Long ago, there lived goddesses and Gandharvi maidens who, in a moment of levity, laughed upon seeing the great sage Ashtavakra. Offended by their laughter, the sage pronounced a curse upon them, decreeing that they would be reborn as courtesans. Yet, when the women approached him with humility and reverence, Ashtavakra’s heart was softened. By his grace, he assured them that, despite their fate, they would be united in marriage with Vasudeva—the Supreme Lord, worshipped by all the worlds. Still, the weight of the curse lingered, and as destiny unfolded, these women fell into the hands of robbers. At that time, Arjuna, the mighty hero, found himself defeated by those very robbers. Overwhelmed by sorrow, he lamented, “My strength, my valor, my majesty—all have vanished with Krishna’s departure. My fortune is spent.” Thus, like the sun at dusk bereft of its radiance, Arjuna returned to his city, his brilliance utterly faded. All these events were woven into the grand design of the cosmos. For the sake of the gods and to relieve the earth of its heavy burden, Vasudeva himself had descended into the Yadu dynasty. He destroyed the great demons, liberated the world from oppression, and freed the beings—both moving and unmoving—of Nanda’s Vraja, Dvaraka, and Mathura from the bonds of time and death. Vasudeva established them in the supreme, eternal, and pure realm—a golden domain of yogic bliss—where he resided, ever attended by his divine queens. All other divine descents are but his own manifestations. The wondrous deeds of Krishna were performed to remove the earth’s burden; the Lord of Lakshmi appeared for this very purpose. This sacred account of Krishna is meant for the destruction of the wicked, and Sri Krishna, ocean of compassion, forever rejoices in Vaikuntha. “O Devi,” said the sage, “I have briefly recounted to you this most marvelous and auspicious story of Krishna, which bestows all blessings. Whoever recites, remembers, or listens with devotion to the deeds of Vasudeva in the presence of Hari attains the supreme state. Even those weighed down by great or minor sins are freed by hearing about Krishna’s childhood deeds. Whoever remembers Hari seated in Dvaraka with Rukmini surely attains great lordship—of this there is no doubt. In battle, in distress, or beset by enemies, one who meditates on the leader of the gods will surely be victorious. Whoever remembers him playing with the cowherd maidens in the sacred cow-village attains all desires and finds good fortune. One afflicted by calamities or diseases, who remembers the Eternal One—Hari, the fierce slayer, and the terrible Kritya residing in Kashi—is freed from suffering. Why speak at length? At all times and in all waters, the wise should simply recite the mantra: ‘Salutations to Krishna.’ Salutations to Krishna, son of Vasudeva, to Hari, the Supreme Self; I bow again and again to Govinda, destroyer of all suffering for those who seek refuge. Whoever recites this mantra every day with devotion, O goddess, becomes free from all sins and attains the world of Vishnu. Janardana is the Lord of all gods; for the protection of the worlds, he assumes many forms. Desiring to destroy Tripura, I worshipped Hari, who, taking the form of Buddha, bewildered the enemies. Deluded by that teaching and deprived of righteousness, those enemies of the gods were slain by me with the weapon of Narayana. At the end of the age, Janardana will be born into a Brahmin family and will destroy the fierce mlecchas. All these forms of the Lord of the world have been described by me according to their various natures. What else do you wish to hear, O auspicious one? Speak, and I shall tell you.” Thus concludes the two hundred and fifty-second chapter, entitled “The Account of Krishna’s Departure to His Own Abode,” in the dialogue of Uma and Maheshvara, in the Uttarakanda of the glorious Padma Mahapurana, comprising fifty-five thousand verses. Afterwards, Jaimini, the sage, approached Vyasa and said, “O Vyasa, great-minded one, tell me the true nature of Kriyayoga. I wish to learn about Kriyayoga from you.” Vyasa replied, “O Brahmin, the human body is a rare gift in this world. Having obtained such a body, the wise should practice yoga for the sake of liberation. Both Kriyayoga and Dhyana-yoga are called yogas; of these, Kriyayoga is foremost, granting all desires to those who practice it. O best of the twice-born, bathing in the Ganga, worship of Vishnu, acts of charity, devotion to Brahmins, and observance of Ekadashi—devotion to the amalaki and tulasi, as well as honoring guests—these are the limbs of Kriyayoga. Perfection is attained through the discipline of meditation, except by the discipline of action; but one devoted to action reaches the supreme abode of Vishnu. Jaimini then asked, “O Lord, please describe the greatness of these limbs of Kriyayoga. What are the virtues of the Ganga? What is the fruit of worshipping Vishnu? Which gifts are best, and what is the devotion of twice-born men? What is the fruit of Ekadashi, and what kind of devotion is offered to the dhatri tree and to Tulasi? What is the worship of guests? O sage, tell me all this; I am eager to hear, for in all the three worlds, none but you can explain it.” Vyasa replied, “Excellent, excellent, O best of the twice-born! Your mind is pure, for you have faith and curiosity to hear this secret teaching. The virtues of Bhagirathi—the Ganga—cannot be described in full, but I will speak of them briefly; listen with undivided attention. Even one who softly utters the two syllables ‘Ganga’ is freed from sin and attains the great elixir of the elements. The Ganga is easily accessible everywhere, but especially difficult to reach in three places: Gangadvara, Prayaga, and the confluence of the Ganga and the ocean. All the gods, along with Indra, gather at the delightful Gangadvara to bathe, give gifts, and perform sacred rites. By divine arrangement, those who give up their bodies there—whether human, animal, or insect—attain the supreme state. Now, O sage among Brahmins, listen to this ancient tale: by merely hearing it properly, one is freed from all sins. There was a king named Manobhadra, born of the lunar dynasty, powerful and versed in all duties. His queen was Hemaprabha, sweet-spoken, devoted to her husband, greatly fortunate, and adorned with all auspicious marks.