As the Lord of the Yadus entered the city, his arrival was heralded by splendor and celebration. The streets and gateways were adorned with banners that shaded the sunlight, painted with vibrant colors, making the city resplendent—a place renowned both in heaven and on earth. It was as if a great ship had finally reached its home harbor. Vasudeva, Krishna’s father, honored all his friends, relatives, and kin with generous gifts: exquisite garments, shining ornaments, comfortable beds, seats, and many other treasures. He gave freely, bestowing wealth, maidservants, soldiers, chariots, and horses, along with valuable weapons, all with heartfelt devotion. Within Krishna’s household, the maidservants reflected on their own paths. They had become such through the power of true austerity and complete detachment, dedicating themselves to serve him who was always self-satisfied. The queens, recalling their past, spoke among themselves: After Krishna had slain Bhauma and his followers in battle, he freed them—the princesses who had been conquered and held captive. Remembering his lotus feet, the source of all fulfillment, he accepted them in marriage, granting them liberation from worldly bondage. Yet, these queens revealed their hearts: They did not desire sovereignty, lordship, rulership, nor even the supreme position of Brahmā, nor the endless abode of Hari. Their only wish was to bear upon their heads the dust of Krishna’s glorious feet, fragrant with the scent of his consort’s breast-unguent—he who wields the mace. They remembered how the cowherd women of Vraja, the Pulinda women, the grasses and herbs, the cows, and the cowherd boys—all longed for the touch of Krishna’s feet as he tended the cows. Such was the universal yearning for his presence. Śuka narrated: When Kuntī, Subhadrā, Draupadī, Mādhavī, the royal wives, and their own gopīs heard of Krishna’s deep affection for them, they were astonished. Their eyes brimmed with tears of joy and wonder. As the women conversed among themselves and the men among men, a host of sages arrived, eager to see Krishna and Balarāma. Among them came Vyāsa, Nārada, Cyavana, Devala, Asita, Viśvāmitra, Śatānanda, Bharadvāja, and Gautama. Rāma arrived with his disciples, along with 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 also came. Upon seeing these revered sages, the kings, who had been seated, along with the Pāṇḍavas, Krishna, and Balarāma, immediately rose and bowed in respect. They worshipped the sages as was proper, and Rāma and Acyuta (Krishna) honored them with words of welcome, offering seats, water for washing feet, garlands, incense, and ointments. The Lord, embodiment of righteousness, addressed the sages as they sat comfortably. The great assembly listened in silence to his measured words. Krishna spoke: "Ah, we who are born into this world have attained the highest fruit, which is difficult even for the gods to obtain—the sight of the masters of yoga. What can be said of those men of little austerity, who, in worshipping the gods—the eyes of the world—gain the chance to see, touch, question, and bow to the feet of such beings? Neither sacred waters nor gods made of clay and stone purify in the same way; it is the holy ones who purify, simply by their sight, even in a brief moment. Neither fire, nor sun, nor moon and stars, nor earth, water, sky, wind, speech, or mind—though worshipped as separate—remove sin; 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 continued: Hearing Krishna’s words, whose wisdom was unfathomable, the sages sat silent, their minds perplexed by the depth of his speech. After reflecting for a long time, the sages smiled at the Lord of the universe and remarked that his sovereignty was meant for gathering people together. The sages spoke: "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 without desire, you create, maintain, and withdraw the world in many ways, yet are not bound—just as the earth, though appearing in many forms and names, remains unchanged. How marvelous and mysterious are the acts of your greatness! At the proper time, for the protection of your own people, you assume the mode of goodness, and also 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. Your heart is pure, attained through austerity, study, and self-restraint; in it is realized that which is manifest, unmanifest, and beyond both. Therefore, 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, who are the highest goal, we have attained the supreme good. Obeisance to that Lord Krishna, whose intellect is unfailing, whose greatness is concealed by his 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 Krishna (the Dāśārha), Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Yudhiṣṭhira, the royal sage, the sages set their minds on returning to their own hermitages. Seeing them depart, the illustrious Vasudeva approached, bowed, honored them, and spoke words with careful restraint. Vasudeva said: "O sages, I bow to you, who are all the gods. Please tell us how, by action, the bondage of action may be destroyed." Śrī Nārada replied: "O Brāhmaṇas, it is not surprising that Vasudeva, out of eagerness to know, asks us about the highest good for himself, considering Krishna as his own child. Here, among mortals, close association leads to disregard, just as one, leaving the Ganges, seeks other water for purification. He whose realization, by time, creation, dissolution, and so on, is never diminished by himself, by others, or by qualities, from anywhere." Thus, the assembly was graced by wisdom, devotion, and the presence of the Supreme, and the sages departed, their hearts fulfilled.