He is the Lord of the Rasa dance, the supreme master who delights in its ecstatic play, and the sovereign of the Queen of the Rasa. Immersed in the bliss of the dance, he finds joy in its pleasures, even as he grows weary from its exuberant movements. After the sacred Rasa, one approached him with reverence, bowed deeply, and, her face radiant with delight, remained in his presence. It is said that whoever recites the hymn composed by Vani—Sarasvati—upon rising at dawn will be blessed. This hymn to Shri Krishna, the Supreme Soul, was revealed in the Brahmavaivarta Purana, emerging from the very mind of Krishna himself. Sarasvati, clad in yellow garments, ever youthful and smiling, stands as the fortune of heaven among the gods and royal fortune among kings. She stood before Hari, the Supreme Soul and Lord. Then Mahalakshmi, the great goddess, offered her homage: “I bow to you, the foundation of truth, the knower of truth, whose essence is truth itself.” Having thus spoken and bowed to Shri Hari, she took her seat upon a comfortable throne. She had appeared from the mind of the Supreme Soul, her golden complexion radiant, shining with the brilliance of ten million suns. Draped in red garments and adorned with jeweled ornaments, she stood resplendent. Among all these divine powers, the Lord himself is the presiding deity, and the supreme Mother of the worlds is the very embodiment of his own power. In her many hands she held the conch, discus, mace, lotus, rosary, and water-pot, as well as the mighty weapons—the Narayana, Brahma, Rudra, and Pashupata. Filled with joy, she praised Krishna, standing before him. Then Prakriti spoke: “The universe, endowed with all its powers, exists through me and is pervaded by my energy. Yet it is you who created it; it is not independent, for you alone are the Lord of all worlds. In creation, you are the creator; in dissolution, you are the destroyer. In the mere blink of Brahma’s eye, you bring about dissolution. O Lord, who can describe the measureless extent of your power? All that moves and does not move, every being in the universe, and even the gods with Brahma at their head, are sustained by you. I bow to that Supreme Self, the most complete, the most praiseworthy, ever blissful Lord. Even Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and all others cannot fully praise you, nor can the Vedas or the wisest sages express your glory.” Having spoken thus, Durga, seated upon a jeweled lion-throne, completed her hymn to Krishna, the Supreme Self. Though she may leave his house, Durga never truly departs from it. Sauti then spoke: The goddess, radiant as pure crystal, stood alone, enchanting to behold. She was clad in white garments and adorned with every ornament. Standing before the Supreme, Eternal Brahman, she offered her praise. Savitri declared: “To the One who is beyond the highest, dark-hued, changeless, and stainless, I offer my homage.” Having spoken, the smiling goddess took her place upon a splendid jeweled throne. Afterward, she appeared before Krishna, the Supreme Self. He, with his five arrows, stirs the minds of all lovers. From his left side arose Rati, the most desirable among women, beloved of Kama, the god of love. Rati, the cherished of all, appeared—smiling, virtuous, and beautiful. Together, they praised Hari and remained before him. Kama then released all his arrows—those of killing, stupefaction, causing yawning, and drying up—as a test of their power. Witnessing Rati’s beauty, Brahma’s seed fell forth. Thus, the glories of Krishna and his divine consorts, and the praises offered by the goddesses, were revealed, each expressing the supreme Lord’s boundless power and the devotion of the divine feminine.