After the Yādavas, intoxicated by the liquor Vāruṇī, lost their senses and could no longer recognize one another, they fell into a terrible conflict, fighting amongst themselves until only four or five remained alive. O King, such are the inscrutable ways of the Lord: by His arrangement, living beings both destroy and sustain one another. It is like the world of water, where larger creatures devour the smaller—so too among humans, the strong overcome the weak, and the powerful prevail over those less so. In this manner, the Lord lifted the burden of the earth by causing the mighty Yādus to bring about each other’s end, just as the strong naturally subdue the weak. Yet, the Lord’s words—spoken by Govinda at the right time and place, always gentle and uplifting—remained, soothing the hearts of those who remembered them and captivating the mind. As Arjuna reflected upon Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet with deep love, his mind became peaceful and pure. Through devotion and constant meditation on the feet of Vāsudeva, Arjuna’s heart was cleansed of all impurities, and he attained the highest consciousness. He recalled the divine knowledge sung by the Blessed Lord on the battlefield, and thus overcame the darkness of time, fate, and delusion. Freed from sorrow, Arjuna reached the state of Brahman, transcending all doubts and duality. He became merged in that nature beyond the modes, without bodily identification, and thus beyond birth itself. Meanwhile, Yudhiṣṭhira, composed in mind after hearing of the Lord’s departure and the end of the Yadu dynasty, resolved to follow the path to the higher realms. Pṛthā too, upon hearing from Arjuna of the destruction of the Yādus and the Lord’s departure, fixed her mind in exclusive devotion to the transcendent Lord, withdrawing from the cycle of birth and death. The unborn Lord, who had removed the earth’s burden, abandoned His body just as one uses a thorn to remove another thorn and then discards both. Like an actor who assumes and then abandons various forms—fish and others—He who had relieved the earth relinquished that body. When Mukunda, the Blessed Lord, left this earth along with His auspicious form, at that very moment Kali, the cause of unrighteousness, began to act upon those whose minds were not awakened. Yudhiṣṭhira, wise and discerning, observed the advance of Kali—manifesting as greed, falsehood, and violence—within the city, the kingdom, his household, and even himself, and thus prepared to depart. Seeing his own grandson, equal in virtue and discipline, he installed him as the lord of the earth at Hastināpura, on the banks of the Ganges. In Mathurā, he installed Vajra as chief of the Śūrasenas, and then, performing the proper rites, the king drank the sacrificial fire. Having relinquished all attachments—relatives, followers, possessions—Yudhiṣṭhira became free from possessiveness and ego, severing all bonds. He offered his speech into his mind, his mind into his breath, and the other senses into darkness; he offered his outgoing breath into death, and thus entered the state of dissolution. The five elements he offered into each other, and then into unity; all was offered into the Self, and the Self into the imperishable Brahman. Clad in bark, fasting, with matted hair and head uncovered, he appeared as if dull, mad, or possessed, revealing his true state. Indifferent, he departed, not hearing like one deaf, and entered the northern path as the great souls had done before, meditating on the Supreme Brahman in his heart, from which he would not return. All his brothers, having firmly resolved, followed him, for the people of the earth had been touched and afflicted by Kali, the friend of unrighteousness. Having fulfilled all duties virtuously and knowing the ultimate goal of the self, they fixed their minds on the lotus feet of the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha. With unwavering devotion and purified intellect, they focused solely on that supreme abode of Nārāyaṇa. Thus, they attained that exceedingly rare state, which cannot be reached by those attached to sense objects and impurity, but is gained only by the pure soul. Vidura too, renouncing his body at Prabhāsa, absorbed his mind in Kṛṣṇa, and, united in consciousness with his forefathers, went to his own abode. At that time, Draupadī, perceiving the detachment of her husbands, fixed her mind exclusively on Lord Vāsudeva, the Blessed One, and attained that state. Whoever faithfully hears this account of the departure of Pāṇḍu’s beloved sons, most purifying and auspicious, attains devotion to Hari and perfection. Sūta continued: Then Parīkṣit, the great devotee, ruled the earth according to the guidance of the foremost brāhmaṇas, just as expert guides direct a noble child at birth. He married Irāvatī, the daughter of Uttara, and from her he begot four sons, the eldest being Janamejaya. On the banks of the Gaṅgā, he performed three Aśvamedha sacrifices, giving abundant gifts, with Śāradvata as his priest, and even the gods became visible at these rites. Once, during his conquest of the directions, the heroic king encountered Kali, who, though disguised as a king, was actually a śūdra, cruelly striking a cow and a bull with his foot. At this, Śaunaka inquired, “For what reason did the king capture Kali during his conquest? Who was this śūdra, bearing royal insignia, who struck the cow with his foot? O blessed one, please tell us, if it relates to the stories of Kṛṣṇa. For those devoted to tasting the nectar of the Lord’s lotus feet, what use are other fruitless talks, which only waste the span of life?” “O gentle one, for mortal men of short life who desire immortality, the Lord, as Death, has been invited here by the sage Śāmīka. No one dies as long as Death remains here; for this reason, the Lord was called by the great sages. Oh, let the nectar of Hari’s pastimes be drunk in the world of men! In this age, people are slow, of dull intelligence, and short-lived; their nights are wasted in sleep, and their days in vain activities.” Sūta resumed: When Parīkṣit, residing in the land of the Kurus, heard the unwelcome news that Kali had entered his kingdom, the valiant archer took up his bow. He mounted his well-adorned chariot, yoked with dark horses and bearing the lion banner, and, surrounded by his army of chariots, horses, elephants, and infantry, set out to conquer the directions.