After this, Krishna ordered, Daruka, saying, Let my car be yoked. Within a very short space of time Daruka informed (his master), saying, It has been yoked.

The son of Pandu then ordered all his attendants, saying, 'Prepare your selves and be ready. We shall go today to Hastinapur.

Thus addressed, O king, the army got themselves ready, and informed Pritha's son of immeasurable energy, saying, Everything is ready.

Then those two friends, viz., Krishna and the son of Pandu, ascended their car and proceeded on the journey, engaged in delightful conversation.

To Vasudeva seated on the car, the highly energetic Dhananjaya once more said these words, O chief of the Bharatas.

O perpetuator of the Vrishni race, the king has got victory through your grace. All his enemies have been killed, and he has recovered his kingdom without a thorn in it.

O destroyer of Madhu, on you the Pandavas have got a powerful protector having obtained you for our raft we have crossed the Kuru ocean.

O you who have this universe for your handiwork, salutations to you, O Soul of the universe, O best of all beings in the universe. I know you in that measure in which I am approved by you.

O destroyer of Madhu, the soul of every creature is always born of your energy. Playful sport is yours. Earth and sky, O lord, are your illusion.

This entire universe, consisting of mobile and iinmobile objects, is established on you. You create, by modification, the four orders of Being.

You create the Earth, the Sky, and Heaven, O Destroyer of Madhu. The stainless Lunar light is your smile. The seasons are your senses.

The ever-moving wind is your breath, and death, existing eternally is your anger. In your grace is the goddess of prosperity. Indeed, Shree is always established in you, O you of the highest intelligence.

You the sport; you their contentment; you their intelligence, you their are are forgiveness, you their inclinations, you their beauty. You are the universe with its mobile and immobile objects. At the end of the age, it is you, O sinless one, who are called destruction.

I am incapable of reciting all your qualities in course of even a long period. You are the Soul and the Supreme Soul. I bow to you, O you of eyes like the (petals of the) lotus.

O you who are irresistible. I have learnt it from Narada and Devala and the island-born (Vyasa), and the Kuru grandfather also, that all this (universe) rests on you. You are the one Lord of all creatures. This, O sinless one, that you have described to me on account of your favour for myself, I shall duly accomplish in full, O Janardana! Highly wonderful is this which you have done from desire of doing what is agreeable to us, viz., the destruction in battle of the Kaurava (prince), the son of Dhritarashtra. That army had been burnt by you which I (subsequently) defeated in battle.

That feat was achieved by you on account of which victory became mine! By the power of your intelligence was shown the ineans by which was duly effected the destruction of Duryodhana in battle, as also of Karna, as of the sinful king of the Sindhus, and Bhurishravas.

I shall accomplish all that which, O son of Devaki, pleased with me you have declared to myself. I do not entertain any doubt in this.

Going to king Yudhishthira of righteous soul, I shall, O sinless one, urge him to dismiss you, O you who are conversant with every duty.

O lord, I approve of departure for Dwraka. You shall soon see my maternal uncle, O Janardana.

You shall also see the irresistible Baladeva and other chiefs of the Vrishni race!' This conversing with each other, the two reached the city of Hastinapur.

They then, with cheerful hearts, and without any anxiety, entered the palace of Dhritarashtra which resembled the mansion of Shakra.

They then saw, O monarch king Dhritarashtra, and highly intelligent Vidura, and king Yudhishthira; and the irresistibly Bhimasena, and the two sons of Madri by Pandu; and king Dhritarashtra seated; and the unvanquished Yuyutsu; and Gandhari of great wisdom, and Pritha, and the beautiful Krishna, and the other ladies of Bharata's race with Subhadra for the first.

They also saw all these ladies who used to wait upon Gandhari. Then approaching king Dhritarashtra, those two chastisers of enemies announced their names and touched his feet. Indeed, those great ones also touched the feet of Gandhari and Pritha and king Yudhishthira the just, and Bhima. Embracing Vidura also, they enquired after his well-being.

In the company of all those persons, Arjuna and Krishna then approached king Dhritarashtra (again). Night came and then the intelligent king Dhritarashtra dismissed all those perpetuators of Kurus' race as also Janardana for retiring to their respective rooms. Permitted by the king, all of them entered their respective apartments.

Krishna of great energy proceeded to the apartments of Dhananjaya, Adored duly and furnished with every object of comfort and enjoyment, Krishna of great intelligence passed the night in happy sleep with Dhananjaya as his companion. When the night passed away and morning came, the two heroes, finishing their morning rites and adoring their persons properly proceeded to the palace of king Yudhishthira the just. There Yudhishthira the just, of great might, sat with his ministers.

The two great ones, entering that welladorned chamber, saw king Yudhishthira the just like the two Ashvins seeing the chief of the celestials.

Meeting the king, he of Vrishni's race, as also that foremost hero of Kuru's race, getting the permission of Yudhishthira who was highly pleased with them, sat themselves down.

Then the king, king, gifted gifted with great intelligence, seeing those two friends, became desirous of addressing them. Soon that best of kings, that foremost of speakers, addressed them in the following words.

Yudhishthira said You heroes, you foremost ones of Yadu's and Kuru's race, it appears that you two are desirous of saying something to me. Do you say what is in your mind. I shall soon satisfy it. Do not hesitate.

Thus addressed, Phalguna, well conversant with speech, hunibly approached king Yudhishthira the just and then said these words.

Highly powerful Vasudeva here, O sing, is long absent from home. He wishes, with your permission, to see his sire.

Let him go, if you think it proper, to the city of the Anaritas! You should, O hero, grant him permission.

O lotus-eyed one, blessed be you! O slayer of Madhu, do you go this very day to the city of Dvaravati of seeing, O powerful one, that foremost one of Sura's race.

O mighty-armed Keshava, your departure is approved by me! You have not seen my maternal uncle as also the goddess Devaki for a long time.

Meeting my maternal uncle and going to Baladeva also, O giver of honours, you well, O you of great wisdom, adore both of them at my word as they deserve.

Do you also think of me daily as also of Bhima, that foremost of powerful men, and of Phalguna and Nakula and Sahadeva, O giver of honours.

Having seen the Anaritas, and your father, O mighty-armed one, and the Vrishnis, you will return to my horse sacrifice, O sinless one!

you like. Do you then go, taking with you various kinds of gems and various sorts of wealth. Do you, O hero of the Satvata race, also take with you whatever else

It is through your grace, O Keshava that the whole Earth, O hero, has come under our sway and all our enemies have been killed.

When king Yudhishthira the just of Kuru's race said so, Vasudeva, that foremost of men, said these words (in reply).

O mighty-armed one, all jewels and gems, all riches and the entire Earth, belong to you alone. Whatever wealth exists in my house, you, O lord, are always the owner thereof.

To him Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, said, 'Be it so' and then duly adored (Krishna) the oldest brother, gifted with great energy, of Gada. Vasudeva then proceeded to his paternal aunt (Kunti). Duly honouring her, he circumbulated her body.

He was properly accosted by her in return, and then by all the others having Vidura for their first. The four-arined eldest brother of Gada then started from Nagapura on his excellent car.

Placing his sister, the lady Subhadra, on the car, the mighty-armed Janardana, then, with the permission of both Yudhishthira and (Kunti) his paternal aunt, started, accompanied by a large train of citizens.

The hero who had the foremost of apes on his banner, as also Satyaki, and the two sons of Madravati, and Vidura of incomparable intelligence, and Bhima himself whose tread resembled that of a prince of elephants, all followed Madhava.

Janardana of great energy, causing all those cxtenders of the Kuru kingdom and Vidura also to return, addressed Daruka, and Satyaki, saying, 'urge the horses to speed.'

Then that grinder of enemies, viz., Janardana of great prowess, accompanied by Satyaki, the foremost one of Shini's race, proceeded to the city of the Anarttas, after having killed all his enemies, like He of a hundred sacrifices proceeding to the celestial region.