As Krishna and Balarama tended their herd of calves in the pastures of Vraja, a demon disguised as a calf mingled among the innocent animals. Hari, the Supreme Lord, sat down slowly, pretending not to notice anything amiss, and subtly pointed out the disguised demon to his elder brother, Balarama. Then, Acyuta—another name for Krishna—seized the demon by its hind legs, tail and all, whirled him around, and hurled him onto the top of a kapittha tree. The demon’s great body struck the tree, causing its fruits to fall, and he crashed down lifeless. The cowherd boys, astonished by Krishna’s feat, cried out, “Well done! Well done!” Overhead, the gods, delighted by the demon’s defeat, showered flowers upon Krishna and Balarama. Despite being the protectors of all the worlds, these two divine brothers continued to act as simple cowherd boys, tending to the calves and taking their morning meal as usual. One day, each boy led his group of calves to the water’s edge. After allowing the calves to drink, the boys themselves drank from the cool waters. There, they saw a great being standing nearby, resembling a mountain peak struck down by Indra’s thunderbolt. This was Baka, a mighty demon who had assumed the form of a monstrous crane. Suddenly, Baka rushed forward and seized Krishna in his sharp beak, swallowing him with force. Seeing Krishna engulfed by Baka, Rama and the other boys were stunned, as if their senses had lost all life. But Krishna, the son of the cowherd and teacher of the world, burned the root of Baka’s palate like a raging fire. Overwhelmed by pain, Baka spat Krishna out and, enraged, attacked again with his beak, intent on killing him. As Baka rushed upon him, Krishna—friend of Kamsa and Lord of the virtuous—caught the demon’s beak in his arms. Before the wide-eyed boys, he effortlessly tore Baka apart as easily as a hero among the gods, filling them with joy. The residents of heaven, witnessing Krishna’s victory, showered him with Nandana flowers and jasmine, and praised him with drums, conches, and hymns. The sons of the cowherds were amazed at these celestial celebrations. When Krishna was freed from Baka’s mouth, the boys, led by Rama, felt as though life had returned to their senses. They embraced Krishna with relief, gathered the calves, and joyfully returned to Vraja, singing of the miraculous event. Hearing their tale, the cowherds and their wives were filled with wonder and deep affection. They gazed at Krishna with thirsty eyes, as if he had returned from the dead. They lamented, “Alas, how many dangers this boy has faced! Perhaps some past misdeed of ours is the cause of this fear.” Yet, they observed, “Those terrifying beings cannot overcome him; though they approach with intent to kill, they perish like moths in a flame.” They remembered, “Indeed, the words of the knowers of Brahman are never false; just as the sage Garga declared, so it has come to pass.” Thus, Nanda and the other cowherds, delighting in stories of Krishna and Rama, spent their days in joy, unaware of worldly suffering. Krishna and Balarama’s boyhood in Vraja was filled with playful games—hiding, building dams, and leaping about like monkeys. Meanwhile, in the sacred assembly at Naimisharanya, Shaunaka addressed Sūta, recalling how Uttara’s unborn child was struck down by Ashvatthama’s Brahmashirsha weapon, but by the Lord’s grace was restored to life. Shaunaka requested, “We wish to hear about his birth, his deeds as a great soul, and how his end came, and to know where he went after death. If you think it proper, please tell us this, for we are eager listeners, to whom Shuka imparted this knowledge.” Sūta replied, “King Yudhishthira, like a loving father, delighted his subjects, unattached to worldly desires through service at Krishna’s feet. He possessed wealth, sacrifices, realms, queens, brothers, dominion over Jambudvipa, and fame that reached the heavens. O twice-born, what value are desires coveted even by the gods to one whose mind is fixed on Mukunda? Just as other things bring joy to a hungry king, so did they bring delight.” He continued, “O descendant of Bhrigu, while still in his mother’s womb, the heroic child saw a wondrous Person as he was being burned by the power of a weapon. He saw an immaculate form, the size of a thumb, shining, crowned with a golden diadem, dark in complexion, clad in yellow garments—the infallible One. Radiant, with four long arms, adorned with blazing golden earrings, blood-red eyes, holding a mace, he moved all around the child in every direction, whirling the mace like a blazing meteor. With his own mace, he dispelled the weapon’s fiery energy, just as the lord of cows disperses mist. The child watched closely, wondering, ‘Who is this?’” “Then, having removed that danger, the immeasurable Lord, protector of righteousness, the all-pervading One, disappeared before the child’s eyes at the end of ten months. Thereafter, when all auspicious qualities had arisen and the planets were favorable, the bearer of the Pāṇḍu line was born again, endowed with the strength of Pāṇḍu himself. The king, his mind filled with joy, had the child’s birth chart cast by the Brahmins—Dhaumya, Kṛpa, and others—and performed auspicious rites. He gave gold, cows, land, villages, elephants, horses, and excellent food to the Brahmins at the holy site of birth.” The satisfied Brahmins then spoke to the humble king, “O foremost of the Puru dynasty, in this line of yours, he is the one. By the irresistible will of fate, when the white hair ascends to its end, he has been sent for your blessing by Viṣṇu, the all-powerful Lord. Therefore, he will be renowned in the world as Viṣṇurāta—protected by Viṣṇu. There is no doubt; he will be a great devotee, a great soul.” Yudhiṣṭhira asked, “Will this child follow the virtuous path of the royal sages of our line, the illustrious and noble ones, praised by the good and the wise?” The Brahmins replied, “O son of Pṛthā, he will be a true protector of the people, like Ikṣvāku among men, devoted to the Brahmins and truthful, like Rāma, son of Daśaratha. He will be a generous giver and a refuge, like Śibi of the Auśīnara line; he will spread the fame of his kin, like Duṣyanta’s son among the sacrificers. He will be foremost among archers, equal to both Arjunas; unassailable like fire, and difficult to cross like the ocean. Valiant like a lion among beasts, steadfast like the Himālaya, patient like the earth, and tolerant like his parents.” In this way, the birth and virtues of the child protected by Viṣṇu were foretold, and the hearts of the people were filled with hope and joy.