As soon as Krishna thought of Garuḍa, the mighty bird arrived and stood before him. Without delay, Krishna mounted Garuḍa and turned to his beloved Satyabhāmā, saying gently, “O Satyā, do not be angry. For your sake, even if it means opposing the gods and their king, I will plant the wish-fulfilling tree in your courtyard.” With great affection, Krishna asked Satyabhāmā to forgive any offense regarding the coveted tree, assuring her that he would make amends. With Satyabhāmā by his side, Krishna swiftly journeyed to the world of the gods, where Indra, king of heaven, resided. Krishna requested the wish-fulfilling tree from Indra, but Indra replied, “This divine tree is not fit to be obtained by you on earth, O Lord.” Hearing this refusal, Krishna, mighty-armed and resolute, uprooted the tree from its roots with great force and placed it upon Garuḍa, his vehicle. Seeing this, Indra, the valiant bearer of the thunderbolt, raised his weapon and struck Garuḍa, demanding, “Abandon the wish-fulfilling tree!” Out of respect for Indra’s thunderbolt, Garuḍa released a single feather and departed swiftly. From the impact of the thunderbolt, three birds emerged: the peacock, the mongoose, and the partridge. Krishna, the black one, returned to Dvārāvatī and placed the wish-fulfilling tree in Satyabhāmā’s house. At that very moment, the great sage Nārada arrived, and Satyabhāmā honored him with reverence. She said, “Such is this wish-fulfilling tree, and such is the Lord, its master. How may one obtain them, life after life? Please tell me this.” Nārada, the best of sages, replied, “O Satyabhāmā, this is attained by the gift of Tulāpuruṣa.” Hearing this, Satyabhāmā, along with Krishna and the wish-fulfilling tree, offered them to Nārada himself according to the prescribed ritual, weighing them as required. Gathering all the necessary items, Nārada departed for heaven. After bidding farewell to the Lord of Śrī and watching the noble sage depart, Satyabhāmā’s face bloomed with joy. She spoke to Vāsudeva, saying, “I am blessed, I have fulfilled my purpose, and my life is fruitful. My parents are truly blessed, both at my birth and as its cause—for they gave birth to me, the most beautiful in the three worlds, and I am your beloved among sixteen thousand wives.” She continued, “Because I, O Primeval Person, have offered the wish-fulfilling tree to Nārada, together with you, according to the prescribed method, even those who hear this account will know: this wish-fulfilling tree now stands in my house. I am the most beloved of the Lord of the three worlds, the Lord of Śrī. Therefore, O Madhusūdana, I wish to ask you something. If you wish to please me, tell me this in detail; having heard it, I will again do what is beneficial for myself. O Lord, may I never be separated from you, according to your will.” Hearing these loving words, Krishna, the elder brother of Gadā, smiled warmly. Taking Satyabhāmā by the hand, he led her to the place where the wish-fulfilling tree stood. Dismissing his attendants and the people, Krishna remained there, playfully enjoying the moment with his beloved. Smiling, Krishna addressed Satyabhāmā, his body radiant and thrilled, eager to bring her joy and satisfaction. He said, “There is no one dearer to me than you, O beautiful one. Among sixteen thousand women, you are as precious to me as my own life. For your sake, I opposed the king of the gods and the other deities. Whatever you desire, O beloved, listen now to what great thing may come to pass. Whether it be something unyielding, or a task, or even something unspeakable—if you ask, I will answer. Ask anything, and I will tell you whatever is in your mind.” Satyabhāmā asked, “Was it some gift, vow, or austerity that I performed before, by which, though born among mortals, I have become your consort in this world? Always sharing half your body, riding upon Garuḍa, I entered the abode of Indra and the other gods together with you. Therefore, I wish to ask you: what good deed did I perform? In a previous birth, what was my character, who was I, and whose daughter?” Sri Krishna replied, “Listen attentively, O beloved, to what virtuous vow you performed in a former birth; I will tell you everything. At the end of the Krita age, in the city of Maya, there was a foremost Brahmin named Devasharma of the lineage of Atri, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches. He was hospitable, attentive to the sacred fire, devoted to the solar vow, worshipping the sun daily, like another sun incarnate. He had a daughter named Gunavati, who was of excellent qualities and advanced in years. Being childless, he gave her to his disciple named Chandra, whom he regarded as a son, and the disciple obeyed him as a father. Once, the two went to the forest seeking kusa grass and fuel. They wandered at the foot of the Himalayas, and there they saw a fierce rakshasa approaching. Overcome with fear and unable to flee, they were slain by that rakshasa, who appeared as the embodiment of death. Yet, by the power of the sacred field and their righteousness, they were led to the abode of Vaikuntha by my attendants, who dwell near me. For as long as they lived, they performed sun-worship and other rites; by those actions, I became greatly pleased with them. Shaivas, Sauras, Ganesha-worshippers, Vaishnavas, and Shakti-worshippers—all attain me here, just as rivers reach the ocean. I alone am born in five forms, playing with different names, just as someone named Devadatta is called by various names as son and so forth. Then those two, dwelling in my abode, riding celestial vehicles, radiant like the sun, equal in form to me, remain in my presence, enjoying pleasures with divine women and sandalwood.