Parāçara said:—Having thus praised Vishnu, standing in the stream that
descendant of the Yadu race worshipped the lord of all with flowers,
incense and all other beautiful articles. Having withdrawn his mind from
every thing else and devoted it to Vishnu, he engaged, for some time, in
the meditation, "I am Brahman" and then desisted from his abstraction.
Then considering himself as blessed, the high-minded Akrura got up from
the waters of the Yamuna and came to the chariot. Like before, he again
saw stationed on the car Rāma and Krishna. Seeing Akrura thus amazed,
Krishna said—"Forsooth, O Akrura, your eyes are expanded with surprise.
Methinks you have seen something wonderful in the waters of the Yamuna".
Akruka said:—"O Achyuta, the wonder I saw in the waters, I behold here,
before me in a bodily shape; I am united with thee, Krishna, the marvel
I have seen and whose wonderous form is the universe. No more of this,
let us go to Mathura, O Slayer of Madhu—I am afraid of Kansa. Oh! fie on
them who eat the bread of another". Saying this he urged on the quick
steeds and they arrived after sunset, at Mathura, When they came in
sight of the city, Akrura said to Krishna and Rāma "You must now go on
foot, whilst I proceed alone in the car; and you must not go to the
house of Vasudeva for the elder has been banished by Kansa on your
account".
Parāçara said:—Having said this Akrura alone entered the city of
Mathura, Rāma and Krishna proceeded thereto following the public road.
All the females and males of Mathura espied the two brothers with
delight. And they went along sportively looking like two young
elephants. As they roamed about, they saw a washerman colouring clothes
and, with smiling countenances, they went and wanted of him some of his
fine linen. He was a washerman of Kansa and was made insolent by his
master's favour, so he remonstrated hard with Rāma and Kesava. Thereupon
Krishna, in rage, struck down the head of that vicious-souled
(washerman) on earth. Having thus killed him and taken yellow and blue
raiment Krishna and Rāma, delightedly came to a flower-seller's shop.
Seeing them, having expansive eyes, the flower-seller was astonished and
thought, O Maitreya, who could they be or whence could they have come.
Beholding two youths so lovely, dressed in yellow and blue garments, he
took them to be divinities descended upon earth. Being asked for some
flowers, by them, having mouths budding like lotuses he placed his hands
upon the ground and touched it with his head, saying—"My lords have
shown me great kindness, by coming to my house, fortunate that I am; I
will pay them homage". Having said this, the flower-seller, with a
smiling face, gave them whatever choice flowers they selected, to gain
their favour. Prostrating himself again and again before them, he
presented them again and again with flowers beautiful, fragrant and
fresh. Being much pleased with him, Krishna gave him the
blessing—"Fortune, O good friend, who depends on me, shall never forsake
thee. Thou shalt never lose strength or wealth and thy family shall
never be extinct. Enjoying many things, thou shalt, in the end,
remembering me, attain to the region of the celestials. O good friend,
thy mind shall always be in virtue and those, who shall be born in thy
race, shall be long-lived. O great one, as long as the sun shall exist,
none, in thy race, shall be disturbed with famine or other troubles".
Parāçara said:—Having said this and been worshipped by the
flower-seller, O foremost of Munis, Krishna in the company of Balarāma,
issued out of his house.