Moved by the heartfelt wish of his devoted wife and the bonds of deep friendship, Krishna chose to visit the humble Brahmin. Reflecting on this, Krishna resolved, “He has come to Me; I shall grant him riches rarely attained by mortals.” With this thought, Krishna entered the Brahmin’s dwelling and, seeing a cloth bundle of parched rice, wondered, “What is this?” He took it in His hands. Krishna then addressed His dear friend: “O friend, this simple offering you have brought brings Me supreme satisfaction. These grains of parched rice, O dear one, please not only Me but the whole universe.” With that, Krishna ate a handful of the rice. As He reached for a second, Lakshmi, ever devoted to the Supreme Lord, gently seized His hand and said, “O Soul of the Universe, this alone is enough to bring all prosperity, in this world or the next, to one whose sole purpose is to please You.” That night, the Brahmin remained in Achyuta’s (Krishna’s) abode, where he ate, drank, and felt as if he were in heaven itself, basking in happiness. When morning came, honored with universal affection and his heart full of joy, he set out for home, accompanied along the path. Though he had not received material wealth from Krishna, nor had he asked for it, he returned home feeling bashful yet utterly fulfilled, having been blessed with the great vision of the Lord. The Brahmin marveled at what had transpired: “Ah, I have witnessed the devotion of the Lord who cherishes the Brahmins. Though I am most poor, Lakshmi herself embraced Him upon His chest. Where am I, poor and sinful, and where is Krishna, the very abode of fortune? Though only a Brahmin in name, I was embraced by His arms. I was seated on a couch, cherished by my dear friend as brothers are, fanned by the queen herself with a child’s fan, though I was weary. With utmost service—such as massaging my feet—I was honored by the Lord of gods, the god of Brahmins, as if I were a god.” He pondered further: “For men, the root of all happiness in heaven and liberation, of wealth on earth, and of all perfections, is the worship of His feet. If this poor man were to obtain wealth, he might become intoxicated and forget the Lord; thus, out of compassion, He surely did not grant me abundant riches.” Thinking thus, the Brahmin approached his humble home—but to his astonishment, it was now surrounded by aerial palaces, shining like the sun, fire, and moon. The grounds were adorned with wondrous groves and gardens, filled with the songs of flocks of birds, and ponds blossoming with lotuses, water lilies, and blue lotuses. Beautifully adorned men and women with doe-like eyes graced the scene. The Brahmin wondered, “What is this? Whose place is this? How has this come to be?” As he pondered, men and women as radiant as immortals welcomed him with abundant singing and instrumental music. Hearing of her husband’s arrival, his wife, overwhelmed with joy and excitement, rushed out of the house—like Lakshmi herself from her abode. When she saw her husband, her eyes brimmed with love and longing; she closed her eyes and embraced him with reverent mind and heart. The Brahmin, astonished, beheld his wife shining among the maidservants, radiant like a celestial goddess, standing out among those without necklaces. Pleased and reunited with her, he entered his own palace, now adorned with hundreds of jeweled pillars, resembling the mansion of Indra. There were beds as soft as milk foam, decorated with gold, couches with golden rails, and yak-tail fans. Golden seats with soft cushions, canopies hung with pearl garlands, and shining coverings adorned the halls. On clear crystal walls and great emerald surfaces, jeweled lamps shone, and women adorned with gems were present. Seeing the abundance of all riches, the Brahmin calmly reflected on his prosperity, which had come unasked. He thought, “Surely, this is the cause of my prosperity, so unfortunate and always poor; nothing else could explain the wealth of the foremost Yadu. Indeed, even without asking, the generous king gives abundantly to those who request, like a rain cloud observing and providing—my friend, the chief of the Dasharhas. Whatever little he gives, even if small, is offered as a friend; though he is a great giver, he accepted from me a handful of parched grain, offered with affection.” With a heart full of gratitude, he prayed, “May I have friendship, companionship, and service to Him, birth after birth. Through association with that great soul, the abode of virtues, my attachment is fixed. For the devoted, the Lord indeed grants wondrous prosperity and kingdoms; but the unborn one does not bestow them on those lacking discernment, for He knows Himself to be the downfall and pride of the wealthy.” Thus resolved in mind, the devotee of Janardana, though surrounded by pleasures, enjoyed them without excessive attachment. He reflected, “For that Lord of sacrifice, Hari, the god of gods, the Brahmins are His origin; nothing is higher than them.” Thus, the Brahmin, friend of the Lord, seeing the unconquered one conquered by His own servants, with his mind bound by meditation on Krishna, soon attained the Lord’s own abode, the path of the virtuous. It is said that one who hears of this, of the Lord’s devotion to the Brahmins, and gains devotion to the Lord, is freed from the bondage of karma. Thus ends the eighty-first chapter, named “The Story of Prithu’s Anger,” in the tenth book, second half, of the great Purana, Srimad Bhagavata, the scripture of the supreme paramahamsas. Then, Shri Shuka continued: Once, while Balarama and Krishna were residing in Dvaraka, a great solar eclipse occurred, as happens at the end of an age. O King, learning of this, people from all directions journeyed to the sacred field of Samantapanchaka, seeking auspiciousness. There, Balarama, the foremost among wielders of weapons, who had made the earth devoid of kshatriyas and created great lakes with the flood of kings’ blood, performed a great sacrifice. Though untouched by karma, He gathered the people as the Lord, just as others do to remove sin.