After Mukunda, the Lord, departed from the earth and returned to His own divine abode, the age of Kali descended upon the world. From that day, Kali began to obstruct all means of virtue, casting a shadow over righteousness. During his conquest of the directions, the king encountered Kali, who was miserable and sought refuge. The king, like a honey-gatherer who spares the bee, did not kill him. In this age of Kali, the result that cannot be attained by austerity, yoga, or meditation is fully obtained simply by praising Keśava. Viṣṇurāta, seeing Kali as uniform and devoid of true essence and substance, established him for the happiness of those born in Kali. Yet, because of evil deeds, the essence has departed from everywhere; objects remain on earth like husks without seed. The brāhmaṇas once made the teachings of the Bhāgavata known in every home and to every person, but due to greed for payment, the true essence of these stories has vanished. Even those who perform terrible and abundant deeds, the atheistic and hellish people, now remain at holy places, but the essence of the holy places has departed. Those whose minds are agitated by desire, anger, greed, and thirst still engage in austerity, but the true essence of austerity is lost. Because the mind is defeated by greed, hypocrisy, heresy, and even through mere study of scriptures, the fruit of meditation and yoga is lost. The learned delight with their wives like buffaloes, skillful in producing sons, but unskilled in attaining liberation. Nowhere is true Vaiṣṇavism found, even among the leaders of traditions; thus, the true essence of reality has perished everywhere. But this is the nature of the age—who can be blamed? Therefore, the Lotus-eyed Lord endures, standing nearby. Sūta said: Hearing these words, the listeners were filled with great wonder. Bhakti spoke again, “Let this also be heard, O Śaunaka.” Bhakti said, “O sage among the gods, you are truly blessed, for you have come here by my good fortune. The sight of the virtuous in this world bestows all perfections. Victory, victory to Him whose body is the basis of illusion, who, by a single utterance, creates all speech! By His grace, Dhruva attained the eternal state. I bow to the son of Brahmā, the vessel of all auspiciousness.” As the second chapter began, Narada, seeking to remove Bhakti’s distress, addressed her: “Child, why do you grieve in vain, so troubled by anxiety? Remember the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa—your sorrow will depart. It was He who rescued Draupadī from the calamity of the Kauravas and protected the cowherd women; where has that Kṛṣṇa gone now? But you, Bhakti, are always dearer to Him than life itself. When you call, the Lord comes even to the houses of the lowly. In the first three ages, truth and knowledge, along with detachment, are the means to liberation; but in Kali, only Bhakti grants union with Brahman. Thus, having decided, the Conscious One created you, who are of the same nature, as a beautiful form of supreme bliss, beloved of Kṛṣṇa. With folded hands, you once asked, ‘What shall I do?’ Then Kṛṣṇa instructed you: ‘Nourish my devotees.’ You accepted that command, and Hari was pleased. He gave you Mukti as a maidservant, and these two—Jñāna and Vairāgya. In Vaikuṇṭha, you nourish by your own form; on earth, to nourish devotees, you manifest a shadow-form. With Mukti, Jñāna, and Vairāgya, you came to earth, and remained in great joy until the end of Dvāpara, beginning from Kṛta. In Kali, Mukti was destroyed, afflicted by heresy; by your command, she quickly returned again to Vaikuṇṭha. Liberation comes and goes here as you remember, and these two, made your sons by you, are protected at your own side. Because of neglect, your two sons have become weak and old in this age of Kali; yet, do not worry—I will think of a way. O beautiful one, there is no age like Kali; in that age, I will establish you in every home, among all people. Setting aside other duties and giving priority to great festivals, at that time, I will not serve Hari, nor will I spread you in the world. Those living beings who are accompanied by you in this Kali age—even if sinful—will go without fear to Krishna’s temple. For those whose hearts are always filled with devotion in the form of love, impure beings cannot harm them, not even in dreams. Neither ghosts, nor spirits, nor demons, nor even asuras, can overpower those whose minds are endowed with devotion, even by touch. Neither by austerities, nor by the Vedas, nor by knowledge or actions, is Hari attained—only by devotion; the gopīs are the proof of this. After thousands of human births, love for devotion arises; in Kali, devotion, devotion—by devotion, Krishna stands before you. Those who are hostile to devotion sink in all three worlds; once, Durvāsā suffered misery for insulting a devotee. Enough of vows, enough of pilgrimages, enough of yogas, enough of sacrifices, enough of discussions on knowledge—devotion alone grants liberation. Sūta said: Hearing thus the true nature of herself as determined by Nārada, Bhakti, endowed with all auspiciousness, spoke to Nārada: “O Nārada, how blessed you are! Your love for me is unwavering. I will never leave you; I will always remain in your heart. O compassionate sage, by you my affliction was destroyed in an instant. My two sons lack consciousness—therefore, awaken them, awaken them.” Sūta continued: Hearing her words, Nārada was filled with compassion and began to awaken the two, gently rubbing them with his fingertips.