Arjuna, his heart and mind purified by unwavering devotion and constant meditation upon the lotus feet of Vāsudeva, attained the highest state of consciousness. In that exalted state, the mighty Arjuna remembered the divine wisdom sung by the Blessed Lord on the battlefield, and by this remembrance, he overcame the darkness wrought by time, destiny, and delusion. Thus freed from sorrow by realizing the state of Brahman, all doubts and the sense of duality vanished from him. He became merged in a nature beyond the three modes, free from bodily identification and the cycle of birth. Meanwhile, King Yudhiṣṭhira, his mind composed and serene after hearing of the Lord’s departure and the end of the Yadu dynasty, resolved to follow the path leading to the higher realms. Pṛthā, too, upon learning from Arjuna of the destruction of the Yadus and the Lord’s departure, fixed her mind in exclusive devotion to the transcendent Lord. In this way, she withdrew from the cycle of birth and death. The unborn Lord, who had removed the burden of the earth, discarded His body as one removes a thorn with another thorn, casting both aside. Just as an actor assumes and then abandons various forms, such as that of a fish and others, so did He who had relieved the earth of its burden relinquish His body. When Mukunda, the Blessed Lord, left this world 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—in the city, his kingdom, his household, and even within himself—and thus prepared to depart. Seeing his own grandson, Parīkṣit, equal in virtues and discipline, Yudhiṣṭhira installed him as sovereign at Hastināpura, on the banks of the Ganges. In Mathurā, he installed Vajra as the chief of the Śūrasenas. Then, performing the proper rites, Yudhiṣṭhira symbolically drank the sacrificial fire, signifying his renunciation. There, having relinquished all attachments—relatives, followers, and possessions—he 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, thus entering the state of dissolution. The five elements he offered into each other, and then into unity, offering everything 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 form. Indifferent to the world, he departed silently, not hearing like one deaf, and entered the northern path, as the great souls had done before him, meditating on the Supreme Brahman in his heart—a state from which there is no return. All his brothers, having firmly resolved, followed him, for the people of the earth had been afflicted by the touch of Kali, the friend of unrighteousness. Having fulfilled all their 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, renounced 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 same state. Whoever faithfully hears this account of the departure of Pāṇḍu’s beloved sons, which is supremely purifying and brings auspiciousness, attains devotion to Hari and perfection. Sūta then continued: Parīkṣit, the great devotee, ruled the earth according to the instructions 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. Parīkṣit performed three great Aśvamedha sacrifices on the banks of the sacred Gaṅgā, giving abundant gifts, with Śāradvata as his priest—sacrifices so grand that even the gods became visible. Once, during his conquest of the directions, the heroic king encountered Kali, who, though disguised as a king, was actually a śūdra, and was 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 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, dull-witted, 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. He subdued Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, Bhārata, the northern Kurus, and the regions of Kimpuruṣa and others, collecting tribute from them. He conquered cities and forests, rivers with pure waters, men who resembled the gods, and women of pleasing appearance. Dhanañjaya beheld wondrous sights never seen before—splendid dwellings and women who seemed like celestial nymphs. Wherever he went, he heard the glories of his noble ancestors being sung—praises that revealed the greatness of Krishna. He also heard of how he himself had been saved from the fiery weapon of Ashvatthāman, of the deep affection between the Vṛṣṇis and the sons of Pāṇḍu, and of their devotion to Keśava. Greatly pleased with these people, his eyes wide with joy, the noble-hearted king bestowed upon them abundant wealth, garments, and necklaces.