In this world, filled with uncertainty and confusion, where people’s minds are often clouded, you graciously make us drink the sweet nectar—the honey-wine—of Govinda’s lotus feet. Such is the blessing of your presence, that even a single moment spent in the company of the Lord’s devotees is more precious to us than the promise of heaven or even liberation itself—what, then, are any other blessings that mortals might seek? Who could ever be satisfied by merely hearing a little of the nectar of stories about the one who is the supreme refuge of the greatest souls? Even the most accomplished yogis, those foremost among the beings born from Brahma, have not discovered the end of the qualities of the Lord who is beyond all qualities. Therefore, O learned one, you who are foremost among the devoted, please narrate to us the noble and pure deeds of Hari, for our hearts are eager to listen. Parikshit, that great devotee whose unwavering intelligence was fixed upon liberation, attained the feet of the Lord whose banner bears the eagle, through the wisdom spoken by Vyasa’s son. So, we implore you: please tell us that supremely auspicious, wondrous, and yoga-centered story, whose meaning is clear and open, filled with the endless deeds of the Lord, which delighted Parikshit and all the devotees. Sūta then spoke, his voice filled with gratitude: “Ah, today, though born in a lower lineage, we have become blessed by following in the footsteps of the elders. The company of the great souls and their words quickly removes the impurity of a low birth and the distress of the mind. How much more so for one who praises the Supreme, who is the ultimate refuge of the greatest souls? The Lord is called limitless, for His power and qualities are boundless. Indeed, what has already been spoken is enough to reveal the Lord’s unequalled and unsurpassed qualities, for even those who have renounced everything seek the dust of His feet, though He Himself does not desire such worship. The water offered by Brahma, which was born from the nails of His feet, purifies the world; so who, desiring the Lord’s feet, would not be purified by Mukunda? In that place, the devoted and wise suddenly abandon their attachment to the body and its ties, and ascend to the highest state of the swan-like sages, where nonviolence, tranquility, and one’s own duty prevail. You, venerable ones, have questioned me, so I shall speak according to my realization. Just as birds fly in the sky each according to their strength, so too do the wise attain the path of Vishnu according to their understanding. Now, once, while wandering in the forest for the hunt, with bow raised, King Parikshit pursued a deer. He became exhausted, greatly hungry and thirsty. Searching for water, he entered a hermitage and saw a sage seated in deep tranquility, his eyes closed. The sage, with senses, breath, mind, and intellect restrained, had reached a state beyond the three realms, merged in the changeless Brahman. The king, his throat parched, begged the sage for water, but the sage, covered in matted hair and a deerskin, remained silent, absorbed in meditation. Unable to obtain grass, earth, or the customary water and kind words, the king felt disregarded and became angry. Never before had hunger and thirst afflicted him so; envy and anger towards the Brahmin arose in his heart. In his frustration, the king placed a lifeless snake upon the sage’s shoulder and, leaving the hermitage, returned to his city. He wondered: “Is this one, with all senses withdrawn and eyes closed, truly absorbed in meditation, or is it only a pretense? What is the case with such people, especially those of the warrior class?” Meanwhile, the sage’s son, a boy of extraordinary brilliance, was playing with other children. Upon hearing that his father had been wronged by the king, he spoke out in outrage: “Alas, what injustice by the rulers, who are like gluttons devouring the offerings! The offense committed by the servants against their master is like that of gatekeepers—or even dogs—against their lord. Though a kṣatriya by birth, the king has been appointed by the brāhmaṇas as the guardian of the house; how, then, should such a doorkeeper be entitled to the household’s provisions?” He continued, “With Krishna, the Lord and guide for those who stray from the path, now departed, I shall punish those who have broken the bridge of righteousness. Behold my power!” His eyes reddened with anger, the boy, after purifying himself at the Kauśikī river, released a thunderbolt of words: “Thus, 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. Seeing his father with a dead serpent draped about his neck, he was overcome with sorrow and cried out loudly. Hearing his son’s lament, the sage slowly opened his eyes. Seeing the dead snake, he cast it aside and asked, “Child, why are you crying? Who has wronged you?” The boy explained all that had happened. When the sage learned that the king had been cursed undeservedly, he did not rejoice at his son’s action. Instead, he lamented: “Alas, what a great calamity you have caused today! The king’s offense was small, but your punishment is severe. You should not judge the king, O immature-minded one. By his invincible power, the people enjoy prosperity and safety on all sides. When the king, Naradeva, wielder of the chariot wheel, is disregarded, the world will be overrun by thieves and, unprotected, will perish in an instant, like sheep without a shepherd. Today, sin will come upon us without end, as people plunder the wealth of those bereft of protection. They will kill each other, curse, rob, and seize cattle, women, and property. Then, noble dharma will dissolve among men, along with the practices of varṇa and āśrama, rooted in the three Vedas. Thereafter, those absorbed in wealth and pleasure, like dogs and monkeys, will cause the mixing of castes. The king, guardian of dharma, is the great emperor Bṛhacchrava, a royal sage, a true devotee, who performed horse sacrifices. A sin has been committed against this innocent king by a child of immature understanding; may the Lord, the soul of all, forgive this offense. Even when insulted, deceived, cursed, abused, or even killed, the devotees of the Lord do not retaliate, even if they possess the power to do so.” Thus, due to his son’s offense, the great sage was filled with remorse; though he himself had been wronged by the king, he did not dwell upon the offense. Generally, the virtuous in this world are placed in situations of duality by others; yet they neither grieve nor rejoice, for their reliance is upon the qualities of the self. And, as a closing note, one should not lie down without washing the feet, nor with wet feet, nor with the head wet; nor should one eat food offered by others, nor lie naked, nor at the times of dawn or dusk.