She is Prakṛti herself, the primordial nature, worshipped directly by all the gods. And among them stands the blessed Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person, who bestows the fruits of dharma and liberation. In those days, a maiden of wide eyes and four arms, bearing the sacred mark of Śrīvatsa upon her chest, was taken up by Kṛṣṇa to protect his own son from the cruel Kaṃsa. Janārdana, resplendent with his conch, discus, mace, and lotus, was given by the wise Vasudeva to Yaśodā. Vasudeva entrusted this divine child to Nandagopa, saying, “Let him be protected.” Thus, Viṣṇu, the protector of worlds who had assumed a form by his own will, was placed under Nanda’s care. By the grace of the god Śiva, of immeasurable brilliance, the Supreme Lord was given to Rāma as well. For the purpose of relieving the earth’s burden, the preceptor of the world descended, promising auspiciousness to the Yādavas. The embryo of Devakī was destined to remove afflictions, and Kaṃsa, son of Ugrasena and Ānakadundubhi’s wife, was ever watchful. When the birth of a well-marked girl was announced, it was declared to Kaṃsa: “This is the eighth embryo of Devakī, O Kaṃsa of good vows.” It was said with certainty that she was death itself, as ancient tradition proclaimed. Kaṃsa, leaping into the air, attempted to kill her. Yet the eight-armed goddess spoke, her voice deep as a thundercloud: “Protect your own body; your death has already arrived. While you guard yourself, O deceiver in the form of Kaṃsa, what evil deed have you committed, fool, that your destroyer has now been born?” Out of fear of Devakī, Kaṃsa killed the eighth child, as remembered by all; but the eighth son of Devakī was destined to be his death. Kaṃsa’s effort to substitute the child was in vain, for by the power of Hari and the goddess, he was rendered inert. Ultimately, Kaṃsa was slain by Kṛṣṇa, whose actions are pure, and many others—slayers of gods and Brāhmaṇas—were also vanquished. The sons of Kṛṣṇa, led by Pradyumna, and many others, renowned and skilled in battle, are enumerated. All these sons, resembling Kṛṣṇa, are named; among them, Cārudeṣṇa and others are distinguished. Especially powerful were the sons of Rukmiṇī, O slayer of enemies. Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand one hundred wives, and among them, Rukmiṇī was his beloved and eldest. With her, Kṛṣṇa, whose actions are untainted, dwelt for twelve years. Desiring sons, Kṛṣṇa worshipped Hara, subsisting on air for twelve years. From this austerity were born Cārudeṣṇa, Sucāru, Cāruveṣa, and Yaśodhara. Cāruśravā, Cāruyaśas, Pradyumna, and Sāmba as well—these sons were obtained through the grace of the trident-bearing Lord. Seeing these heroic sons and the sons of Rukmiṇī, Jāmbavatī, Kṛṣṇa’s wise wife, spoke to him: “O lotus-eyed one, you should graciously give me a son who is distinguished, most virtuous, and esteemed by the lord of gods.” Hearing her words, Hari, the faultless repository of austerity, undertook penance. Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, bearer of the conch, discus, and mace, went to the excellent hermitage of the sage Vyāghrapāda. There, seeing the sage Aṅgiras, Janārdana bowed down and, by his command, obtained the divine Pāśupata yoga. Having his hair and beard removed, anointed with ghee, girded with a muñja grass belt, the blessed Kṛṣṇa undertook severe austerity. With arms raised, unsupported, standing on the tips of his toes, subsisting on fruits, water, and air, Adhokṣaja practiced for three seasons. Pleased by his austerity, Rudra granted many boons to Kṛṣṇa, including Sāmba, the son of Jāmbavatī. Thus Jāmbavatī, wife of Hari, having obtained Sāmba as her son, experienced incomparable joy, as Aditi did upon obtaining Āditya. Then, by the curse of the wise Rudra, the thousand arms of Bāṇa were cut off by Kṛṣṇa. Aided by Halāyudha, he slew the Daityas and destroyed wicked kings on the battlefield with ease. Having slain Naraka, the foremost of Daityas, born of the gods, and acting by the boon of the brāhmaṇa Urdhvacakra, Kṛṣṇa took for his enjoyment over sixteen thousand maidens. On the pretext of a curse, he destroyed the lineage of the brāhmaṇas, and having annihilated that family, Acyuta remained at Prabhāsa. For over a hundred years, Kṛṣṇa, remover of the affliction of old age, dwelled in Dvārakā. During this time, he upheld the words of sage Durvāsas regarding the curse of Viśvāmitra, Kaṇva, and Nārada at Piṇḍāraka. Then, abandoning his human form under the pretext of the arrow of Jara, Kṛṣṇa, having favored the hunter, ascended to heaven. By the curse of Aṣṭāvakra, all the wives of wise Kṛṣṇa were carried off by thieves through the power of illusion. Balabhadra too, having renounced, became a serpent and departed; and Kṛṣṇa’s auspicious wives, headed by Rukmiṇī, likewise. All of them, along with Agni, entered the fire; and so too did the goddess Revatī, with the wise Balabhadra, whose deeds were pure.