How praiseworthy is the lineage of Yadu, and how sanctified is the forest of Madhu, where the Lord of Śrī, the greatest among men, delights both by His birth and by His wanderings! Kuśasthalī, the city that outshines even heaven and brings virtue to the earth, is truly blessed, for its people, by the Lord’s grace, constantly behold His smiling, glancing face. The women of that city, recognizing their fortune, reflected that surely the Lord had been worshipped by them through vows, ritual baths, offerings, and other observances, for He had taken their hands in marriage. The women of Vraja, absorbed in Him, drank the nectar of His affectionate speech and became utterly devoted. Many maidens, whom He won at their own svayamvara by His valor—after subduing powerful kings like Shishupala—and those daughters of kings such as Pradyumna and Samba, whom He rescued by slaying Bhauma, were brought to Him by the thousands. Though these women had abandoned all decorum and purity, they attained the highest womanhood, for their lotus-eyed husband never left their homes, touching their hearts with His presence. As the women spoke thus, Hari, with a smiling glance, acknowledged their words and continued on His way. Out of affection and concern for the safety of the enemy of Madhu, Ajātaśatru deployed his fourfold army to protect Him from possible threats. Śauri, seeing the Kauravas who had come from afar and were distressed by separation, affectionately persuaded them to return, and then departed for His own city, accompanied by His beloveds. He passed through the lands of the Kurus, Jāngalas, Pāñcālas, Śūrasenas, those along the Yamunā, Brahmāvarta, Kurukṣetra, Matsyas, and Sārasvatas. Crossing the desert of Marudhanva, He went to the regions of the Sauvīras and Ābhīras, and then to Ānarta, accompanied by Bhārgava, His horses somewhat fatigued. At each place, Hari was honored by the local people; in the evening, He turned westward, seeking pasture, and went to the land of the cows. There, His servants and attendants 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 then described how, 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 are not able to 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 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,” said Śuka. Śaunaka then asked, “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 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.” Śrī Nārada spoke: When the demons were defeated in battle by the gods, who were strengthened by the Lord, they approached Maya, the supreme master of illusion, for refuge. Maya 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, along with their lords, remembering their ancient enmity, began to destroy the three worlds. Then, the rulers of the worlds, along with their lords, approached the Lord, bowed down, and pleaded, “Protect us, O God! We are being destroyed by the inhabitants of Tripura.” The Lord, showing them favor, said, “Do not fear,” and, stringing an arrow to His bow, released a weapon upon the cities. Arrows blazing like fire arose from the solar orb; just as rays of light, they were not seen as they approached the cities. Struck by these, all the inhabitants of the cities lost their lives and fell; Maya, the great yogī, gathered them and cast them into a well of nectar. Touched by the nectar of immortality, they, strong as thunderbolts and full of great energy, rose up, splitting the clouds like flashes of lightning. Seeing his resolve broken, and Vṛṣadhvaja disheartened, Lord Viṣṇu then devised another means at that place. At that time, Brahmā became the calf, Viṣṇu himself became the cow, and, entering Tripura at the right moment, drank the nectar from the well. Though the demons saw this, they did not prevent it, being deluded; realizing this, the great yogī Maya spoke to the guardians of the nectar. Smiling and free from sorrow, Maya remembered those afflicted by grief and the workings of destiny; for god, demon, human, or any other—none here is independent. What is ordained for oneself or another cannot be averted by either, for fate prevails; then, with his own powers, Maya performed the principal act of Shiva.