After much thoughtful discussion, the assembled sages, their faces lit with gentle smiles, turned to the Lord of the universe. They told him that his sovereignty, his kingship, was meant not for personal enjoyment, but for bringing people together in harmony. Then, addressing the Lord, the sages spoke with reverence: “O knower of the highest truth, by your wondrous māyā, even we—who are counted among the creators and rulers of the world—are bewildered. Your supreme mastery is veiled by your own mysterious power. Truly, how marvelous are the Lord’s actions! “Though you have no desires of your own, you create, sustain, and withdraw the universe in countless ways, yet remain untouched and unbound by these activities. Just as the earth, though appearing in many forms and names, remains unchanged at its core, so do you remain ever the same. How marvelous and mysterious are the acts of your greatness! “Yet, at the right times, for the protection of your devotees and the subjugation of the wicked, you assume the mode of goodness. By your divine play, you uphold the eternal path of the Veda, O Supreme Person, who are the very soul of the varṇāśrama order. “O Brahman, your heart is pure, attained through austerity, study, and self-restraint. In your heart is realized all that is manifest, unmanifest, and even that which is beyond both. “Therefore, O Brahman, you honor the community of Brahmins, the very source of the scriptures—and even of yourself. Thus you are the foremost among those devoted to Brahman. “Today, our birth, our learning, our austerities, and our vision have all borne fruit, for by meeting you, who are the highest goal, we have attained the supreme good. “Obeisance to Lord Krishna, whose intellect is unfailing, whose greatness is hidden 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 truly 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 in his dream, 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—fails to know you, O Lord, because of the disturbance of memory. “Today, we have seen your feet, which remove the mass of sins, which are the very abode of holy places, and which are 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 bestow your grace upon them.” Śuka then narrated: “Thus, after taking leave of Krishna, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and the royal sage Yudhiṣṭhira, the sages set their minds on returning to their own hermitages. “As they were departing, the illustrious Vasudeva approached them, bowed deeply, honored them, and spoke these well-controlled words: ‘O sages, I bow to you, who are as the gods themselves. Please tell us how, by action, the bondage of action may be destroyed.’ “Śrī Nārada replied: ‘O Brāhmaṇas, it is not surprising that Vasudeva, in his eagerness to know, asks us about the highest good for himself, even though he considers Krishna his own child. ‘Here, among mortals, close association often leads to disregard—just as one, leaving the sacred Ganges, seeks other water for purification. ‘He whose realization, through all the changes of time, creation, and dissolution, is never diminished by himself, by others, or by any qualities, from anywhere— ‘That Lord, who is undivided, whose experience is never obstructed by suffering, karma, or qualities, yet is concealed by his own powers such as the life-force—one may mistake him, just as one mistakes the sun when it is covered by clouds, mist, or an eclipse.’ “Then, O King, the sages, having addressed Anakadundubhi (Vasudeva), spoke before all the assembled kings and the two descendants of Acyuta: ‘The destruction of karma by action is thus established by the wise: with faith, one should worship Viṣṇu, the Lord of all sacrifices, through sacrificial rites. ‘This tranquility of mind has been shown by poets with the eye of scripture; the path of yoga is easy and brings joy to the self. ‘This is the auspicious path for the twice-born householder, who should worship with pure means and faith, according to his acquired wealth. ‘The wise should renounce, in due time: the pursuit of wealth through sacrifices and charity, the pursuit of wife and children through household life, and the pursuit of self through spiritual worlds. Those who have abandoned all pursuits in the village have gone, steadfast, to the forest of austerity. ‘O Lord, the twice-born is born with three debts—to the gods, sages, and ancestors; by sacrifices, study, and sons, he repays them. If he departs without settling them, he falls. ‘You, today, are freed from two debts, O wise one, to the sages and ancestors; having discharged the debt to the gods with sacrifices, become free from debt and without refuge. ‘O Vasudeva, surely you have worshipped Hari, the Lord of the worlds, with supreme devotion, and he has become your son.’ “When Vasudeva heard these words, he bowed his head in gratitude, pleased the sages and priests, and chose them for the great ritual. “O King, those sages, chosen by him in righteousness, performed the sacrifices for him in that field, following excellent rituals. “When the consecration began, the Vrishnis, wearing garlands of lotuses, bathed and dressed in fine garments, and the kings present were splendidly adorned. “His queens, filled with joy, dressed in fine clothes but without necklaces, approached the consecration hall, anointed and bearing offerings. “Drums, mridangas, kettledrums, conches, trumpets, and other instruments resounded in the air. Dancers and performers danced, bards and genealogists offered praise, and Gandharva women sang sweet music together with their husbands. “The priests, following the ritual, anointed Vasudeva—already bathed and smeared—with his eighteen wives, as the king of Soma is anointed by the stars. “Adorned by his queens with silks, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, and earrings, Vasudeva shone, consecrated and clad in a sacrificial garment. “His priests, O King, dressed in silk and adorned with jewels, together with the assembly, shone like Indra at the sacrifice. “Then Rama and Krishna, accompanied by their relatives, shone with their sons and wives, radiant like lords of life in their own splendor. “Vasudeva worshipped, according to the ritual, with sacrifices marked by agnihotra and others, both ordinary and special, the Lord of sacrifice, knowledge, and action. “At the proper time, he gave the priests the prescribed gifts—adorning the adorned ones with cows, land, daughters, and great wealth. “After performing the rites for the wives and the concluding ablution, those great sages, together with the priests and led by the sacrificer, bathed in the sacred Rama lake. “Having bathed, Vasudeva gave his ornaments and garments to the bards and likewise to the women. Then, adorned himself anew, he honored the priests and others with abundant food.” Thus unfolded the sacred gathering, where the Lord, his devotees, and the wise sages honored the eternal path and each other with devotion, ritual, and joy.