Let me tell you the concluding narrative of the great Bhārata, as revealed in these sacred verses. The section known as the Mausala Parva consists of forty-two chapters and one thousand five hundred verses, with an additional six verses recognized by those who perceive the deeper truth. Now, listen to the tale of the dreadful Mausala Parva: In that time, the mighty descendants of the Yadu clan, fierce as tigers, were struck by weapons in battle and crushed by the inexorable rod of Brahma. Near the salt sea, they fell, their destiny fulfilled. Intoxicated in their assembly, driven by fate, they struck one another with reeds that had turned into thunderbolts. In that destruction, both Rāma and Keśava—Balarāma and Krishna—did not transgress the great Time that brings all beings to their end. Arjuna then arrived at Dvāravatī, finding it bereft of the Vṛṣṇis, and witnessed the calamity, falling into deep anguish. He performed the funeral rites for his noble maternal uncle Śauri, and saw the massacre of the Yadu heroes in the assembly hall. He arranged the cremation of the bodies of Vāsudeva (Krishna) and the great-souled Rāma, and especially for the chief among the Vṛṣṇis. Taking with him the old, the young, and the people of Dvāravatī, Arjuna, in that time of distress, experienced the defeat of his famed Gandiva bow. He witnessed the loss of favor of all his divine weapons, the destruction of the Vṛṣṇi women, and the impermanence of all powers. Seeing these, he became disillusioned. Prompted by the words of Vyāsa, Arjuna approached King Yudhishthira and approved of renunciation. Thus concludes the Mausala Parva, the sixteenth book, said to have eight chapters and three hundred verses, with twenty additional verses recognized by those who see the truth. After this comes the Mahāprasthānika Parva, the seventeenth. In this book, the noble Pāṇḍavas, together with Queen Draupadī, renounced their kingdom and set out on the great journey. Reaching the ocean at the mouth of the Lauhitya, they saw the fire; there, urged by Agni, Arjuna honored him and gave up the divine, supreme bow, Gandiva. At that place, Yudhishthira saw his brothers and Draupadī fallen. Having witnessed and abandoned them, he departed, not looking back at anyone. This is the seventeenth book, the Mahāprasthānika, which contains three chapters and three hundred verses, along with twenty more counted by those who see the truth. After this, know the Svargaparva—the divine, transcendent eighteenth book. Here, the king of righteousness, Yudhishthira, attained the heavenly chariot and entered heaven. To ascend, the supremely wise one, out of compassion, and without the dog, knowing the steadfastness of the great-souled one in righteousness, did so. There, abandoning his mortal form, united with righteousness, he attained heaven, and likewise saw great and intense torments. By the device of a divine messenger, hell was shown to him, and he heard the pitiful cries of his brothers. In that place, where they remained under command, the Pāṇḍava was shown the truth by righteousness and by the king of the gods. Having bathed in the celestial Gaṅgā, abandoning his human body, the king of righteousness attained the place won by his own duty in heaven. Honored by all, together with Indra and the hosts of gods, he rejoiced. This, the wise Vyāsa declares, is the eighteenth book, containing five chapters and two hundred verses, with nine more carefully counted by the supreme seer. Thus, all eighteen books are enumerated without remainder. In the appendices, the Harivaṃśa and the future are also described, comprising ten thousand and twenty hundred verses. The numbers in the appendices and the Harivaṃśa are counted by the great seer; thus, the summary of the books in the Bhārata is recounted. Eighteen armies assembled, eager for battle, and the great, terrible war lasted eighteen days. A twice-born who knows the four Vedas with their limbs and Upaniṣads, but does not know this narrative, is not truly wise. Vyāsa of boundless intellect has declared this as a treatise on wealth, a great treatise on righteousness, and a treatise on desire. Having heard this narrative, nothing else pleasing to the ear delights, just as after hearing the song of the man-cuckoo, the harsh speech of a crow is not pleasing. From this supreme history arise the insights of poets, just as the three worlds arise from the five elements. In the domain of this narrative, the ancient Purāṇa exists; and in the realm of the sky, the fourfold types of beings dwell. This narrative is the foundation for all actions and qualities, just as the mind's activities are diverse for all the senses. Without relying on this narrative, stories do not exist on earth, just as the body cannot be sustained without food and breath. All poets live by this narrative, as servants seeking advancement depend on a noble lord. Poets are not capable of distinguishing this epic, just as the three other āśramas cannot surpass the householder among the virtuous. May your minds always be devoted to dharma, for it alone is the true companion of one who has departed to the next world. Wealth and women, even when served skillfully, never attain completeness nor stability.