Having renounced all attachments and fully understanding the nature of the unconquered Self, the disciple of Vyāsa peacefully relinquished his body in the sacred waters of the Gaṅgā. For those who find joy in the nectar of the Lord’s glorious stories, even the moment of death brings no confusion, for their minds rest upon His lotus feet. As long as the great devotee, Parīkṣit—the son of Abhimanyu—ruled the earth, the age of Kali, though present everywhere, could not prevail. Only at the very instant when the Lord departed from this world did Kali, the source of unrighteousness, begin to follow in His absence. Yet, Parīkṣit did not despise Kali; rather, like a bee gathering essence from flowers, he found auspiciousness where others found only misfortune. Kali, bold only among the weak and fearful before the strong, could do nothing to the wise and fearless; among the careless, however, he prowled like a wolf among men. Thus, I have recounted to you this sacred tale of Parīkṣit, filled with the glories of Vāsudeva, just as you requested. All stories of the Lord—He who performs wondrous deeds—rooted in His virtues and actions, should be cherished by those who seek a true and meaningful life. The assembled sages then spoke: “O gentle Sūta, may your life be long and your pure fame everlasting, for you pour forth to mortals the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s deeds. In this uncertain world, where minds are clouded, you cause us to drink the honey-wine of Govinda’s lotus feet. We would not trade even a moment of association with the Lord’s devotees for the pleasures of heaven or even liberation—what need have we for any other blessing? Who could ever be satisfied by hearing the nectar of stories about Him, the supreme refuge of the greatest souls? Even the masters of yoga, born from Brahmā, have not reached the limit of His qualities, for He is beyond all qualities. “Therefore, you who are foremost among the devoted, please narrate to us the pure and noble deeds of Hari, for our hearts are eager to listen.” That Parīkṣit, the great devotee, whose unwavering mind was fixed on liberation, attained the feet of the Lord whose banner bears the eagle, all through the wisdom imparted by the son of Vyāsa. Thus, please narrate that supremely auspicious, wondrous, and yoga-filled story—whose meaning is open and clear, whose substance is endless deeds of the Lord, and which delighted Parīkṣit and all the devotees. Sūta replied: “Ah, today, though born in a lower lineage, we have become blessed by following the wise elders. Association with the words of the greatest souls quickly removes the impurity of a low birth and the distress of the mind. How much more so for one who praises the Supreme, the ultimate refuge of the greatest souls? The infinite Lord, whose power knows no bounds, is called limitless because of His supreme qualities. What has already been spoken is enough to show the Lord’s unsurpassed greatness, for even those who have renounced everything seek the dust of His feet, though He Himself desires no worship. “Moreover, the water offered to Him by Brahmā, produced from the nails of His feet, purifies the world; who, in seeking the Lord’s feet, would not be purified by Mukunda? There, the devoted and wise suddenly renounce all attachment to the body and its relations, and proceed to the highest state, the realm of the swan-like sages, where nonviolence, tranquility, and one’s true duty reign. “You have questioned me, O noble ones, and I shall explain as far as I have realized. Just as birds fly in the sky according to their strength, so too do the wise reach the path of Viṣṇu according to their understanding. “Once, as King Parīkṣit wandered in the forest hunting, bow in hand, he chased a deer and became exhausted, terribly hungry and thirsty. Searching for water, he entered a hermitage and saw a sage seated in tranquility, his eyes closed in meditation. The sage, with senses, breath, mind, and intellect restrained, had attained a state beyond the three realms, merged with the unchanging Brahman. Clad in matted hair and a deerskin, his throat parched, the king begged him for water. “But the king received neither grass, nor earth, nor the customary water and kind words; feeling disregarded, he became angry. Never before had he been so tormented by hunger and thirst, and envy and anger arose toward the sage. In his anger, he placed a lifeless snake upon the sage’s shoulder and, leaving the hermitage, returned to his city. “Is this one, with all senses withdrawn and eyes closed, truly absorbed in meditation, or is it just a pretense?” the king wondered. “What might be the case with such warriors?” The sage’s son, endowed with extraordinary brilliance, was playing among other children. Hearing that his father had been wronged by the king, he spoke out: “Alas, what injustice by the rulers, like gluttons devouring the offerings! The offense committed against the master by the servants is like that of gatekeepers—or even dogs—against their lord. Though a kṣatriya by birth, he has been appointed by the brāhmaṇas as the guardian of the house; how then should such a doorkeeper be entitled to partake of the household’s provisions? “With Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, departed—the guide for those who stray from the path—I now punish those who have broken the bridge of righteousness; behold my power!” Thus, his eyes red with anger, the young sage purified himself at the Kauśikī river and released a thunderbolt of words: “Having transgressed the boundary, Takṣaka, urged by me, will bite this destroyer of the dynasty on the seventh day!” The boy then returned to the hermitage and, seeing his father with a dead serpent draped around his neck, was overcome with sorrow and cried out loudly. Hearing his son’s lament, the brāhmaṇa of the Āṅgirasa lineage slowly opened his eyes and, seeing the dead serpent, cast it off. He asked, “Child, why are you crying? Who has wronged you?” The boy told him everything. Hearing that the king had been cursed undeservedly, the brāhmaṇa did not rejoice at his son’s words. “Alas, what a great calamity you have caused today! Though the offense is small, the punishment is severe. You should not judge the king, O immature-minded one; by his invincible power, the people enjoy prosperity and safety from all sides.