As the dust of battle settled, Arjuna stood before Kṛṣṇa, weighed down by the dilemma of justice and righteousness. Kṛṣṇa, the Blessed Lord, explained to him: “A brāhmaṇa, even if an aggressor, should not be killed; yet an aggressor deserves death. I have taught both sides—now uphold my instruction.” He reminded Arjuna to fulfill the promise he had made to the Kuru dynasty, a pledge given to comfort his beloved, and what was dear to Bhīmasena, to Draupadī, and to Kṛṣṇa himself. Suddenly understanding Kṛṣṇa’s intention, Arjuna drew his sword and cut off the jewel along with the hair from the head of the twice-born one, Aśvatthāmā. Releasing him, bound with a girdle and his brilliance dimmed by the sin of killing a child, deprived of the jewel’s radiance, Arjuna led him out from the camp. For those who are brāhmaṇas in name only, the bodily punishment is shaving the head, taking away wealth, and expelling them from their place—there is no other. All the Pāṇḍavas, afflicted with grief for their son, together with Draupadī, performed the necessary rites for their dead, such as carrying out the bodies. Then, as the seventh chapter began, Śrī Bhagavān spoke: “What you have asked of me, O greatly fortunate one, is exactly what I wish to do. Brahmā, Śiva, and the guardians of the worlds all desire to dwell in my realm.” Meanwhile, the people flourished in happiness, as loving couples cared for their children, listening with delight to their cooing and babbling speech. By the gentle touch of their wings, their cooing, and their charming gestures, as the little ones approached, their parents, who were without sorrow, felt joy. Their hearts bound by affection, deluded by Viṣṇu’s māyā, the two, with troubled minds, nurtured their children and the people. Once, those two householders went out for the sake of their young ones; in that forest, seeking food, they wandered for a long time. By chance, a hunter roaming the forest saw them, spread his net, and captured the young ones as they moved near their nest. The male and female pigeons, always eager to nourish their offspring, having obtained food, returned to their own nest. The female pigeon, seeing her own children trapped in the net, rushed toward them, crying out, greatly distressed as they cried. Filled with affection and a sorrowful heart, bewildered by illusion, she herself became ensnared in the net, seeing her young ones bound, losing awareness. The male pigeon, seeing his beloved children bound—dearer to him than life—and his wife, equal to himself, lamented in great sorrow: “Alas, see my misery—of little merit and foolish mind! Unsatisfied, unfulfilled, my householder’s pursuit of the three aims of life is ruined. She who was my devoted and agreeable wife, my goddess, has left me in this empty house, going to heaven with our sons, the virtuous ones. So I, left in this empty house, bereft of wife and children, miserable, why should I wish to live, afflicted by a life of sorrow?” Surrounded in this way by his own offspring, seized by the grip of death and writhing helplessly, the pitiable bird, though seeing the arrows, fell down in ignorance. The cruel hunter, satisfied with his aim, took the pigeon, his mate, and their young—householders all—back to his home. Thus, a householder whose mind is not at peace, who delights in dualities like a bird, and who maintains his family with attachment, sinks down, bound by his connections. He who, having attained the human world where the door to liberation stands open, remains attached to household life like a bird—they know him as one who, having climbed up, has fallen down. Later, desiring to offer water for their departed relatives, the women, led by Draupadī, went to the Gaṅgā. Having offered water and lamented intensely again, they bathed in the river sanctified by the lotus feet of Hari and by Brahmā, the unborn. There, Madhava saw the king of the Kurus, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, seated with his younger brother, along with Gāndhārī, stricken with grief for her sons, Pṛthā, and Kṛṣṇā. He, along with the sages, consoled those who had lost their relatives and were overwhelmed with sorrow, showing them the inevitable course of time among all beings, which cannot be countered. Having restored to Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira) his own kingdom, which had been taken by gamblers, and having slain the unrighteous kings whose lives were stained by the touch of Kaca, Kṛṣṇa accomplished his purpose. He had Yudhiṣṭhira perform three horse sacrifices with excellent arrangements, spreading his pure fame in all directions, like Indra. Having taken leave of the sons of Pāṇḍu, accompanied by Sātyaki and Uddhava, and honored by Vyāsa and other sages, Kṛṣṇa honored them in return. Having resolved to depart, he mounted his chariot to go to Dvārakā, but encountered Uttarā, who was running toward him, overwhelmed by fear. Uttarā cried out: “Protect me, protect me, O great yogin, God of gods, Lord of the universe! I see no other refuge but you, where death threatens on all sides. O Lord, a blazing iron arrow is rushing toward me! Let it burn me if it must, but, O master, do not let my unborn child be destroyed.” Hearing her words, the Lord, who is affectionate to his devotees, understood that the weapon of Droṇa’s son was intended to destroy the Pāṇḍava line. The five Pāṇḍavas, seeing the blazing arrows coming toward them, took up their own weapons for defense. Seeing the calamity that had befallen those whose minds were fixed on him alone, the Lord protected his own people with his Sudarśana discus, his own weapon. Hari, the master of yoga, who dwells within all beings as their very self, by his own power covered the embryo in Uttarā, the descendant of the Kurus. Although the Brahmaśiras weapon is unfailing and cannot be counteracted, it was subdued upon encountering Kṛṣṇa’s Vaiṣṇava power. Do not consider this astonishing, for in Acyuta, who is full of all wonders, the unborn one creates, maintains, and destroys this world by his divine illusion. Freed from the power of Brahma, along with her sons and with Kṛṣṇa, the virtuous Pṛthā spoke these words to Kṛṣṇa, who was about to depart.