He placed me gently upon his chariot, yoked with four magnificent horses, then took up his resplendent Śārṅga bow, donned his shining armor, and stood ready for battle, manifesting his divine form with four arms. Dāruka, his charioteer, guided the chariot, which was adorned with golden fittings, through the field as the assembled kings looked on in awe—just as the king of beasts seizes his prey before the other animals. Some of the kings, determined to stop him, took up their weapons and pursued along the road, bows drawn, like village lions attempting to chase Hari himself. But as he released volleys of arrows from his Śārṅga bow, their arms, legs, and necks were severed; many fell upon the battlefield, while others, abandoning their weapons, fled in fear. Having subdued his foes, the Lord of the Yadus entered the splendid city, which was beautifully decorated with sun-shaded banners and painted gateways, celebrated both in heaven and on earth, arriving like a ship finally reaching its home harbor. My father, overjoyed, honored his friends, relatives, and kin with precious garments, ornaments, beds, seats, and many other gifts. With maidservants, abundant wealth, soldiers, chariots, and horses, he gave valuable weapons to all, offering everything with heartfelt devotion. We, the maidservants of his household, came to serve him only by the power of true austerity and complete detachment, for he himself is ever self-satisfied. The queens said: “Having slain Bhauma and his followers in battle, he freed us, the princesses who had been conquered and imprisoned. Remembering his lotus feet—the fulfiller of all desires—he accepted us in marriage, granting us liberation from worldly bondage. We do not yearn for sovereignty, for lordship, for rulership, or even for the supreme position of Brahmā, nor do we desire the endless abode of Hari. Our only wish is to bear upon our heads the dust of his glorious feet, fragrant with the scent of his consort’s breast-unguent—he who wields the mighty mace. The cowherd women of Vraja, the Pulinda women, the grasses and herbs, the cows and the cowherd boys—all yearn for the touch of his feet as he tends the cows, for he is the greatest soul.” Śuka continued: When Kuntī, Subhadrā, Draupadī, Mādhavī, the royal wives, and their own gopīs heard of the deep affection Krishna, the Supreme Soul, had for them, they were all astonished, their eyes brimming with tears of wonder and devotion. As the women conversed among themselves and the men did likewise, a great assembly of sages arrived, eager to see Krishna and Balarāma. Among them came Vyāsa, Nārada, Cyavana, Devala, Asita, Viśvāmitra, Śatānanda, Bharadvāja, and Gautama. Alongside them arrived Rāma with his disciples, the venerable Vasiṣṭha, Gālava, Bhṛgu, Pulastya, Kaśyapa, Atri, Mārkaṇḍeya, and Bṛhaspati. Dvitas, Trita, Ekata, the sons of Brahmā, Aṅgirā, Agastya, Yājñavalkya, Vāmadeva, and many others joined as well. As these revered sages entered, the kings who had been seated, along with the Pāṇḍavas, Krishna, and Balarāma, immediately rose and bowed, honoring those respected throughout the world. They worshipped the sages according to custom, and Rāma and Acyuta welcomed them with words of respect, seats, water for washing feet, offerings, garlands, incense, and ointments. Once the sages were comfortably seated, the Lord, embodiment of righteousness, addressed them, and the entire assembly listened in silent reverence to his measured words. The Blessed Lord said: “Ah, we who are born into this world have attained the highest fruit, which even the gods find difficult to obtain—the sight of the masters of yoga. What can be said of those men of little austerity, who, in their worship of the gods—the eyes of the world—gain the chance to see, touch, question, and bow at the feet of such holy ones? Neither sacred waters, nor gods made of clay and stone, purify as the holy ones do; even a brief sight of them is purifying. Neither fire, nor sun, nor moon and stars, nor earth, water, sky, wind, speech, or mind—though worshipped as separate—remove sin, but the wise destroy it by serving the enlightened, even for a moment. He who identifies the self with the body of three elements, regards wife and kin as his own, worships earth as sacred, and sees holy places only as water, but never seeks out the wise—he is no better than a cow or donkey.” Śuka said: Hearing Krishna’s words, so deep and unfathomable, the sages sat in silence, their minds bewildered by the depth of his wisdom. After a long deliberation, the sages, smiling at the Lord of the universe, spoke, acknowledging that his sovereignty brings people together. They said: “By your māyā, O highest knower of truth, even we—the lords among the creators of the world—are bewildered; your mastery is hidden by your own mysterious power. How wondrous are the Lord’s actions! Though you are without desire, you create, maintain, and withdraw the world in many ways, yet remain untouched—just as the earth, though appearing in many forms and names, is unchanged. How marvelous and mysterious are your deeds! Yet, at the proper time, for the protection of your own people, you assume the mode of goodness, and for the subjugation of the wicked; by your own play, you uphold the eternal path of the Veda, O Supreme Person, soul of the varṇāśrama order. O Brahman, your heart is pure, attained through austerity, study, and self-restraint; in it is realized that which is manifest, unmanifest, and beyond both. Therefore, O Brahman, you honor the community of Brahmins, the very source of the scriptures and of yourself; thus you become the foremost among those devoted to Brahman. Today, our birth, our learning, our austerity, and our vision have borne fruit, for by meeting you, the highest goal, we have attained the supreme good. Obeisance to you, Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose intellect is unfailing, whose greatness is concealed by your own yogamāyā, and who is the Supreme Soul. He whom these kings and even the Vṛṣṇis, who delight in him alone, do not know—he is the Lord of time and the Self, hidden by the curtain of māyā. Just as a man lying asleep, though perceiving the elements and qualities, does not know his own true self, which is distinct from mere names and sense-objects, so too, by the delusion of māyā, the mind bewildered by attachment to names, objects, and senses, does not know you, due to the disturbance of memory. Today, we have seen your feet, which remove the mass of sins, which are the very abode of holy places, established in the heart by those whose yoga is fully matured. O Lord, whose devotees, their inner coverings pierced by overflowing devotion, attain your path—please grant them your grace.” Śuka continued: Thus, after taking leave of the Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa), Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Yudhiṣṭhira, the royal sage, the great sages set their minds on returning to their own hermitages. Seeing them depart, the illustrious Vasudeva approached, bowed in respect, honored them, and spoke these well-measured words.