At this time, the royal sage Parikshit, radiant with the glory of the Kaurava kings, resides in the illustrious city of Hastināpura, sovereign over the land. Such is the power of this king, the son of Abhimanyu, that while he protects the earth, all are able to engage in the great sacrifice undisturbed. Parikshit, a ruler shining like the sun in his celestial chariot, has cast off all misfortune and enjoys happiness, even alongside Indra. In the course of life, it is taught that a brāhmaṇa, if in distress, may sustain himself by trade or by selling goods, or, if afflicted, by the sword, but never by a dog-like livelihood. Similarly, a kṣatriya facing adversity may adopt the occupation of a vaiśya or hunt, or even act as a brāhmaṇa, but must avoid a blameworthy way of living. A vaiśya may take up the work of a śūdra, and a śūdra may perform menial crafts; yet, once freed from hardship, none should seek a disreputable occupation. By daily study of the Vedas, offerings to ancestors and gods, acts of charity, and sharing food as available, one ought to worship the gods, sages, ancestors, and all beings, for they are forms of the Divine. With wealth gained honestly or by chance, one should support dependents and perform sacrifices, always by just means. One must not become attached to family, nor be careless even as a householder; the wise see all that is perishable as if already gone, even when not yet lost. The meeting of sons, wives, and close relatives is like travelers meeting on a road; they depart from the body as a dream follows sleep. Thus, reflecting in this way, a liberated soul dwells in the household like a guest, not bound by it, free from possessiveness and ego. With devotion, performing prescribed household duties for the sake of the Divine alone, one may remain at home, retire 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, remains 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?" Thus, with his heart seized by attachment to home, his mind unsatisfied and constantly brooding, when he dies, he enters into deep darkness. Sūta then spoke: Parikshit, 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. Later, when his life was threatened by Takṣaka, born from the wrath of a brāhmaṇa, he was not bewildered by the pain of death, for his mind was offered to the Lord. Having abandoned all attachments and understanding the state of the unconquered, this disciple of Vyāsa gave up his body in the sacred Gaṅgā. For those who delight in the nectar of the Lord's glorious stories, there is no confusion even at the time of death, for they remember His lotus feet. So long as the great devotee, Parikshit, 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, Kali, the source of unrighteousness, followed. Yet the emperor does not hate Kali; just as a bee takes the essence from flowers, so too Parikshit draws auspicious results from Kali, unlike others. What can Kali, 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 said, "I have described to you this sacred story of Parikshit, filled with the tales of Vāsudeva, as you requested. All stories 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 responded: "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 could ever be satisfied by hearing the nectar of stories about the supreme refuge of the greatest souls? Even the masters of yoga, foremost among those born from Brahma, have not reached the end of His qualities, who is beyond all qualities. Therefore, you, foremost among those devoted to the Supreme, please narrate to us the noble and pure deeds of Hari, for those eager to listen." They continued: "That Parikshit, the great devotee, whose unwavering intelligence was directed toward liberation, attained the feet of the one whose banner bears the eagle, through the knowledge spoken by the son of Vyāsa. Therefore, please narrate to us that supremely auspicious, wondrous, and yoga-centered story, whose meaning is not concealed, which is filled with the endless deeds of the Lord, and which delighted Parikshit and the devotees." Sūta replied: "Ah, today we, though born in a lower lineage, have become blessed by following the elders. Association with the words of the greatest souls swiftly removes the impurity of a bad family and mental distress. How much more, then, for one who praises the Supreme, the ultimate refuge of the greatest souls? The infinite Lord, whose power is boundless, is called limitless because of his supreme qualities. What has already been indicated is sufficient to show the unequalled and unsurpassed qualities of the Lord, whose dust of the feet is sought even by those who have abandoned all else, though He himself does not desire such worship. Moreover, the water offered for worship by Brahma, produced from the nails of His feet, purifies the world; who, desiring the Lord's feet, would not be purified by Mukunda? There, those who are devoted and wise suddenly abandon their attachment to the body and its connections, and proceed to the highest state of the swan-like sages, in which nonviolence, tranquility, and one's own duty prevail. I have been questioned by you, O noble ones, so I shall explain as far as I have realized. Just as birds fly in the sky according to their own capacity, so too the wise attain the path of Vishnu according to their own understanding. Once, while wandering in the forest for hunting, Parikshit, with his bow raised, pursued a deer. Exhausted, greatly hungry and thirsty, he entered a hermitage searching for water, and there he saw a sage seated in tranquility, with eyes closed.