During the reign of King Yudhiṣṭhira, whose enemies were never born, all living beings enjoyed a time untouched by disease, affliction, or adversity—whether caused by fate, other creatures, or their own actions. In this era of peace, Hari, the Lord Kṛṣṇa, remained in Hastināpura for several months, bringing happiness to His friends and delighting His beloved sister, Subhadrā. When the time came for Him to depart, Kṛṣṇa took leave with the permission of the elders, embracing and bowing respectfully to them. He ascended His chariot, honored and embraced by those close to Him. Gathered there were Subhadrā, Draupadī, Kuntī, the daughter of Virāṭa, Gāndhārī, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Yuyutsu, Kripa, and the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva. Vṛkodara (Bhīma), Dhaumya, and the women—such as the daughter of the King of Matsya—were overwhelmed with grief, unable to bear the separation from the wielder of the Śārṅga bow. For those who have been freed from negative influences by association with the virtuous, and who have heard the delightful fame of the Lord, such company becomes impossible to abandon. How could the sons of Pṛthā (the Pāṇḍavas), whose minds were fixed upon Him, endure the pain of parting after having seen, touched, conversed, rested, sat, and eaten with Him? All their hearts rushed after Him, following Him with unblinking eyes, bound by deep affection, wandering about as He prepared to leave. The women of the family, restraining their streaming tears out of longing for Devakī’s son, prayed that no inauspiciousness would occur as He departed the house. As Kṛṣṇa left, the air was filled with the sounds of mṛdaṅgas, conches, bherīs, vīṇās, paṇavas, gomukhas, dhundhuris, ānakas, bells, and dundubhis. The noble women of the Kurus, eager to see Kṛṣṇa, climbed to the tops of their palaces and showered Him with flowers, their eyes smiling with love and modesty. Guḍākeśa (Arjuna), Kṛṣṇa’s dearest friend, took up a white parasol adorned with pearls and a jeweled handle. Uddhava and Sātyaki, holding wondrous fans, fanned Madhupati (Kṛṣṇa) as He shone on the road, being showered with flowers. All around, true blessings were heard, uttered by the twice-born (brāhmaṇas)—some appropriate, some not—addressed to Him who is beyond qualities, yet whose essence is qualities. Among the women of the Kaurava king’s city, captivating conversations arose, enchanting all who heard, as their minds were absorbed in the Glorious One. They spoke: “Indeed, this person is the ancient Being, who alone existed undifferentiated before the emergence of qualities, as the soul and Lord of the universe, with His own power dormant during the night of dissolution. Again, impelled by His own energy, He follows His own living nature, desiring creation; wishing to assign names and forms to the formless Self, He, the maker of scripture, sets everything in motion. That very abode, which sages—having mastered their senses and conquered the wind—behold with minds purified by overflowing devotion, surely this Being is worthy to purify existence. He, whose friendship is sung, whose sacred stories are told in the Vedas and whispered by those who know the mysteries, is the sole Lord, the soul of the universe, who by His play creates, maintains, and destroys, yet remains unattached. Whenever kings of darkened minds rule by unrighteousness, He assumes forms among the Sātvatas, bearing fortune, truth, compassion, and fame, for the welfare of the world, age after age. Ah, how praiseworthy is the lineage of Yadu! How supremely holy is the forest of Madhu, where this foremost of men, Lord of Śrī, delights by His birth and wandering. Kuśasthalī, which eclipses the fame of heaven and brings virtue to earth, is blessed, for its people constantly behold their Lord’s smiling, glancing face. Surely these women have worshipped the Lord through vows, ritual baths, offerings, and observances, for He has taken their hands in marriage; repeatedly drinking the nectar of His affectionate speech, the women of Vraja became utterly absorbed in Him. Those whom He won at their own svayamvara by His valor, after subduing powerful kings like Shishupala and others, and those maidens, daughters of kings such as Pradyumna and Samba, whom He rescued by slaying Bhauma, were brought to Him by the thousands. These women, though they had abandoned all decorum and purity, have attained the highest womanhood, for their lotus-eyed husband never departs from their homes, touching their hearts with His presence.” As the women spoke in this way, Hari, with a smiling glance, acknowledged their words and proceeded on His way. Out of affection and concern for the safety of Kṛṣṇa, Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira) deployed his fourfold army to protect Him from possible threats. Then Śauri (Kṛṣṇa), seeing the Kauravas who had come from afar and were distressed by separation, affectionately persuaded them to return, and departed for His own city with His beloveds. Passing through the lands of the Kurus, Jāngalas, Pāñcālas, Śūrasenas, those along the Yamunā, Brahmāvarta, Kurukṣetra, Matsyas, and Sārasvatas, Kṛṣṇa crossed the desert of Marudhanva and entered the regions of the Sauvīras and Ābhīras, and then Ānarta, accompanied by Bhārgava, His horses somewhat fatigued. At each place, Hari was duly honored by the local people; in the evening, He turned westward, seeking pasture, and entered the land of the cows. There, His attendants and servants prayed, “O Supreme Lord, permit us to depart; by the sage’s grace, we have been blessed with the sight of the Lord. May our speech recount Your virtues, our ears hear Your stories, our hands serve You, our minds rest at Your feet; may our heads bow in remembrance to You, the abode of the universe, and may our eyes behold the holy ones who embody You.” Śuka continued: As the two praised Him, the Lord of Gokula, bound to the mortar by the rope, smiled and spoke to the celestial beings. The Blessed Lord said, “This was already known to Me, revealed by the compassionate sage, that by the words of those blinded by wealth, you were deprived of your position and received My grace. For those who are virtuous, even-minded, and wholly devoted to Me, there is no bondage from seeing Me, just as the sun does not bind the eyes of men. Now go to your own abode, O Nalakūbara, for the supreme devotion you both desired for Me has arisen in your hearts.” Thus addressed, the two circumambulated Him, bowed again and again, took leave of the bound mortar, and departed for the northern direction. In this way, the Supreme Lord was revealed through devotion; without such devotion, even the wise cannot behold Him. His actions, birth, and so forth are not subject to the laws governing others; these are ascribed to Him by Māyā, only to refute the notion of agency.