At a crucial moment, as the sage Nārada pondered his concerns, a voice resounded from the sky, assuring him, “O sage, do not be distressed. Your effort will bear fruit; there is no doubt.” The celestial voice continued, urging Nārada, “For this purpose, O sage among the gods, perform virtuous deeds. The noble ones, adorned with virtue, will proclaim your action.” It was declared that, upon the completion of this noble act, sleep and old age would vanish from those two afflicted beings, and devotion would spread everywhere. Everyone present heard the clear voice from above, and Nārada was struck with amazement, confessing, “This was not known to me.” He wondered aloud, “Even though the celestial speech has spoken, the matter remains hidden. What is the means, what action must be performed, so their purpose may be fulfilled? Where will the virtuous ones be found, how will they impart the means? What must I do here, as spoken by the voice from the sky?” Sūta then explained that, after settling those two in place, the sage Nārada departed, journeying from one holy site to another, seeking counsel from the great sages along his path. The tale of his quest was heard by all, but after much deliberation, none could answer. Some declared it impossible, others found it too difficult to comprehend; many fell silent, and a few even fled. A great commotion arose throughout the three worlds, filling all with wonder. The air was thick with proclamations from the Vedas, the Vedānta, and recitations of the Gītā. Yet, when the triad of devotion, knowledge, and detachment failed to arise, people whispered from ear to ear, “There is no other means.” Even Nārada, the accomplished yogi, could not grasp the solution; how, then, could others among men hope to explain it? Thus, when questioned by groups of sages, it was determined and declared to be inaccessible. Troubled and deeply concerned, Nārada journeyed to the sacred Badarī forest, resolved to undertake austerity to discover the answer. There, before him, appeared the great sages Sanaka and his brothers, shining with the brilliance of millions of suns. The foremost among them spoke. Nārada, overwhelmed with gratitude, addressed them: “Now, by great fortune, I have met you. O Kumāras, please speak quickly, showing compassion to me. All of you are yogis, wise and learned, endowed with fivefold restraint, and ancestors even of the earliest ones. Always dwelling in Vaikuntha, devoted to singing the praises of Hari, intoxicated by the nectar of his pastimes, you live solely for the sake of his stories. For those whose mouths constantly utter the name of Hari as their sole refuge, old age, decreed by time, does not trouble them. By merely a frown from you, Hari’s two gatekeepers once instantly fell at your feet; by your compassion, those gatekeepers returned to the city. Ah, by the fortune of yoga, I have gained your sight here; you, full of compassion, ought to show grace to me, who am destitute. That which was spoken by the bodiless voice—what is the means for it? Please explain in detail how it is to be practiced. How does happiness arise for those endowed with devotion, knowledge, and detachment? How can it be established among all classes, with love and effort?” The Kumāras replied, “Do not be anxious, O divine sage; bring joy into your heart. The means, easily accomplished, already exists here. Ah, Nārada, you are blessed, the crest-jewel among the detached, always the foremost among the servants of Sri Krishna, the sun among yogis. It is not surprising in you, who always follow the path of devotion, that the establishment of devotion is ever accomplished for Krishna’s servant. Many sages in the world have revealed various paths, all difficult and achieved by effort, and for the most part, they yield the fruit of heaven. But the path that leads to Vaikuntha is indeed kept secret; its teacher is rarely found, attained mostly by good fortune. The noble act formerly prescribed to you by the voice in the sky—now it will be explained; listen today with steady mind and clear intellect.” They continued, “Some perform sacrifices with offerings, some with austerity, others with yoga, and some with study and knowledge; these are all known as actions. Among these, the sacrifice of knowledge is certainly regarded by the wise as the mark of noble action; the discourse on the Srimad Bhagavata is sung by Suka and others. By the proclamation of that, great strength arises for devotion, knowledge, and detachment; the suffering of both will depart, and happiness will come to the devotee. Indeed, at the sound of the Srimad Bhagavata’s path, all these faults of Kali will perish, like wolves at the roar of a lion. Devotion, joined with knowledge and detachment, bringing the flavor of love, will play from house to house, from person to person.” Nārada then asked, “When, despite the proclamations of the Vedas and Vedānta, and the recitation of the Gītā, the triad of devotion, knowledge, and detachment does not arise—how can it be established?” The Kumāras responded, “From the recitation of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata, understanding of that subject will arise; in its narrations, the meaning of the Vedas is present in every verse, in every word. O you whose vision is unfailing, please cut away this doubt; there should be no delay here, for you are compassionate to those who have taken refuge.” The Kumāras explained, “From the essence of the Vedas and Upaniṣads, the Bhāgavata narrative has arisen; therefore, being distinct, it shines as supremely excellent, taking the form of its own unique fruit. Just as the taste present from root to tip does not exist or is not enjoyed until it is separated out, so too, when fully distinct, the fruit is universally delightful. Just as ghee exists within milk but is not tasted until extracted, and when separated, that product of the cow increases the pleasure of the gods, even among sugarcanes, sugar pervades from the middle to the end; but when separated, it is sweet—so too is the Bhāgavata narrative.” Thus, Nārada’s quest for the means to dispel suffering and establish devotion, knowledge, and detachment was answered by the Kumāras: the recitation and proclamation of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata, the distilled essence of the Vedas and Upaniṣads, is the supreme path, bringing joy and liberation to all.