As Śrī Kṛṣṇa prepared to depart from Hastināpura, the noble women of the Kuru dynasty, filled with longing to behold Him, ascended to the highest terraces of their palaces. With eyes radiant with love and modesty, they showered Him with fragrant flowers as He passed below, their hearts brimming with devotion. Guḍākeśa, Arjuna—beloved friend of Kṛṣṇa—stood by the Lord’s side, holding aloft a resplendent white parasol, its handle studded with jewels and adorned with a string of pearls. Uddhava and Sātyaki, too, attended upon Madhupati, gently fanning Him with wondrous fans as He shone with divine brilliance on the road, all the while flower petals descended upon Him from above. All along the route, the twice-born brāhmaṇas uttered blessings—some perfectly apt, others less so—addressed to Kṛṣṇa, who is beyond all qualities yet the very essence of all qualities. Amidst this, the women of the city of the Kaurava king engaged in animated and captivating conversations, their minds wholly absorbed in the glories of the Lord. They spoke with wonder: “This very person is the ancient, primordial Being, who alone existed before all qualities and distinctions, undifferentiated, the soul of the universe and its Lord. In the night of cosmic dissolution, His power lay dormant. Then, impelled by His own energy, He desired to create, to bestow names and forms upon the formless Self, and thus, as the maker of the scriptures, set creation in motion. That same Supreme Abode—perceived by sages who have mastered their senses and wind, their minds purified by overflowing devotion—is surely this very Being, who alone can purify existence. He, whose friendship is praised, whose sacred stories are recited in the Vedas and whispered in secret by the wise, is the sole Lord, the soul of the universe, who by His divine play creates, sustains, and destroys, yet remains unattached to all. Whenever rulers of darkened minds act unrighteously, then, from among the Sātvatas, He assumes forms embodying fortune, truth, compassion, and fame, for the welfare of the world, age after age. How fortunate is the Yadu lineage! How supremely holy is the forest of Madhu, where this foremost of men, the Lord of Śrī, delights both by His birth and His wanderings. Kuśasthalī, too, outshines even the heavens, sanctifying the earth, for its people, by His grace, constantly behold their Lord’s smiling, glancing face. Surely, the women whom He has married must have worshipped Him for lifetimes with vows, ritual baths, and offerings, for He has taken their hands in marriage. The women of Vraja, having drunk the nectar of His affectionate speech, became utterly absorbed in Him. Those whom He won at their own svayamvara by the price of His valor, after subduing powerful kings like Śiśupāla and others, and those other maidens, daughters of kings such as Pradyumna and Sāmba, whom He rescued by slaying Bhauma, were brought to Him by the thousands. These women, though they had abandoned all social decorum and purity, have indeed attained the highest womanhood, for their lotus-eyed husband never departs from their homes, always touching their hearts with His presence.” As the women thus spoke, Hari glanced at them with a gentle, smiling gaze, acknowledging their words, and continued on His way. Ajātaśatru—Yudhiṣṭhira—out of deep affection and concern for the safety of Kṛṣṇa, deployed his fourfold army to protect Him from any threat that might arise. Then Śauri, seeing the Kauravas who had come from afar and were distressed by the impending separation, affectionately persuaded them to return home. He then departed for His own city, accompanied by His beloveds. Passing through the lands of the Kurus, Jāngalas, Pāñcālas, Śūrasenas, those along the Yamunā, Brahmāvarta, Kurukṣetra, Matsyas, and Sārasvatas, He journeyed onward. Crossing the desert of Marudhanva, He entered the regions of the Sauvīras and Ābhīras, and then to 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, the people prayed: “O Supreme Lord, permit us, Your servants and attendants, 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 delight in Your stories, our hands serve You, our minds rest at Your feet. May our heads bow to You, the abode of the universe, and may our eyes behold the holy ones who embody You.” Śuka then said: As the two praised Him in this way, the Lord of Gokula, still 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 lost 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 is revealed through devotion alone; 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. This is called the Brahmā’s kalpa, which is described as having distinctions; in it, the general process of creation occurs, both primary and secondary. I will explain the measure of time, the form that marks a kalpa, and, as before, describe the Padma Kalpa—now listen. At this point, Śaunaka spoke: “O Sūta, you told us that Vidura, the foremost devotee, left behind his most difficult-to-abandon relatives and wandered to holy places on earth. The conversation between Vidura, son of Vyāsa, and the sage Kauśārava was based on spiritual inquiry; or, that great soul, when questioned, spoke the truth to him. Please tell us, gentle one, what Vidura did, and for what reason he renounced his family and then returned again.” Sūta replied: “What the great sage replied when King Parīkṣit asked him, I will now relate to you—listen, as it follows the king’s questions.” The king had asked: “In which action of the Lord, the maker of the universe and my own self, was his fame increased by Kṛṣṇa? Please describe this.” Then Śrī Nārada said: “When the demons were defeated in battle by the gods, who were strengthened by him, they approached Maya, the supreme master of illusion, for refuge. Maya, the powerful one, constructed three cities—of gold, silver, and iron—difficult to perceive, joined by subtle means, and furnished with defenses beyond imagination. With those cities, the armies of the demons and their lords, remembering their ancient enmity, began to destroy the three worlds, O king.” Thus, the story unfolds, revealing the Lord’s glory, the devotion of His devotees, and the wondrous play of His divine acts throughout the worlds.