vision of Kṛṣṇa. Passing through three enclosures and three courtyards, he entered the homes of the Andhakas and Vṛṣṇis, followers of the infallible Lord. He entered one of the houses of Hari’s sixteen thousand queens, and, as if attaining divine bliss, was filled with joy. From afar, Acyuta—seated on his beloved’s couch—spotted his friend, immediately rose, approached, and joyfully embraced him with both arms. Overwhelmed with joy at the touch of his dear friend, the brāhmaṇa sage, the lotus-eyed Lord shed tears. After seating his friend upon the couch, Kṛṣṇa himself performed all proper honors, bringing water and washing his friend’s feet with his own hands. O King, the Lord, purifier of the worlds, respectfully took the water with his head and anointed his guest with divine fragrances: 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 brāhmaṇa, 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, O King, 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? I know well, wise one, that your mind is not attached to household life or wealth, for you act without desire and take little 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. At sunrise, our teacher Sāndīpani, searching for us, saw his students in a wretched state. He exclaimed, ‘Ah, dear children, you have suffered greatly for my sake; yet, forgoing your own well-being, you have devoted yourselves to me. Indeed, this is what true disciples must do for their teacher: to dedicate all their efforts and very selves to the guru with pure intent. I am pleased, O best of the twice-born; may all your true wishes be fulfilled, and may you master the Vedas and their limbs, here and hereafter.’ In this way, by the guru’s grace alone, a person living in the teacher’s house attains completeness and peace through many such experiences.” The blessed brāhmaṇa replied, “What remains unfulfilled for us, O Lord of gods, teacher of the world, when we have lived in your house, you who are ever true to your word?