On hearing of Kuns’ death, his wives and brothers’ wives came in a state of great agitation, and with lamentation and tears, to the banks of the Jumna, where the brothers were sitting and had brought the corpse. They began to look upon the face of their lord, and to call to mind the happiness he had conferred upon them, and to celebrate his many good qualities; and through excessive grief and affliction they reeled about, and suffered all the agonies of death. In the mean while Krishnù, the receptacle of compassion, taking pity on them, approached and said, “Be not grieved, mothers! but perform the last funeral offices of my uncle, Kuns. No one lives for ever; he speaks falsely, who calls any relation his own. Mothers, fathers, sons, brothers and other relations belong exclusively to none: the revolutions of birth and death constantly succeed each other. So long as a relation remains with us, we should derive pleasure from associating with him.” O great king! when Shree Krishnù Chund had given this explanation to the wives of Kuns, they rose up; and being restored to tranquillity of mind, came to the banks of the Jumna, and performed the last obsequies to the corpse of their husband, and Krishnù himself assisted in the funeral rites by lighting the pile. CHAPTER XLVI. Shree Shookdeo, the sage, said,--Raja! the wives of Kuns and his brothers’ wives, having completed the necessary ablutions, returned in tears to the royal palace: and Shree Krishnù and Bulram, having come to Basoodeo and Dewukee, and knocked off their handcuffs and fetters, making obeisance, stood before them with joined hands. Whilst beholding the countenance of Krishnù, Basoodeo and Dewukee became possessed of knowledge, and had a firm belief in their minds, “That both brothers were deities; and that they had descended upon the earth to destroy evil spirits, and remove the burthens of the world.” Whilst these thoughts were passing in the minds of Basoodeo and Dewukee, Huri, acquainted with the secrets of the heart, sent forth his delusive power, which deprived them both of understanding; and they looked upon them both again as their children. In the mean while, Shree Krishnù Chund said, with very great humility, “You have for a long time past suffered great afflictions, and have retained a constant recollection of us both. It has not been any fault of ours, because since you placed us under charge of Nund, at Gokool, we have been under the authority of others, and have had no power of our own. But this thought was constantly in our minds, that we had not contributed in any way to the happiness of her, who had borne us in her womb; and had not enjoyed the delightful society of our parents, and had wasted our lives to no purpose in the house of strangers. They have suffered great misfortunes on our account, and we have not done them any service. In the world they are possessed of power, who serve their fathers and mothers. We have remained indebted to them, and have