We would never exchange even a moment spent in the company of the Lord’s devotees—not for heaven, not even for liberation itself. What, then, are any other blessings in this world compared to such association? Who could ever be satisfied by hearing enough of the nectarous tales of the Supreme, the ultimate refuge of the greatest souls? Even the foremost yogis—those who have sprung from Brahma himself—have never reached the end of the qualities of the one who stands beyond all qualities. Therefore, O most devoted among the learned, we beseech you: kindly narrate to us the noble and pure deeds of Hari, for we are eager to listen. That great devotee, Parikshit, whose unwavering mind was fixed on liberation, attained the feet of the Lord—he whose banner bears the eagle—through the knowledge imparted by the son of Vyasa. So please, recount to us that supremely auspicious, wondrous, and yoga-centered story, whose meaning is open and clear, which is filled with the Lord’s endless deeds, and which delighted Parikshit and the devotees. Sūta then spoke: “Ah, today, though born in a lower family, we have become blessed by following in the footsteps of the elders. Association with the words of the greatest souls quickly removes the impurity of low birth and the distress of the mind. 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 for his supreme qualities. Indeed, what has already been described is enough to show the Lord’s unequalled and unsurpassed qualities—he whose very foot-dust is sought even by those who have renounced all else, though he himself does not desire such worship. Moreover, the water offered by Brahma for worship, which was produced from the nails of the Lord’s feet, purifies the world. Who, then, in this world, desiring the Lord’s feet, would not be purified by Mukunda? In that realm, those who are devoted and wise suddenly abandon their attachment to the body and its relations, and proceed to the highest state of the swan-like sages—a state of nonviolence, tranquility, and fulfillment of one’s own duty. You have questioned me, O noble ones, and so I shall explain as far as I have realized. Just as birds fly in the sky according to their own strength, so too the wise attain the path of Vishnu according to their own understanding. Once, while wandering in the forest on a hunt, his 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 attained a state beyond the three realms and become one with the unchanging Brahman. Covered in matted hair and deerskin, his throat parched for water, the king begged the sage for relief. But, unable to obtain grass, earth, or other offerings, nor the customary water and kind words, and feeling disregarded, Parikshit became angry. Never before had hunger and thirst afflicted him so, and envy and anger arose in his heart toward the Brahmin. In his anger, he placed a lifeless snake upon the sage’s shoulder, and, leaving the hermitage, returned to his city. He wondered, “Is this one, with all his senses withdrawn and eyes closed, truly absorbed in meditation, or is it merely pretense? What might be the case with those of the warrior class?” Meanwhile, the sage’s son, radiant and extraordinary, was playing among the children. Upon hearing that his father had been wronged by the king, he spoke out in that very place: “Alas, what injustice by the rulers, like gluttons who eat the offerings! The offense of the servants against their master 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 Krishna, 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 reddened with anger, the young sage, 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 approached the hermitage and, seeing his father with a serpent’s body around his neck, was overcome with sorrow and cried out loudly. The sage, hearing his son’s lament, slowly opened his eyes and, seeing the dead serpent, cast it off and asked, “Child, why are you crying? Who has wronged you?” The boy explained everything. Hearing that the king had been cursed undeservedly, the Brahmin felt no joy at his son’s action. “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. “When the king, called Naradeva and wielder of the chariot wheel, is disregarded, O dear one, the world will be overrun by thieves and, unprotected, will perish in an instant, like sheep without a shepherd. Today, sin comes upon us without interruption, as people plunder the wealth of those who have lost their protector; they kill each other, curse, rob, and seize cattle, women, and property. “Then, noble dharma dissolves among men, along with the practices of varṇa and āśrama, which are rooted in the three Vedas; thereafter, those absorbed in wealth and pleasure, like dogs and monkeys, 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 the 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 killed, the devotees of the Lord do not retaliate, even if they have the power to do so.” Thus, because of his son’s action, 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. One should not lie down without washing the feet, nor with wet feet or head, nor should one eat food offered by others, nor lie naked, nor at the times of dawn or dusk. Always pure, clothed in clean garments, and endowed with all auspiciousness, one should worship cows, Brahmins, fortune, and the infallible Lord before breakfast.