Śuka continued, “Hearing these humble words, the Lord—He who removes the suffering of all who bow before Him—smiled gently and took Śrutadeva’s hand in His own. Then, with great compassion, He spoke: ‘O brāhmaṇa, know that these revered sages have come here for your blessing. They travel the worlds with Me, purifying all creation by the very dust of their feet. ‘The gods, holy places, and sacred waters become pure only gradually, through sight, touch, or worship. But even these are instantly purified by the mere glance of the best among brāhmaṇas. Of all living beings, the brāhmaṇa is the highest by birth; how much more so when he is adorned with austerity, wisdom, and contentment—especially when his devotion is centered upon Me. ‘This four-armed form of Mine is not as dear to Me as the brāhmaṇas are. O brāhmaṇa, you are the embodiment of all the Vedas, just as I am the embodiment of all the gods. Those of poor understanding, who do not know this truth, who are envious and disrespectful, see Me, the guru, the brāhmaṇa, and even their own self as mere idols during worship. ‘But the true brāhmaṇa, by My vision, regards all that moves and does not move in this universe, and all their causes, as My forms within his mind. Therefore, O brāhmaṇa, worship these brāhmaṇa sages with faith in Me. In doing so, you truly worship Me—not otherwise, even if you offer the greatest opulence.’ Thus instructed by the Lord, the king of Mithilā, with a heart full of devotion, worshipped the foremost brāhmaṇas and Kṛṣṇa Himself, seeing them as non-different from himself. By this, he attained the highest destination. O King, in this way, the Lord—ever devoted to His devotees and to the path of devotion—after instructing the king in the true way, returned once more to Dvārakā. Thus ends the eighty-sixth chapter, called ‘The Blessing of Śrutadeva,’ in the second half of the Tenth Canto of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the paramahaṃsas. Parīkṣit then asked, ‘O brāhmaṇa, the Vedas are based on qualities and forms, yet Brahman is indefinable, beyond both existence and non-existence. How do the Vedas function with respect to That which is so utterly beyond?’ Śuka replied, ‘The Lord created the intellect, senses, mind, and vital airs of beings—for the sake of sense objects, for worldly purposes, for the self, and for the sake of non-identification. This is truly the Upaniṣad of Brahman, handed down by the ancients. Whoever holds to it with faith, even if possessing nothing, attains well-being. ‘Now, I will recount to you the verse that is suffused with Nārāyaṇa’s presence, and the ancient dialogue between Nārada and the sage Nārāyaṇa. ‘Once, Nārada, beloved of the Lord, journeyed among the worlds and came to the hermitage of Nārāyaṇa, the eternal sage. In Bhārata, for the welfare and auspiciousness of all, this sage has practiced austerity, dharma, knowledge, and tranquility since the beginning of the age. There, in the village of Kalāpa, surrounded by other sages, Nārada bowed and asked his question. ‘The Lord, as the sages listened intently, spoke the doctrine of Brahman as it was held by the ancient residents of Janaloka: ‘Once, in Janaloka, there was a great sacrifice to Brahman by the descendants of Svāyambhuva, among the mind-born sages, all celibate and pure. When you, Nārada, had gone to Śvetadvīpa to see its Lord, the doctrine of Brahman was thoroughly discussed there, where the Vedas themselves rest. The very question you now ask Me arose then as well. Those sages were equal in learning, austerity, and conduct, and similar in their possessions, enemies, and friends. Some expounded the doctrine, while others listened with rapt attention. ‘Then, Śrī Sanandana spoke: Absorbing this creation into Himself, the Lord lay down together with His energies. At the end of the cycle, the Vedas, bearing their marks, awakened Him, as if rousing Him from sleep. ‘Just as bards approach a sleeping king at dawn and awaken him with praises of his valor, so too did the Vedas, as His attendants, awaken Him with noble hymns. ‘The Vedas spoke: “Victory, victory! O Unborn, O Unconquered! Cast off the faults acquired through contact with the qualities. By Your own nature, all divine powers are perfectly contained in You. You are the awakening of all energies, manifest and unmanifest. Sometimes the Vedas follow You, but they can never reach You, for You move by Your own inscrutable will. ‘“This vast universe, though perceived as existing, is ultimately understood by the wise to be insubstantial—just as all transformations are only apparent in clay, not in the transformations themselves. Therefore, sages fix their minds, words, and actions upon You. How, then, could the footprints of men on earth be anything but unreal? ‘“O Lord of the three worlds, the wise, having plunged into the ocean of nectar that is Your stories—stories which destroy all impurities—abandon even their austerities. What, then, of those who, purified of all motives of time and desire, dwell in Your own realm and worship Your supreme abode, experiencing unbroken bliss? ‘“Just as the vital airs, though sustaining the body, follow Your will, so too did the great elements, beginning with cosmic fire, create the cosmic egg by Your grace. The sequence of beings, from food onwards, is Your manifestation here, yet You are beyond both the real and the unreal. Whatever remains is Your immortal nature. ‘“Those with limited vision, treading the lower path among sages, meditate on the heart as the way, the subtle space within as the path. From there, O Infinite One, Your supreme abode arises above the head, and those who reach it never fall back into the mouth of death. ‘“Entering the many wondrous wombs as their cause, You shine forth in various degrees, like fire taking different forms, according to the actions performed. Yet, in those free from false identification, Your supreme abode is realized equally. The pure-minded ones follow You, the one taste, abandoning all diversity. ‘“In these bodies, Your own creation, both inner and outer, You are called the Person, the bearer of all powers, present in every part. Thus, having examined the path of men and the end of the Vedas, the wise worship Your feet on earth, placing their trust in You. ‘“Desiring to know the truth of the self, which is so difficult to grasp, some, laboring in the ocean of Your immortal deeds, do not even seek liberation, O Lord. Having left their homes for the company of swan-like devotees at Your lotus feet, they desire nothing else. ‘“Following Your path, this flock of embodied beings moves as if with their own kin, friends, and beloveds. Yet, when turned toward You—their true well-wisher and self—they find fulfillment. Alas, those who delight in false worship, harming themselves, wander in suffering, bearing heavy bodies, because of attachment. ‘“Those sages who, with controlled breath, mind, and senses, practice firm yoga and worship You in their hearts—even their enemies attain You by remembrance. Women, whose minds are attached to the serpent king’s embrace, and we too, are equal, having tasted the nectar of Your lotus feet. ‘“Who here truly knows the beginning, end, or course of the one from whom the sage arose, and after whom the gods, both celestial and otherwise, follow? Therefore, He is neither existent nor non-existent, nor both; nor is He subject to time. When He lies thus, no scripture can reach Him. ‘“Those who teach that the soul is born, dies, or is different from the body, speak from ignorance, remembering only the apparent. The idea that the person is made of the three qualities arises from ignorance; in You, and beyond You, such distinctions have no place in the experience of true knowledge. ‘“Just as gold, though appearing in various forms, is not abandoned by those who know its essence, so too the knowers of the self perceive all this as the self, considering everything as their own being, and do not reject the transformations, for all is pervaded by You. ‘“Those who move about as Your companions, as the abode of all beings, tread fearlessly even upon the head of death. You, O Lord, gather even the gods, as a herdsman gathers cattle, and those who have made friendship with You truly purify, but not those who turn away. ‘“You are actionless, self-ruling, bearer of all creative powers. The gods, ever wakeful, offer You tribute and serve You equally, just as the arms serve the universal sovereign. The creators of the worlds, assigned by You, act with awe in Your presence. ‘“The moving and unmoving species arise from the union of causes and the unborn; they act under Your gaze, O Free One. Yet, when freed from that, there is no other, nor is there a second for the Supreme; just as space, bearing all things, remains incomparable and empty.