O Śaunaka, consider: what wonder is it if a radiance arises when one meditates without contemplating the Person? Therefore, the Vaishnavas, wise and devoted, choose to meditate upon a captivating form. They behold a vision shaped like a luminous circle, its brilliance surpassing ten million suns. Within that dazzling light appears a beautiful square, stretching a hundred million yojanas across. It is clearly visible, circular as the disc of the moon, and situated fifty million yojanas above the eternal realm of Vaikuntha. This divine region is filled with wish-fulfilling cows and adorned with the sacred circle of the rasa dance. There rise a hundred splendid peaks, crowned with golden domes, shining most brilliantly—each one a delight, surrounded by a hundred million hermitages of joy. Among them lies the most beautiful hermitage, joined with a hundred temples, radiant with the famed Kaustubha gem. Its doors are crafted from the essence of the finest jewels and fitted with shining mirrors. Sixteen gates, illuminated by jeweled lamps, lead within. There, in the heart of this glorious abode, dwells the Supreme Lord Himself, adorned with wondrous and varied ornaments. His eyes shine with the radiance of the midday autumn sun, and his playful beauty shames even a hundred million Cupids. He stands smiling, flute in hand, supremely praised and most auspicious. His entire body is anointed with fragrant sandalwood and adorned with the Kaustubha gem. He stands gracefully in the tribhaṅga pose, bedecked with jewels and rubies, with gem-studded armlets, bracelets, and anklets. His enchanting teeth gleam like rows of pearls. All around him, the gopīs behold him with loving eyes, adorning him with excellent ornaments of precious gems. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, Ananta, Dharma, and other great beings joyfully worship him. He is the lord of the rasa dance, the delight of the gods, resting upon the bosom of Rādhā. He, the Supreme Self and Lord, is always to be meditated upon by us. He is formed of his own will, without qualities or desires, beyond the workings of nature. He is the Lord of all, worshipped by all, bestower of all accomplishments and boons. Clad as a cowherd, he is encircled by cowherd companions. He is the inner self of all, present everywhere, all-pervading and manifest—the soul of all, the supreme Brahman. Thus, he is called Kṛṣṇa: ‘Kṛ’ being the universal syllable and ‘ṣṇa’ the primal sound. He alone, in part, is the four-armed Lord in Vaikuṇṭha; he alone, as Viṣṇu by his portion, is the Lord who protects the worlds. All this, as described, is of the very nature of the Supreme Brahman. Having spoken thus, Śaṅkara fell silent, O Śaunaka. The Blessed, Primeval, Imperishable One was pleased by the sage’s hymn. The chief of sages, his face and gaze delighted, bowed down before Him. Sauti continued: The sage, accompanied by Nārāyaṇa, was then in the Badarī forest. That forest was filled with many kinds of trees and fruits, and the sweet calls of male cuckoos echoed through the air. By the power of the chief of sages, the forest was free from all violence and fear. There, three crores of hermitages of perfected beings and great sages were found, forming a realm of peace and sanctity.