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the ablution ceremonies. He made a j'apa 'repeated recital) of
Veda Mantras. But lo! he found before him Rama and Krishna.
They were in the chariot. Ho\v could they appear then? He rose and
saw the boys were really seated in the chariot. He plunged himself
once more and saw in the waters the serpent king Ananta, with a
thousand heads and a thousand crowns, dressed in blue clothes, white
in body, adored by Siddhas, Charanas, Gandhavas, and Asuras.
Embraced by him was the dark Purusha, dressed in yellow clothes,
with four hands, adored by the Rishis.
Akrura made salutations and adored the Purusha with folded
hands.
Krishna then withdrew his form, as a play is withdrawn from
the stage. Akrura got up and took his seat in the chariot.
Krishna said: "Akrura, you look as if you have seen some-
thing unusual." Akrura replied: "What is there in the universe that
is not in thee. When I have seen thee, I have seen everything."
They drove on again and at last reached Mathura,
MATHURA.
SKANDHA X. CHAP. 41-42.
Akrura asked Krishna and all the Gopas to come to his house.
But Krishna would first kill Kansa before doing him this favor. So
Akrura sorrowfully left him and informed Kansa about the perform-
ance of his mission.
Krishna with Balarama and the Gopas went out to see the
town. The house tops became crowded with females who wanted to
have a look at Krishna, whose fame had already preceded him. A
washerman passed that way. Krishna begged him to give him some
choice clothes. But he was the washerman of Kansa and he arro-
gantly refused to give any of the King's clothes. Krishna in anger
cut off his head. The attendants left the clothes and fled away.
Rama and Krishna took as many as they liked and gave the rest to
the Gopas.
A weaver came forward of his own accord and gladly dressed
the brothers with choice clothes. Krishna rewarded him with great
powers and provided for him Sarupya (a kind of Mukti) after death.
Then the brothers went to the house of a garland-maker
named Sudama. Sudama fell down at their feet and adorned them
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