Nārada, the divine sage, spoke with deep reverence as he stood before the illustrious Kumāras. “By immense good fortune,” he said, “I have come into your presence. O revered Kumāras, out of compassion, please speak quickly to me. You are all yogis, wise and learned, endowed with the fivefold discipline, and you are the very ancestors of the earliest sages.” He praised them further, acknowledging their exalted state: “You always dwell in Vaikuntha, devoted to singing the glories of Lord Hari. Intoxicated by the nectar of his pastimes, you live solely for the sake of his sacred stories. For those whose mouths ceaselessly utter the name of Hari as their only refuge, old age, decreed by time, does not trouble them.” Nārada recalled a wondrous event: “With but a frown from you, the two gatekeepers of Hari once instantly fell at your feet, and by your compassion, they were returned to the Lord’s city. By the fortune of yoga, I have now gained your sight. You, who are full of compassion, should show your grace to me, who am destitute.” He then asked, “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 people, with love and effort?” The Kumāras replied with gentle assurance, “Do not be anxious, O divine sage; let joy arise in your heart. The means, easily accomplished, is already here. Ah, Nārada, you are blessed—the crest-jewel among the detached, always foremost among the servants of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the very sun among yogis. It is not surprising in you, who forever follow the path of devotion, that devotion is ever established for Kṛṣṇa’s servant.” They explained, “Many sages in the world have revealed various paths, all difficult and achieved by effort, and for the most part, they yield only the fruit of heaven. But the path that leads to Vaikuntha is indeed kept secret; its teacher is rarely found, and it is attained mostly by good fortune.” Turning to the matter at hand, they said, “The noble act formerly prescribed to you by the voice in the sky—now it will be explained. Listen today with a steady mind and clear intellect. Some perform sacrifices with offerings, some with austerity, others with yoga, and some with study and knowledge; all these are 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 Śrīmad Bhāgavata is sung by Śuka and others.” They continued, “By the proclamation of that scripture, great strength arises for devotion, knowledge, and detachment. The suffering of both body and mind will depart, and happiness will come to the devotee. Indeed, at the sound of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata’s path, all the faults of Kali will perish, just as wolves flee at the roar of a lion. Devotion, joined with knowledge and detachment and bringing the flavor of love, will spread 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, what then? 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; delay not, for you are compassionate to those who have taken refuge.” The Kumāras replied, “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 in a plant is only enjoyed when 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, and just as sugar pervades the sugarcane but is only sweet when separated—so too is the Bhāgavata narrative.” They declared, “This Purāṇa called Bhāgavata, esteemed by the wise, was revealed to establish devotion, knowledge, and detachment. Even one who has bathed in the Vedas and Vedānta, who is the author of the Gītā—Vyāsa himself—when afflicted with sorrow, became bewildered in the ocean of ignorance. Then, by you, it was formerly spoken in four verses; by hearing those, Bādarāyaṇa was immediately freed from distress. Therefore, what is the cause of your wonder, that you ask this question? The Śrīmad Bhāgavata is to be heard, for it destroys grief and sorrow.” Nārada responded, “That vision which at once destroys inauspiciousness and bestows supreme good upon those afflicted by the pain of existence—absorbed solely in the nectar of stories sung by the pure, for the sake of manifesting love—I have taken refuge in it. When, by the rise of fortune accumulated over many births, a person attains the company of the virtuous, then discrimination arises, dispelling the darkness of delusion and pride caused by ignorance.” Thus begins the third chapter, extolling the greatness of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata. It is said that by hearing the Śrīmad Bhāgavata from the lips of Sanaka and the other Kumāras, the devotee is satisfied, and both knowledge and detachment are nourished. Nārada then declared, “I will perform a sacrifice of knowledge, resplendent with the teachings of Śuka, earnestly for the establishment of devotion, knowledge, and detachment. Where should I perform this sacrifice? Please tell me the place. The greatness of Śuka’s scripture should be spoken by those who have mastered the Vedas. In how many days should the narration of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata be heard? What procedure should be followed there? Please tell me this.” The Kumāras replied, “Listen, Nārada, we will tell you, who are humble and discerning. Near the bank of the Gaṅgā, there is a place called Ānanda. It is frequented by groups of various sages, attended by gods and siddhas, adorned with diverse trees and creepers, and covered with fresh, soft sand. It is a beautiful, secluded place, fragrant with golden lotuses, where enmity does not dwell in the hearts of the living beings nearby. There, with the aged, weakened body placed before you, and considering both of these, devotion will surely arrive.” Thus, the sage Nārada, guided by the compassionate Kumāras, prepared to perform the sacred sacrifice of knowledge, seeking the supreme path of devotion, knowledge, and detachment through the nectar of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata.