O King, in the sacred field, the sages chosen by him in righteousness gathered and performed sacrifices for him, following excellent rituals. When the consecration began, the Vrishnis adorned themselves with lotus garlands, bathed, and dressed in splendid attire, while the assembled kings too were magnificently adorned. His queens, joyous and radiant, though without necklaces, clothed in fine garments, approached the consecration hall, anointed and bearing offerings in their hands. The air was alive with the sounds of drums, mridangas, kettledrums, conches, trumpets, and other musical instruments. Dancers and performers moved in rhythm, while bards and genealogists sang praises. Gandharva women, their voices sweet, sang together with their husbands, filling the hall with divine music. As the rituals unfolded, the priests anointed him according to tradition, he having already bathed and been smeared, accompanied by his eighteen wives. He shone like the king of Soma anointed by the stars. Adorned by his wives with silks, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, and earrings, he stood radiant, consecrated and clad in a sacrificial garment. The priests themselves, dressed in silk and adorned with jewels, shone in the assembly like Indra at his own sacrifice. Rama and Krishna, surrounded by their relatives, sons, and wives, appeared as lords of life, resplendent in their own glory. He worshipped, according to ritual, with sacrifices marked by agnihotra and other rites, both ordinary and special, honoring the Lord of sacrifice, knowledge, and action. At the proper moment, he bestowed upon the priests the prescribed gifts—adorning those already adorned 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, he gave his ornaments and garments to the bards and likewise to the women. Then, adorning himself anew, he honored the priests and others with sumptuous food. He lavishly honored his relatives, their wives and sons, and the people from Vidarbha, Kosala, Kuru, Kashi, Kekaya, and Sṛñjaya. He extended honor to 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—embraced their kinsmen, the Yadus, their hearts softened by affection. Some departed for their own lands, enduring the pain of separation. Nanda, together with the cowherds, was worshipped with great honor by Krishna, Rama, Ugrasena, and others. Fond of his relatives, he remained there. Vasudeva, having easily crossed the vast ocean of his desires, surrounded by friends and with a joyful mind, addressed Nanda, touching his hand. Vasudeva said, “Brother, the bond created by affection among people, which is called love, I consider hard to abandon, even for heroes and yogis. This friendship, established by noble ones even toward those who have not returned their kindness, and whose fruit is offered in friendship, should never be abandoned. In previous times, brothers, we did not act for each other’s welfare; now, blinded by pride in prosperity, we do not see those standing before us. O bestower of honor, may the splendor of sovereignty never come to a man who desires true welfare, for by it, one does not see his own people or relatives, becoming blind in vision.” Thus, with his heart loosened by affection, Ānakadundubhi (Vasudeva), remembering the friendship that had been shown, wept, his eyes filled with tears. Nanda, honored by the Yadus for the love he had shown to his dear friends Govinda and Rama, stayed there for three months, thinking, “Today, tomorrow.” Then, filled with desires, Nanda, along with his kin and the people of Vraja, was honored with the finest ornaments, silks, and various priceless gifts. Receiving abundant gifts from Vasudeva, Ugrasena, Krishna, Uddhava, Balarama, and others, Nanda, accompanied by the Yadus, set out on his way. Nanda, the cowherds, and the cowherd women, their minds absorbed in the lotus feet of Govinda, found it hard to withdraw, yet departed for Mathurā. When their relatives had departed, the Vrishnis, whose deity was Krishna, seeing that the rainy season was approaching, returned again to Dvārakā. There, they recounted to the people the great festival of the Yadu gods, which had taken place during the pilgrimage, along with the meetings with friends and other events. Thus ends the eighty-fourth chapter, entitled “The Description of Pilgrimage,” in the tenth book, second half, of the glorious Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the supreme renunciates. After hearing all this, King Parīkṣit asked, “O Brahman, we wish to know about the sister of Rama and Krishna—how Arjuna married her, and how she became my grandmother.” Śuka replied: While traveling on pilgrimage, Arjuna, the lord, wandered the earth and came to Prabhāsa, where he heard news of his maternal cousin. Some said that Rama would give her to Duryodhana, but others disagreed. Desiring her, Arjuna became a renunciate with three staffs and went to Dvārakā. There, seeking his own purpose, he stayed for several months, honored repeatedly by the townspeople and by Rama, who did not recognize him. One day, bringing him home and inviting him as a guest, Rama offered him food with faith, and Arjuna ate what was brought as alms. There he saw a great maiden, captivating to heroes; his heart, stirred by affection and blossoming eyes, was set upon her. She too, seeing him, chose him—her heart drawn to him as is natural for women; smiling, with bashful sidelong glances, she fixed her heart and gaze upon him. Arjuna, constantly thinking of her and desiring her, found no peace—his mind confused by overpowering passion. During a great festival, as she rode in a chariot and left the fortress, Arjuna, with the approval of her parents and Krishna, the mighty charioteer, carried her away. Standing on the chariot, taking up his bow, he drove away the brave warriors who blocked him, scattering his own people as a lion scatters deer.