Wherever the blessed Lord Hari is worshipped, taking the very form of sacrifice, auspiciousness flourishes among his devotees. Like the air that pervades all, within and without, he is the soul of every being, both moving and unmoving. Now, Sūta continued: When King Parīkṣit instructed Kali, the spirit of the age trembled in fear. Kali spoke to the king, who stood before him wielding a sword, ready to administer punishment. Kali said, “O sovereign, wherever you command me to dwell, I see you present there, ever vigilant, bearing your bow and arrows.” He pleaded, “O upholder of righteousness, please designate a place for me, where I may reside, strictly following your order.” Thus requested, Parīkṣit assigned to Kali certain places: gambling, drinking, association with women, and slaughter—where the fourfold irreligion prevails. Kali begged once more, and the king granted him gold; from gold arose falsehood, intoxication, desire, passion, and, as the fifth, enmity. These five sources of unrighteousness—gambling, drinking, illicit relations, slaughter, and gold—were given to Kali by Parīkṣit, the son of Uttara, and Kali dwelt there, abiding by the king’s command. Therefore, anyone who desires well-being should avoid these places, especially those devoted to righteousness—a king, a leader, or a teacher. Parīkṣit restored to Dharma, the bull, its three lost legs: penance, purity, and compassion. He comforted the bull and caused the earth to prosper. Parīkṣit now occupies the royal throne, entrusted to him by his grandfather, when the elder king retired to the forest. At present, this royal sage, radiant with the glory of the Kaurava kings, resides in Hastināpura, illustrious and sovereign. Such is the power of Parīkṣit, son of Abhimanyu, that while he protects the earth, the sages are able to perform the great sacrifice. This ruler, shining like the sun in his celestial chariot, having cast off all misfortune, enjoys happiness together with Indra. In times of distress, a brāhmaṇa may maintain himself by trade or by selling goods, or, if afflicted, by the sword—but never by a dog-like livelihood. A kṣatriya, in adversity, may adopt the occupation of a vaiśya or hunt, or even act as a brāhmaṇa—but never by a dog-like livelihood. A vaiśya may take up the work of a śūdra, and a śūdra may do menial crafts; but when freed from hardship, none should seek a blameworthy occupation. By daily study of the Vedas, offerings to ancestors and gods, gifts, and food as available, one should worship the gods, sages, ancestors, and all beings, who are forms of the Lord. With wealth obtained honestly and without oppression, one should support dependents and perform sacrifices, always by just means. One should not become attached to family, nor be careless even as a householder; the wise see the perishable as if already gone, even when not yet seen. The meeting of sons, wives, and close relatives is like the meeting of travelers; these depart from the body like a dream follows sleep. Thus, reflecting in this way, one who is liberated dwells in households like a guest, not bound by them, free from possessiveness and ego. With devotion, performing prescribed household duties for the Lord’s sake alone, one may remain at home, go to the forest, or, if one has offspring, renounce and wander as a mendicant. But one whose mind is attached to home, tormented by desire for children and wealth, infatuated with women, pitiable in thought, and deluded, is bound by thinking ‘mine’ and ‘I’. Such a person laments, “Alas, my aged parents, my wife, my young sons and daughters—helpless and miserable without me—how will they live, afflicted by suffering?” With his heart seized by attachment, his mind deluded, unsatisfied, and constantly brooding, when he dies he enters into deep darkness. Sūta then said: He who, though burned by the weapon of Aśvatthāmā, was not killed in his mother’s womb, was protected by the wondrous grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He, whose life was threatened by Takṣaka, born from the wrath of a brāhmaṇa, was not bewildered even by the pain of death, for his mind was offered to the Lord. Having abandoned all attachments and understanding the state of the unconquered, the disciple of Vyāsa gave up his body in the Gaṅgā. For those who delight in the nectar of the Lord’s glorious stories, there is no confusion even at the time of death, as they remember His lotus feet. So long as the great devotee, the son of Abhimanyu, rules the earth, Kali, though present everywhere, cannot prevail. On the very day and at the very moment when the Lord departed from the earth, then and there Kali, the source of unrighteousness, followed. The emperor does not hate Kali, just as a bee takes the essence from flowers; for him, auspicious results come quickly, not so for others. What can Kali, who is bold with the weak but fearful of the strong, do to the wise and fearless? Among the careless, he moves like a wolf among men. Sūta concluded: I have described to you this sacred story of Parīkṣit, filled with the tales of Vāsudeva, as you asked. Whatever stories there are of the Lord, the performer of great deeds, based on His virtues and actions, should be served by those who desire true life. The sages replied: “O gentle Sūta, may you live long with everlasting pure fame, for you proclaim to mortals the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s deeds. In this uncertain world, where people’s minds are clouded, you make us drink the honey-wine of Govinda’s lotus feet. We would not trade even a moment of association with the Lord’s devotees for heaven or liberation—what then of other blessings for mortals? Who indeed would ever be satisfied by hearing the nectar of stories about the one who is the supreme refuge of the greatest souls? Even the masters of yoga, foremost among those born from Brahma, have not reached the end of the qualities of the one who is beyond all qualities. Therefore, you, who are foremost among those devoted to the Supreme, please, O learned one, narrate to us the noble and pure deeds of Hari, for those eager to listen.