The sages, recognizing the purity of Vasudeva’s heart—purified by austerity, study, and self-restraint—spoke to him with reverence. In his heart, they said, was realized the truth of all that is manifest, unmanifest, and beyond both. Because Vasudeva honored the community of Brahmins, the very source of the scriptures and of himself, he had become the foremost among those devoted to Brahman. The sages felt their own lives had come to fruition that day—their birth, learning, austerity, and vision—all fulfilled by meeting Vasudeva, who was the highest goal and the supreme good. With deep respect, they offered obeisance to Lord Krishna, whose intellect never fails, whose greatness is concealed by his own yogamāyā, and who is the Supreme Soul. They reflected that even the kings and the Vṛṣṇis, who delight in Krishna alone, do not truly know him; for he is the Lord of time and the Self, hidden behind the curtain of māyā. Just as a man asleep, perceiving the elements and qualities, does not know his own self—distinct from mere names and sense-objects—so too, by the delusion of māyā, the mind, bewildered by attachment to names and objects, fails to know Krishna, memory disturbed. Yet, the sages rejoiced: today, they had seen his 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. They prayed that the Lord, whose devotees pierce their inner coverings by overflowing devotion and attain his path, would grant them his grace. Śuka then narrated how, after taking leave of Krishna, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Yudhiṣṭhira, the royal sage, the sages prepared to return to their hermitages. Seeing them, the illustrious Vasudeva approached, bowed, honored them, and addressed them with well-controlled words, saying, “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, eager to know, asks us about the highest good for himself, considering Krishna as his own child. Among mortals, close association often leads to disregard, just as one, leaving the Ganges, seeks other water for purification. Yet Krishna’s realization, through time, creation, dissolution, and so on, is never diminished by himself, by others, or by qualities, from anywhere. That Lord, undivided and unobstructed by suffering, karma, and qualities, is concealed by his own powers, such as life-force. One may mistake him, as one mistakes the sun covered by clouds, mist, or eclipse.” Then, O King, the sages, having addressed Anakadundubhi (Vasudeva), spoke before all the assembled kings and the two descendants of Acyuta. They explained that the destruction of karma by action is established by the wise: with faith, one should worship Viṣṇu, the Lord of all sacrifices, through sacrificial rites. This tranquility of mind, they said, has been shown by poets with the eye of scripture; the path of yoga is easy and brings joy to the self. They described the auspicious path for the twice-born householder: one should worship with pure means and faith, according to his acquired wealth. The wise should renounce 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, in due time. Those who have abandoned all pursuits in the village have gone steadfastly to the forest of austerity. The sages reminded Vasudeva that the twice-born is born with three debts—to the gods, sages, and ancestors—which are repaid by sacrifices, study, and sons. If one departs without settling them, he falls. They assured Vasudeva that he was freed from two debts, to the sages and ancestors, and, having discharged the debt to the gods with sacrifices, he was now free from debt and without refuge. They praised him, saying, “Surely you have worshipped Hari, the Lord of the worlds, with supreme devotion, and he has become your son.” Śuka continued: Hearing these words, Vasudeva, great-minded, bowed his head, pleased the sages and priests, and chose them. Those sages, chosen by him in righteousness, performed sacrifices for him in that field with excellent rituals. When the consecration began, the Vrishnis, wearing lotus garlands, bathed and dressed well, and the kings were splendidly adorned. Vasudeva’s queens, joyful, without necklaces and in fine garments, approached the consecration hall, anointed and bearing offerings. The air resounded with drums, mridangas, kettledrums, conches, trumpets, and other instruments. Dancers and performers danced, bards and genealogists praised, and Gandharva women with sweet voices sang music together with their husbands. The priests, according to the ritual, anointed Vasudeva, already bathed and smeared, with his eighteen wives, just as the king of Soma is anointed by the stars. Adorned by them with silk, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, and earrings, he shone, consecrated and clad in a sacrificial garment. His priests, dressed in silk and adorned with jewels, together with the assembly, shone like Indra at the sacrifice. Then Rama and Krishna, accompanied by their own relatives, shone with their sons and wives, lords of life with 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, the great sages, together with the priests and led by the sacrificer, bathed in the Rama lake. Having bathed, Vasudeva gave his ornaments and garments to the bards and likewise to the women. Then, adorned himself, he honored the priests and others with food. He lavishly honored his relatives, along with their wives and sons, and the people of Vidarbha, Kosala, Kuru, Kashi, Kekaya, and Sṛñjaya. He honored the assembly members, officiating priests, sages, kings, spirits, ancestors, and wandering mendicants. After taking leave of the Lord’s abode, they departed, offering blessings, to the sacrifice. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, his younger brother, the sons of Pṛthā, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Pṛthā, the two sons of Yamā, Nārada, the divine Vyāsa, and their friends and relatives—all embraced their kinsmen, the Yadus. Their hearts softened by affection, and some departed for their own lands, enduring the pain of separation.