Jāmbavatī, the devoted wife of wise Kṛṣṇa, gazed upon the heroic sons born to Kṛṣṇa’s other consorts—those of Rukmiṇī and the others. A longing stirred in her heart, and she approached her lotus-eyed husband. With gentle reverence, she said, “O lotus-eyed one, grant me, by your grace, a son who is distinguished, most virtuous, and esteemed even by the lord of gods.” Hearing Jāmbavatī’s heartfelt plea, Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the universe, pure and steadfast in penance, resolved to undertake austerities. In his divine form as Nārāyaṇa, bearer of the conch, discus, and mace, he journeyed to the sacred hermitage of the sage Vyāghrapāda. There, Kṛṣṇa encountered the sage Aṅgiras, and, bowing humbly before him, received the boon of the divine Pāśupata yoga by the sage’s command. With his hair and beard ritually removed, anointed with clarified butter, and girded with a belt of muñja grass, the blessed Kṛṣṇa—the subduer of foes—began severe austerity. He stood with arms raised, unsupported, balanced only on the tips of his toes, subsisting on fruits, water, and air alone. Thus, Adhokṣaja practiced penance for three seasons. Pleased by Kṛṣṇa’s unwavering devotion, Rudra appeared and granted him many boons, among them the birth of Sāmba, the illustrious son of Jāmbavatī. Overjoyed beyond measure, Jāmbavatī rejoiced at the birth of Sāmba, her happiness akin to that of Aditi when she obtained her son Āditya. In the course of time, by the curse of Rudra, Bāṇa’s thousand arms were severed. Later, aided by Halāyudha (Balarāma), Kṛṣṇa vanquished the Daityas and effortlessly destroyed the wicked kings on the battlefield. He slew Naraka, the foremost of Daityas, who was born of the gods and protected by the boon of the great brāhmaṇa Urdhvacakra. Kṛṣṇa, endowed with unmatched power, took for his enjoyment over sixteen thousand maidens. Under the pretext of a curse, he destroyed the lineage of the brāhmaṇas, and after annihilating that family, Acyuta remained at Prabhāsa. For over a hundred years, Kṛṣṇa, the remover of the affliction of old age, dwelled in Dvārakā. During this time, he upheld the words of sage Durvāsas concerning the curse of Viśvāmitra, Kaṇva, and the wise Nārada at Piṇḍāraka. Then, under the pretext of being struck by the arrow of the hunter Jara, Kṛṣṇa relinquished his human form, blessed the hunter, and 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 (Balarāma), too, renounced the world, assumed his serpent form, and departed; likewise, Kṛṣṇa’s auspicious wives, led by Rukmiṇī, followed the same path. All of them, together with Agni, entered the fire; so too did the goddess Revatī, with the pure-hearted Balabhadra. The Brahmins entered the fire as well, and Revatī followed her husband’s path. After performing the funeral rites for Hari, the valiant Pārtha (Arjuna) conducted the final offerings for Rāma, for the others, and for the Vrishnis, using roots, tubers, and fruits due to the lack of proper materials. At last, Pārtha and his brothers themselves ascended to heaven. Thus, in brief, is told the account of Kṛṣṇa, whose actions were ever pure. His manifestation and dissolution, too, occur solely by his own will. This is the history of the kings of the Soma lineage, O twice-born sages. Whoever recites, hears, or causes Brahmins to listen to this sacred narration surely attains the Vaishnava world—of this, there is no doubt. At this point, the sages addressed Sūta: “O Sūta, you have mentioned the primordial creation, but not yet described it fully. Please narrate it in detail, O virtuous one.” Sūta replied: “Maheshvara, the great god, is established beyond both Prakriti and Purusha. He is the god, the supreme soul, and the lord of sages. From the Lord arose the unmanifest, the supreme cause, known as Pradhāna and Prakriti, as declared by those who contemplate the ultimate reality. This principle is devoid of scent, color, and taste, free from sound and touch, ageless, constant, imperishable, eternal, and abides in its own nature. It is the womb of the world, the great element, the supreme, eternal Brahman—the form of all beings, set in motion by the Lord’s command. Without beginning or end, unborn, subtle, composed of the three qualities, it is both the source and imperishable. Unmanifest and unknowable, it existed at the dawn of Brahma. By its own nature, all existence was pervaded, by Shiva’s will, when the qualities were in equilibrium, in that undivided, darkness-filled state. At the time of creation, from Pradhāna, presided over by the knower of the field, and through the activity of the qualities, the great principle (Mahān) manifested. This great principle, subtle and enveloped by the unmanifest, predominated by sattva, first revealed only existence. The mind and the great principle are to be understood as one—mind is its cause. The subtle mark (liṅga) arose, presided over by the knower of the field. The forms of dharma and others, the causes for the truth of the world, the great principle produces creation, stirred by the desire to create. Mind, the great principle, intellect, Brahma, prior understanding, fame, lordship, wisdom, consciousness, memory, awareness, and the lord of the universe—all these are remembered as arising from it. Because the mind contemplates the actions and fruits of all beings, and due to its subtlety, it is differentiated—thus it is called mind (manas). Because it is the eldest among the principles and vast in extent, and greater even than the specific qualities, it is therefore called the Great (Mahān). It bears honor, considers distinctions, and perceives divisions; and because the person is connected to enjoyment, it is thus called mind (mati).