Blinded by the power of māyā, the mind, deluded by attachment to names, objects, and the senses, loses its memory and fails to recognize the Supreme Lord. But on this day, the devotees beheld His feet—feet that dissolve the burden of sin, that are the very seat of all sacred places, and are enshrined in the hearts of perfected yogis. Those whose devotion overflows, piercing the coverings within, walk the path to Him, and to them the Lord grants His grace. After offering their respects to Kṛṣṇa—the Dāśārha—along with Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the noble Yudhiṣṭhira, the sages prepared to return to their hermitages, their minds set on their spiritual duties. Observing their departure, the illustrious Vasudeva approached, bowed with reverence, honored them, and addressed them with words marked by self-restraint and humility. “O revered sages,” Vasudeva said, “I bow to you, who are as the very gods themselves. Please instruct us: by what actions may one destroy the bondage created by action?” Nārada responded, addressing the assembled brāhmaṇas: “It is not surprising that Vasudeva, eager for true knowledge, asks us about the highest good for himself, even though Kṛṣṇa is his own son. Among mortals, close association often leads to disregard, just as a person—having access to the holy Ganges—might foolishly seek other waters for purification. Yet the realization of the Supreme Lord is never diminished by time, creation, dissolution, or anything else, neither by oneself, others, nor by any quality, from anywhere. That Lord, undivided and undisturbed by suffering, karma, or the modes of nature, remains hidden by His own powers—like the sun obscured by clouds, mist, or eclipse, so is He sometimes mistaken.” Then, O King, the sages addressed Anakadundubhi (Vasudeva) in the presence of all the assembled kings and the two descendants of Acyuta. “The wise declare,” they said, “that karma is destroyed by action when one, with faith, worships Viṣṇu, the Lord of all sacrifices, through the performance of sacrificial rites. Poets, with the eye of scripture, have revealed that the tranquility of mind comes through this path; the way 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 means. “In time, the wise should renounce the pursuit of wealth through sacrifices and charity, the pursuit of wife and children through household life, and even the pursuit of self through heavenly worlds. Those who have abandoned all pursuits in the village go steadfastly to the forest of austerity. The twice-born is born with three debts—to the gods, sages, and ancestors—and repays them by sacrifice, study, and begetting sons. If one departs without settling these debts, he falls. “Today, O wise Vasudeva, you are freed from two of these debts—to the sages and ancestors—and, having discharged your debt to the gods through sacrifice, you may become free from all obligations, without further refuge. Surely, you have worshipped Hari, the Lord of all worlds, with supreme devotion, and He Himself has become your son.” Hearing these words, Vasudeva, great of mind, bowed his head, pleased the sages and priests, and chose them to perform the sacrifice. Those sages, chosen in righteousness, carried out the sacrifice for him in that field, following excellent rituals. When the consecration began, the Vrishnis bathed, donned fresh garments, and adorned themselves with lotus garlands; the kings, too, appeared splendidly decked. The queens, radiant and joyful, entered the consecration hall in fine attire, bearing offerings and anointed for the occasion. The air resounded with drums, mridangas, kettledrums, conches, trumpets, and other instruments; dancers performed, bards and genealogists sang praises, and Gandharva women, accompanied by their husbands, filled the hall with melodious song. In accordance with the ritual, the priests anointed Vasudeva and his eighteen wives, as the king of Soma is anointed by the stars. Adorned with silk, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, and earrings, Vasudeva shone, consecrated and clad in a sacrificial garment. His priests, dressed in silk and adorned with jewels, together with the assembly, gleamed like Indra at his own sacrifice. Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, surrounded by their relatives, shone with their sons and wives, radiant in their own splendor. Vasudeva worshipped the Lord of sacrifice, knowledge, and action with offerings marked by agnihotra and other rites, both ordinary and special. At the proper time, he bestowed rich gifts upon the priests—cows, land, daughters, and great wealth—adorning the already adorned. After performing the rites for his wives and the concluding ablution, Vasudeva, the sages, and the priests all bathed together in the sacred Rama lake. Having bathed, Vasudeva gave his ornaments and garments to the bards and women, then, adorned anew, honored the priests and others with sumptuous food. He generously honored his relatives, their wives and sons, and the people of Vidarbha, Kosala, Kuru, Kashi, Kekaya, and Sṛñjaya. All the assembly members, officiating priests, sages, kings, spirits, ancestors, and wandering mendicants were honored; and, after taking leave of the Lord’s abode, they departed for the sacrifice, bestowing their blessings. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, his younger brother, the sons of Pṛthā, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Pṛthā herself, the two sons of Yamā, Nārada, the divine Vyāsa, and their friends and relatives embraced their kinsmen, the Yadus. Their hearts softened by affection, some set out for their own lands, bearing the pain of separation. Nanda, accompanied by the cowherds, was worshipped with great honor by Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, Ugrasena, and others, and, fond of his relatives, he remained there. Vasudeva, having easily crossed the vast ocean of his desires, surrounded by friends and filled with joy, approached Nanda, warmly taking his hand. Vasudeva spoke: “Brother, the bond of affection among people, known as love, is difficult to abandon—even for heroes and yogis. This friendship, established by the noble even toward those who have not returned their kindness, and whose fruit is simply the joy of friendship, should never be forsaken. In the past, we brothers failed to act for each other’s welfare; now, blinded by pride in prosperity, we fail to see those who stand before us. O bestower of honor, may the splendor of sovereignty never come to one who desires true welfare, for such power blinds a man to his own people and relatives.” Thus, in the company of sages and kin, amidst ritual, music, and heartfelt words, the spirit of devotion and kinship shone forth, and the assembly dispersed, each carrying with them the blessings and memories of that sacred gathering.