Immersing himself once more in the sacred waters, Akrura beheld a wondrous sight: the divine forms he had glimpsed before, now being glorified by celestial beings—Gandharvas, revered sages, Siddhas, and mighty serpents—all singing their praises. Awestruck, Akrura realized the true nature of what he beheld. With a heart overflowing with devotion, that noble-minded lord of gifts began to extol the infallible Lord, the very embodiment of all knowledge. He offered his salutations, saying, “Homage to you, whose form is pure existence, whose greatness is beyond thought, who are the supreme self, all-pervading, manifesting countless forms yet remaining one and imperishable. O inconceivable one, essence of sattva, who have become the very oblation—obeisance to you, Lord, supreme over nature and unknowable in your limit. You are the self of all beings, the self of the senses, the self of primordial matter; both the individual self and the supreme self, existing singly in fivefold ways. Be gracious, O soul of all, Lord of the perishable and imperishable! You are spoken of in the forms of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and others. O one whose form, purpose, and name are beyond description, I bow to you, Supreme Lord. Where all distinctions of name and class fade, there shines the eternal, unchanging Brahman—you are that unborn one. Since all knowledge of objects comes only through concepts, you are praised by names such as Krishna, Achyuta, Ananta, and Vishnu. You are all that exists, O unborn one! Through these conceptual forms, this entire universe is truly you alone. You are the soul of the world, unchanging and free from modification; in you, nothing else exists. You are Brahma, Shiva, Aryaman, the creator, the sustainer, the lord of gods, the wind, fire, lord of waters, lord of wealth, the ender—you alone protect the world, fulfilling its many purposes through the divisions of your power. You create the universe, taking the form of the sun’s rays, and your qualities pervade this entire world, O unborn one. That supreme, imperishable form is declared to be existence itself; I bow to you, the soul of knowledge, the real and the unreal. Salutations to Vāsudeva, to Sankarṣaṇa, to Pradyumna, and to Aniruddha.” Thus, standing in the waters, Akrura praised Vishnu, worshipping the Lord of all with delightful offerings of flowers and incense. Withdrawing his mind from all other objects and fixing it solely on the Lord, he remained for a long time absorbed in the state of Brahman. At last, his meditation complete and his heart fulfilled, the wise Akrura emerged from the Yamuna and returned to the chariot. There, he saw Rama and Krishna standing just as before. His eyes wide with wonder at all he had witnessed, Akrura was gently addressed by Krishna: “Surely, Akrura, you have seen something marvelous in the waters of the Yamuna, for your eyes shine with astonishment.” Akrura replied, “O Achyuta, whatever wonder I saw in the water, I see that very form standing here before me as well. By your supreme power, Krishna, I have been united with you, whose wondrous form is the very essence of the universe. Now, what remains for me here? Shall we continue to Mathura, O Madhusudana? I fear Kamsa—alas for the fate of those who must depend upon others!” Having spoken thus, Akrura urged the swift horses onward, and as evening approached, they reached the city of Mathura. Beholding the city, Akrura turned to Krishna and Rama and said, “With great strength, I have brought you here alone by chariot. It is proper for you to go to Vasudeva’s house, not mine, for on your account that elder has been cast out by Kamsa.” Having said this, Akrura entered Mathura, while Rama and Krishna proceeded along the royal road. The two brothers, strong as young elephants, walked with playful ease, their radiant faces drawing the joyful gaze of men and women alike. As they wandered through the city, they came upon a washerman and a dyer. Krishna and Rama asked them for beautiful garments. But the washerman, who served Kamsa, was filled with pride and astonishment; he spoke harsh words to Rama and Kesava, loudly refusing their request. At this, Krishna struck the wicked man down with a blow of his palm, felling him to the ground. Clad now in yellow and blue garments, Krishna and Rama joyfully made their way to the house of the garland-maker. The garland-maker, his eyes wide with amazement, wondered who these two charming youths could be, so radiant in their attire. He thought, “Surely, these must be gods who have descended to earth.” When the two, their faces blooming like lotuses, requested flowers, the garland-maker touched the earth with his head in reverence, supporting himself with his hands. “The gracious lords have come to my house; I am blessed—I shall prosper,” he exclaimed. With a delighted heart, he gave them flowers freely—beautiful and fragrant, spotless and pure—offering them with joy. Again and again, bowing to those best of men, he presented them with his finest garlands. Pleased by his devotion, Krishna granted the garland-maker boons: “May fortune never leave you, O blessed one, as long as you remain devoted to me. You shall never lose strength or wealth, and your lineage will not perish for as many days as you live. After enjoying great pleasures, at the end, by my grace, you will remember me and attain the divine world. Let your mind always be set on righteousness, O blessed one! Your descendants shall have long life, and no affliction or fault will befall those born in your lineage, O greatly fortunate one, for as long as the sun endures.” Thus did Krishna and Rama bless the garland-maker, bestowing upon him their grace before continuing on their way through the city of Mathura.